Paths between raised beds

[MClan]

Just wanted your opinions. I have paths between my raised beds but as yet not covered the paths yet. What would you suggest. I had initially thought a weed membrane and wood hip but then I saw this coconut husk stuff. Preferably durable and childproof and friendly

[diggernotdreamer]

I use landscape fabric and then woodchip on top, it lasts quite a while and is fairly cheap, we used to watch out for tree surgeons working in the area and they are often glad to tip a load of chips free of charge on your drive, did used to buy some from tree surgeons too, usually about twenty quid to fill my trailer which can hold about 3 square meters. I used pea shingle which was ok but once it gets dirty and prone to growing weeds, you can't remove and compost like you can chips, also nice to walk on and very soft if you fall over on it so safe for children

[Davie Crockett]

Wood chips over membrane every time! Beware cocoa husks if buying commercial chips....poisonous to dogs.

[boboff]

thirded, woodchip or bark on the most expensive membrane you can afford ( you can get the cloth they do the undersides of Sofa's for Pennies, but I wouldn't)

[Odsox]

I have raised beds in my tunnels and the paths were covered in membrane with a layer of sand on top, but it doesn't work that well.
It worked fine for the first year or two, but now I get lots of weeds growing through and when I go to pull the weeds up it pulls the membrane up too.
When the winter comes I am going to lay concrete on the membrane and make permanently weed free paths of them.

[MClan]

Great info, thank you. Will check out my local tree surgeon. Regarding the membrane, how will I know it is the best? Is it determined by weight? Density?

[boboff]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Garden-Weed-C ... 231bc2dad8

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2M-x30M-Heavy ... 1c14f8c1b2

The second one is better.

Expect to pay about 50p a sq meter, and look for 100gm, but you know as I do It's all about whats the deal of the day etc etc. But if it's 20p a meter to get 120gsm I would do it, and I wouldn't really look at the cheap stuff, you can get it in Poundland,

[diggernotdreamer]

I agree with Boboff, Ebay is very good for landscape fabric. Also, if you want to peg it down, a box of 4 or 6 inch nails are a lot cheaper than the pegs you can buy, so you can use a few more and secure it down really well, if you have to cut the fabric to size it will fray so I cut it a bit wider than needed, then fold under the cut edge and secure with the nails, this prevents getting long strands of plastic coming adrift from the weave.