Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: wolveryeti on April 14, 2021, 18:14

Title: Companion plants in raised bed paths
Post by: wolveryeti on April 14, 2021, 18:14
Has anyone had any success following this approach?

Was thinking something like comfrey would absorb surplus nutrients before washing away and provide competition to weeds.
Title: Re: Companion plants in raised bed paths
Post by: Yorkie on April 14, 2021, 20:54
I am a little puzzled - do you mean planting the companion plants in the paths between raised beds?  If so, where would you walk?
Title: Re: Companion plants in raised bed paths
Post by: Subversive_plot on April 15, 2021, 06:21
I agree with Yorkie regarding the comfrey.

You can grow grass in your paths and keep it short with either a mower or trimmer.  You can compost any long grass clippings that accumulate after you cut.  That is what I'm doing.

Title: Re: Companion plants in raised bed paths
Post by: wolveryeti on April 15, 2021, 07:57
I am a little puzzled - do you mean planting the companion plants in the paths between raised beds?  If so, where would you walk?

Yes - you understand correctly. I guess you would just walk on them as normal. I am used to grass encroaching on my paths so don't see it would make that much difference...
Title: Re: Companion plants in raised bed paths
Post by: New shoot on April 15, 2021, 09:36
Comfrey will take a lot of punishment. I have it planted just outside my chicken run and they demolish it at every opportunity.  It stays low, but would be a lumpy bumpy surface to try and walk on.

What about something softer and lower growing?  Poached egg plants, lawn camomile, maybe creeping thyme in areas where it would not get stepped on continually.
Title: Re: Companion plants in raised bed paths
Post by: Yorkie on April 15, 2021, 20:24
I wouldn't want to be walking on comfrey stems - as New shoot says, the stumps won't be flat once you've done your first cut.