fixedfixer
Veteran
You'll see stones advertised for free on Gumtree when people want them taken away. Not much help as it doesn't sound like you have a 'tip trailer'. Maybe a couple of beers for help from a friend with a trailer?
Gardeners!
- Thread starter Tin Pot
- Start date
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Heltor Chasca
Out-riding the Black Dog
It will now! You jinxed it.
Don't be tight and lazy! Lay a membrane and it'll save you in the long term. Trust me, I'm an African.
EDIT: In time the aggregated will mix with the soil and look awful. No half jobs. Darwin's earthworm and rock experiment demonstrates this perfectly.
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Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
I'd put bark chip down rather than stones. I'd also take the laurel stump out myself rather than pay someone to do it.
you got there before me...
Also, to suppress weeds. Either lay 2 inches over a woven weeds barrier (available on rolls to cut to size at garden center) or if you want to plant in the gravel, dig out and lay a 4 inch thick layer. that will keep weeds at bay but not isolate the soil from replenishing with organic matter - leave the autumn leaves in place and the worms will drag them underground.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
All membranes do is delay most of the inevitable weeding a few years (if you're lucky and have picked a good one). Even with completely evil builder's plastic sheet (as someone has used under part of my stone), some weeds will shoot astonishing distances horizontally to get through the overlap and find the sun (cypress spurge is one local curse that does it).
Where different membranes have been used (now all long under the earth raised up by worms), the weeds merely come through at different rates now. Some mix of weeding, raking and chemical warfare (if you're into such things) will be needed forevermore IMO. Unless it needs to support heavy traffic (which will keep most weeds down) is it kinder than putting it to grass, thyme or similar? I'm not sure.
Heltor Chasca
Out-riding the Black Dog
And if you get the laurel stump out yourself, you have an honoury and instant job down here with me in Somerset.
OP
OP
Tin Pot
Guru
Not looking to remove it, was just going to let it sprout small and chop back occasionally.
If I remove it, I'll have to replace it with something - more work, not less!
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
I don't know. Probably not turf as then you'll have to mow it and pick grass out of the paving in the bottom of the shot! I guess I'm ranting and wondering if anyone has experience with something that works better than the expensive slate that I've used most recently. I guess I'd use slate for your problem patch, but I expect it'll last three years tops before you have to start weeding again.
I find gardening rather annoying when stuff I want to grow dies and stuff I want to eradicate keeps growing back
Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
If you want something easy, gives a lot of repeat of flower, doesn't take over and will recover from a haircut might I suggest to sir...
http://www.davidaustinroses.co.uk/type/shrub-roses/ground-cover-roses
I would suggest digging in some well rotted organic matter.
http://www.davidaustinroses.co.uk/type/shrub-roses/ground-cover-roses
I would suggest digging in some well rotted organic matter.
