[titch]

our plot is new, all soil, and we need to lay paths, 2 of them, 1 ft wide up each side.  We have access to wood chip (free - bonus ) from our lovely local community composting site.

how shoudl i lay this - stright on to the soil, use a weed supressing membrane under or what?
how deep should it be?

your thoughts please 

[Steve.P]

If you are ok with using weed killer, give it a good dose of that then put a membrane down. Seeds can lay dormant in the soil for years so a membrane would be a good idea. As for the depth, a couple of inch's should be ok or less if you prefer. Wood chip will brake down in time so a steady supply would be good.

[celjaci]

The membrane is a good idea, not only prevents the weeds growing through but stops the wood-chip sinking into the soil
Edging with wood is best to stop the woodchip spreading - but if the path is only 1ft wide? You could dig out some soil first especially if you have any raised beds to fill.

[lacewing]

Unless you have very small feet, 1ft seems a bit narrow.

[Rangerkris]

Im going to use wood chip as i can get loads i have chipper and woodland hahahahha.

[goose]

i used woodchips in some boarders in my garden, it looked lovely until the blackbirds threw it all over the lawn.  would that not happen on the plot

[titch]

Thanks for the replies - i think we will go for membrane then wood chip, and in the future maybe we can do something more permanant, as the chip is free seems silly not to take advantage.
not sure about the weedkiller tho, as 1ft away is the neighbours plot, and we have already been told to be v careful.
I have tiny feet ,  (size three hee hee) but the paths are 1 ft of each plot so technically 2 ft wide and hoping i have good nieghbours (do on one side, will hve to check the other side too)
i might make one of them 2ft wide, will see when we get up there
not doing raised beds, at least for now, but the dug out soil will come handy for earthing up the large amount of seed spuds i have  :blink: :blink:

[Babstreefern]

It may sound nice, but one problem I had when I laid down chippings, is that when its muddy and you invariably walk on the soil and you end up with very muddy shoes, the minute you walk on your chippings or whatever, it sticks to your boots and makes a bit of a mess.  What I started doing is laying flags down the middle (with the membrane underneath), and also use scaffolding planks so you can manouver them about, and use them so that you can walk amongst the growth without getting really muddy

[titch]

like that idea, will have to keep eyes open for scaffolding 
hadnt thgouth about the transfer of it tho  :blink:

[out4nowt]

"You cannot grow anything on a path" is what I was told when I asked the same question.

[Steve.P]

Ive started to set grass paths up each side of my plot and a path up the middle. Splits my plot into two long strips. Set them just wide enough to get the rotorvator up each side and the middle. Only thing with grass is the mowing, but its very close to the house. If not you could get a cheap petrol lawn mower, or free on freecycle.

[Sadgit]

"You cannot grow anything on a path" is what I was told when I asked the same question.

Exactly. My plot is one big open plot with zero paths, well except the one between us and next door. Tis great with no paths as I can rotovate the whole plot without paths getting in the way. I wear boots when on the plot so why would I need a path?

[wengren]

when we took over our allotment we made the paths as we dug over the ground .we have lovely wide grass paths now. as you dig the grass ,soil and small weeds out of your ground use this to make up the paths. the paths were higher then the ground when we had finished but they soon go down over time.the weeds will go if you keep mowing the grass. whatever you use for you path make sure its not to low as all your get is a river when it rains.we have 3 allotment made into 9 big beds with grass paths round them.

[celjaci]

I wear boots when on the plot so why would I need a path?

slight subject drift here but one reason I have paths is to define the bits to be walked on, avoiding compaction of the growing beds ( now noticeably easier to dig - may give up digging some time soon )  Another reason I have permanent paths is to reduce the ammount of work - once the paths are laid I don't have to hoe or dig this area

[Babstreefern]

Going back to my earlier message, I have one path only down the middle of my plot.  The other "paths" are the planks.  The paths don't have to be that wide (as wide or as narrow as you like).  You can even lay paths in a cross so that you have 4 areas of planting and this is easier for crop rotation.