Raised beds - path ideas?

15 years ago

I have 2 rows of 9 4' x 8' raised beds. 4 on the first row, 5 on the second row, with 3' in between each bed and each row. This empty space allows me to access each bed but is becoming horribly overrun with weeds. I treat with weedkiller in between planting seasons and weed-whack but need a more permament solution to keeping the weeds out. The entire area is on rock, so I can't lay anything on the surface like brick or dig in pavers. I was thinking weed blocker fabric with loose gravel on top, but the area is a slight slope and thus the gravel has the potential to wash into the yard. I can't get metal edging far enough into the ground to hold the gravel in, either.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Stacy

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:74873}}

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

vickster257
15 years ago
Stacy,

I had a similar situation with paths which were becoming overladen with weeds and couldn't kill them due to the fact that vegetables are in the beds. I remedied the problem with laying down a strong weedfabric from Home Depot and covered with a few bags of soft mulch on each pathway and it is far better than the stones which were there previously. That is my suggestion. Vicki
shebear
15 years ago
Hardwood mulch.......alot of it.
Related Discussions
Putting Straw or a cover crop in walkway between raised beds
Q
Comments (22)
I've got a little over 1200 sq ft in raised beds right now. I use cardboard covered by wood chips in my pathways. The wood chips hold moisture where the plants can access it - even in hot, dry weather the area under the chips is cool and damp; and I don't have to water near as much. The chips also provide a 4 season path to walk on/work from. I add more chips each year; and if weeds are a problem - ie: if I let lambsquarter go to seed - I lay down a sheet of cardboard over the weedy area before putting down the new layer of chips. The chips break down over a period of about 3 years, at which time I rake back the top, intact chips, then dig out the composted material. I'm a little OCD, so I sift the big chunks out (and use them to mulch around fruit trees), then use the sifted material to mulch the plants in the garden. I don't incorporate it - I let the worms take care of that. Since I rarely turn the soil in my raised beds, preferring to use a bulb auger to dig the holes for my plants; it doesn't get incorporated in a large way, so no nitrogen stealing. [IMG]http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/Polly916/100_0053.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/Polly916/100_0126.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/Polly916/100_0122.jpg[/IMG] The cardboard seems to draw worms to the garden, so that is a mark in it's favor. The paths in the front section of my garden are 3' wide, and that's too narrow to suit me. The paths are about 4 1/2 feet wide in the back section of garden, with 6' wide paths between the sections; and a full 6' wide in the newest section, which allows me to bring a lawn tractor and trailer in to haul manure/compost/mulch/bedding plants/water/etc... The 6' width also allowed room for my Pop's golf cart to pass through. I plan to add another 4, 4x8 raised beds to the garden this year; and if finances allow, I will redo the front section of garden, and widen the paths in that area. I have plenty of ground, so the wide paths work better for me. YMMV.
...See More
Thinking about a raised bed on slope. Need ideas/help.
Q
Comments (1)
The part I would worry the most is where it stops at the sidewalk. If there was some way of putting another course of the stonework across there to stop dirt/debris moving out of the garden onto public space I'd feel happier (if it were mine.) I don't know if you get snow in winter, or interesting frosts that affect your steps. What impact would having a raised bed there have on your ability to clear snow? If the mulch stays in one place (apart from the birds helping it to move) then you shouldn't have a lot of runoff or downhilll movement of soil. You don't say what you plan to plant there. In my own zone I could think of natives that would tolerate that depth of soil, despite the rubble below. And heaps of weeds, too. Not to mention shrubs and herbs. I'm just thinking that stooping over from the steps to garden could be quite demanding. I like your wood constructions. And I like that blockwork you have out front even better as a match for your house. As well as this forum - you could offer the idea on some of the other forums that get more traffic than this one. PS Love your boulders! They look sort of glacial. Very pretty!
...See More
Effect of pathway mulch on raised beds?
Q
Comments (2)
Wood chips last longer - leaves are feeding the worms - worm poo is feeding the plants. Depending on what you are growing many plants roots can reach out into the path esp. if there is moisture and nutrients available. Lay down some leaves before the wood chips if you have them. I always prefer something that will decompose in the garden or paths over things that don't or won't.
...See More
Garden help! Should I put a path around raised garden beds?
Q
Comments (21)
Beautiful garden. I think it will be difficult to keep grass looking good around raised beds unless you have a lawn mowing company and then it will not be a problem. As' localeater' mentioned I would not use pea gravel. Seeing your beautiful garden I would not use any kind of gravel, but I think a stone path between the two beds and from the patio would look good. Of course if later you decide that that is not the place for your beds then it would look silly to have a path from the patio to the middle of your lawn. Good luck on your garden.
...See More
jimster
15 years ago
I think your idea of weed blocker with gravel is by far the best solution in this situation. Not weed barrier actually, but heavy landscape fabric. I have seen this used by itself in greenhouses and nurseries with nothing over it. It works well. Pea gravel or an equivalent over the fabric would be fine as a decorative and protective covering. I doubt there would be any serious problem with the gravel being washed.

Don't use wood or bark mulches unless you are prepared to remove and replace them when they decay and become compost which will support weed growth.

Jim
elffriend
15 years ago
We put down cardboard between our raised beds and then cover it with grass clippings. There's hardly a weed out there.
trsinc
15 years ago
I see you're in TX as am I. Gravel reflects a lot of light and heat so I don't really care for it especially around veg. I would go with cedar mulch over a weed fabric (you could also put cardboard under the fabric). If you have a slope problem, then try putting down a one by one piece of wood to keep the mulch from washing down hill. Just lay it on the ground... doesn't need to be nailed into the rock.

I have the same problem by the way. I'm on the side of a rocky hill. I'm building raised beds, slowly but surely, in a pattern. I'll eventually have mulched pathways inbetween. Right now the weeds aren't a huge problem. I like the idea of mulch instead of rock because it will let natural rainfall slowly penetrate the ground.

I'm currently using cedar mulch in all of my flower beds which are on gradual slopes and the mulch I bought 7 years ago is still holding up, not breaking down, or washing away.
glib
15 years ago
I mulched with wood chips, and now that it has broken down into nice, crumbly soil, some of my paths are a carpet of weeds. Where I have little weeds I adopted the following solution.

I am in MI, where heat is not a problem, but the best solution here is crushed limestone (on plastic sheeting or weed blocker), which will not move about, like gravel. Make sure you place the blocker under the raised beds edges, I only get weeds there now.
echoes_or
15 years ago
If you use rock you have a slipping issue each time you walk downhill. I don't think there is any way to stop that with cardboard or regular weedbarriers, it's just an issue with gravel. I have used with great success the landscapers commercial grade felt underlayment.. The felt solves the slippage issue and holds whatever you put on top a lot more securely. It's the only thing that has worked like I wanted in our dry stream bed.. Think flannel sheets and how your covers don't move around much - same thing with the felt.
yfchoice
15 years ago
I use cardboard topped with old hay. Not only do weeds stay out, but remains as a cover for my garden when I bed it down for the winter.
alicate
15 years ago
I use leaf mulch in my beds, really thick. It looks nice and when I see weeds, I just apply more. Plus, it is easy and cheap.
djscrapbooks
15 years ago
I used cardboard,then pieces of carpet-because I had it! We've been in the process of removing the original carpet from the entire downstairs and putting down wide pine floors (it's been going on for way too many months!) Then, I started spreading mulch this year. As the stuff breaks down, I will just flip it over so the mulch is under the carpet and add more.

We had gravel in a piece of the yard (when we bought it) and it was still growing weeds, and was crazy to clean leaves out of!

{{gwi:60770}}
aulani
15 years ago
I use cardboard topped with wheat straw. Sparrows eat all the wheat. By fall, the straw is getting rotten so I just pick it up, put it in the beds, and till it under by hand. By spring it's composted. I've done this for years. Nice garden site, djscrap...

Raised beds - path ideas?

Comments (11)

vickster257

shebear

Related Discussions

jimster

elffriend

trsinc

glib

echoes_or

yfchoice

alicate

djscrapbooks

aulani

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US