[fibilou]

Got a new allotment as we recently moved house. There are some raised beds already in place; at the moment these are (very overgrown) grass. At our old allotment we had paving slabs in between the beds. My options are:

1) Woodchip
2) Shingle
3) Paving slabs
4) Leave the grass and get a hand mower

The site is sloping and quite exposed although my plot is pretty flat so I anticipate that the soil will be quite free draining. WWYD ? Trying to do it on as little budget as possible

[goodtogrow]

There's nothing wrong with trodden, earth paths, fibilou.

Short of making permanent slab paths, which your budget argues against, there's an implied maintenance of paths.

Earthen ones need hoeing.  But so do your growing areas.  Do them both at the same time.

It's a little known fact that paths act as a water reservoir.  Crops on the adjacent growing areas take the water from them, if you keep growth down on the paths.  Otherwise lay membrane on the paths.  But that costs money.

Best wishes

Tom

[brokenglass]

If you can get a hold of free woodchips then that is the way forward.    They do break down and can be used as compost so a win win situation.

[m1ckz]

for me slabs are good..

[Honey65]

I dismantle pallets, chop into pieces and staple onto strips of plastic to make a log roll type path.  I put it on top of weed control fabric.  My girls then paint them bright colours which gives me a bit of piece to weed.  Not sure how to attach a photo but try this link

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e6ibqvzsdwqy0zn/2013-09-07%2010.32.32.jpg

[fibilou]

oo, I do like that idea, Honey. Would also use up the pile of pallets behind the shed

[Madame Cholet]

I've used old builders tonne bags as membrane with free woodchips on top.

[Amilo]

I've used old builders tonne bags as membrane with free woodchips on top.

I like that one, I will use it myself, thanks.

[gavinjconway]

I've used old builders tonne bags as membrane with free woodchips on top.

I like that one, I will use it myself, thanks.

They work well... slit all the stitching and it makes a 5mt long length and a couple of spare pieces..

[barley]

old carpets cut into strips and layed hessian side up

any carpet shop will willingly let you raid their skip with permission

can be put in bottom of compost heap to rot as it dereiterates and start all over again - FREE BOSH !!!!

[mumofstig]

I don't think I'd want the chemicals that leach out of the carpets as they rot, in my compost 

[allotmentann]

I don't think I'd want the chemicals that leach out of the carpets as they rot, in my compost 

And some sites ban its use anyway. Ours certainly does. So you would need to check your allotment site rules. The other problem with carpet, aside from chemicals, is that if it is left for a very long time, grass and weeds grow through it, and if you think removing those deep rooted perennial weeds is hard, you should try it when they have grown through carpet!   

[superpete]

In the top right corner of my picture you can see one of the grass paths that we have on our first plot - these "look" great if you can keep up with strimming and edging 



on our second plot we decided on decking boards (£7.50 for a 16 foot lenght) and use soft shreddings ie. nothing spikey - through an electric Bosch shredder... hedge trimmings, small branches and herbaceous stems which last well enough till we can get more - of the the two plots the second is much nicer to work

[ptarmigan]

Hi super Pete . Looks like a great plot. So neat! What is the plant in the middle of the bed?

[barley]

RE carpets

And some sites ban its use anyway. Ours certainly does. So you would need to check your allotment site rules.

thank goodness I have my veggie plots in my own garden - couldn't stand all the rules and regs of an allotment site   

I can use any old odds and S*ds on my plot and can keep up with it at my pace