[ballpointbob]

Have just taken on a plot which is full of dock, nettle, buttercup & knee high grass. Gave it a dose of round up on Sunday & the docks aren't looking too clever. I intend to rotovate it sometime next week.
I will leave space for paths and would be grateful if any one can advise me on how to create paths that wont turn into mud slides in the winter. It is likely that I'll have some heavy duty plastic to use as a base but I don't really want the expense of loads of paving slabs.
Thank you in advance. 

[sion01]

i wouldn't rotavate what youv'e sprayed with roundup for atleast another week,you want the weedkiller to get deep into the root to kill it.

[fatcat1955]

And don't use plastic for the paths as water will not permeate through it.

[JayG]

Anything other than a proper building material (concrete or brick) will only be temporary; if you use wood or bark chippings you will need to find a way of keeping it in position (in between raised beds might be sufficient) but you've still got to solve the problem of weeds growing up through it (plastic sheeting might work but only if your plot is plumb level!)

If you think I am trying to point you in the direction of a concrete slab path you are right! (you may be able to pick some up cheaply or even for nothing on Freecycle or similar.)

[Yorkie]

I use heavy-duty weed control fabric for paths.  It's generally OK, has lasted several years so far without deterioration. 

The only difficulty is that weeds tend to come up at the edges.  I was advised to create a slit trench at the edge, and fold the fabric down into it in order to create a vertical barrier, but couldn't be bothered!

[stentman]

Around my raised beds I used weed surpressing fabric as a base and added stones pebbles etc to make the path walking surface. My ground is/was very stoney so every stone I uncover just gets dumped on the path. Over time the path gets more defined and walk proof and the veg beds get more stone free without having to transport the stones anywhere.

[ballpointbob]

Many thanks for the replies. By the time I get to rotavate it will have been 10-14 days after applying Roundup. Never used weedkiller before & didn't want to but it's such a mess. So far only the docks seem affected but that'll do for starters.
Once again, thanks.

[plopleuk]

I use the weed suppressant as well with wood chip which i will gradually replace with stones when the wallet allows just remember to make them as small as you can so your not using up planting space. i went for just longer than my knee to the base of my foot so i can kneel and weed my beds if needed without having to twist.
weeds do get through the edges as before mentioned but are easily spotted and removed.

[Kristen]

So far only the docks seem affected but that'll do for starters.

Roundup works by getting down into the roots first, and then interfering with the plant's chemistry, so its normal for nothing to appear to happen for the first week (and the longer you can leave it the more "kill" you will get of the roots)

[lucywil]

i have 2 plots, one which i for the more permanent crops like raspberries, asparagus etc, this one has a slab path down the middle. I didn't buy any of the slabs, they were all sourced through freegle which meant it didn't all get done at once but was worth it in the end.

on the other plot i use scaffolding boards to split the plot up into smaller beds, i just lay them out on the plot where i want them and use them as paths, then they can easily be moved the following year to rotavate etc

[Kristen]

Sorry, also meant to say that I like grass paths in the veg patch - assuming you have a mower where the veg are, and thus this may not be an option on an allotment.

[savbo]

If horsetail is a problem on your plot you might want to go for pure woodchip without membrane or fabric - like we have, the thinking being the the fabric allows the horsetail runners to spread around the plot unseen, whereas the woodchip alone means they sprout up and can be hoed off. Probably nonsense but when we inherited carpet with chip the horsetail was everywhere

[Pompey Spud]

I've used membrane with wood chippings over. Easy to maintain.

I get the odd weed but nothing major.

More importantly though; slugs don't like to travel over chippings.

[ember]

Many thanks for the replies. By the time I get to rotavate it will have been 10-14 days after applying Roundup. Never used weedkiller before & didn't want to but it's such a mess. So far only the docks seem affected but that'll do for starters.
Once again, thanks.

I'd take enormouse care rotavating so quickly after spraying. Check out the docks etc. before you do.

Our plot was appalling. We sprayed a section of it three times, over a period of about 12 weeks, and the stuff still came back  (We were clearing another section by digging out at the same time.) Finally we covered it in damp-proof membrane, which is heavy duty plastic available at most builders' merchants including B&Q, and left it for 12 months. We started working on that section end of Feb and a good 99% of the weeds have gone BUT some of the docks were still alive    , though obviously weakened . Rotavating would have just spread the **!!!*?.

Having dug and cleared it we then rotavated to break down the lumps.

All the best with it and remember to plant as you go along so you have something to see for all your hard work.  M