This topic contains 4 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by Em 5 years, 9 months ago.
-
Posts
-
I have found that bark peelings have worked great for me this year. I don’t have clay soil here but it does still get slippy in wet weather. I think that a coarser material like bark chippings could do very well for you, though it wouldn’t last long in the event of flooding I wouldn’t think.
We once bought hardcore from a builders merchants for a path. It consists of what I can only assume is some type of stone, every size from coarse sand size, to an inch or slightly more, in a pale grey colour. When you put it down all of the stone pieces combine and mesh together, between your raised beds I would think that hardcore would work if it is well pressed together. But it is heavy to move around and not cheap, plus you would need to have access for a lorry presumably, to deliver it.
Sorry that I can’t be of more help.
Consider the whole plot. You have raised beds. The paths are lower and probably (puddled by walking) poorly draining. Do you have any fall upon the site, ie is one end/side lower to allow the water to escape?
Wood-chip material is considerably cheaper than bark. Often free from a local tree surgeon , who, for a couple of ‘pints’, will probably tip you a load as required.It is easy to lay, to keep weed free, and eventually will compost(3 seasons?) to a rich brown mulch.It will also float: so needs keeping in place by consolidation. If you can allow for a drain from the lower area, it will remain relatively tractable all season. It will hold large populations of worms, it can also have leaf material added, which may take 2 years to rot away. After 2 years it may be sieved as a compost material, retaining the finer parts. If the paths have grass cover, or no noxious weeds, lay card before applying. I try to lay 4″ layer on card.
Be prepared for a considerable display of fungi; possibly edible but seek competant advice.We are on clay soil too. My neighbour, who digs her patch, dug a small trench around her patch for drainage. It seemed to work for her when we had those weeks of wet weather.
My paths were made with cardboard first, then covered with wood chippings. They felt a Little spongy in the wet weather but were fine to walk on all through the wet months when the rest of the grass paths on the site had standing water for weeks.
Got my wood chip free from a local advert and free cardboard from local shops.
In this dry season, my beds are well mulched with compost and the clay underneath is still moist, though I am only watering vulnerable plants.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.