Garden bark and wood chippings to prevent weed growth

[hi2u_uk]

I'm thinking of lifting some paving stones and then putting down bark and wood chippings (probably from wickes) to prevent growth of weeds . I would put down a weed membrane first though. Do you think this will work ? I think people /the neighbours normally put down gravel but the wood chippings seem to be much cheaper and a bit more natural than gravel

Will this work and are there any disadvantages to using wood /bark chippings ?

 

[Royston Vasey]

Weedkiller on the bare ground, then membrane, then bark. Throw everything at it. Bark will help if a nice thick covering as it blocks any light. They’ll still find a way through but that’s your best chance!

 

[John Webb]

The mention of paving stones suggests that the area forms some sort of path or driveway? If so then I don't think bark/wood chips would take regular use by feet or vehicles? Could be awkward to walk on if a path? Gravel might well be better if a path; but weeds will still grow in it but are easily removed due to the lack of soil.

 

[Acey]

I once used bark for a path but never again,when new it looks great but after a while it breaks down and when wet tends to go all mushy ,also you have to replace t every year or so ,this is only my opinion of course,others may have had more success than me

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Small slate is more often used for this these days isn't it?

Also has the advantage of reducing evaporation from the soil.

 

[Elwyn]

I have used bark several times. It disintegrates after a few years plus weeds soon grow in it quite extensively. So you then need to spray it.

 

[hi2u_uk]

I have used bark several times. It disintegrates after a few years plus weeds soon grow in it quite extensively. So you then need to spray it.

why do they advertise it as being weed suppressing then

Small slate is more often used for this these days isn't it?

Also has the advantage of reducing evaporation from the soil.

one of the houses on the street has done it with a dark blue slate. It loos dull to me and you can see that they have little weed shoots popping up

The mention of paving stones suggests that the area forms some sort of path or driveway? If so then I don't think bark/wood chips would take regular use by feet or vehicles? Could be awkward to walk on if a path? Gravel might well be better if a path; but weeds will still grow in it but are easily removed due to the lack of soil.

the paving is the front garden bit and i was advised to remove it as noone actually walks on it so theres no need for patio style paving. I was originally thinking of putting new paving down but apparently thats not environmentally friendly or something so im thining of the bark/wood chips

I once used bark for a path but never again,when new it looks great but after a while it breaks down and when wet tends to go all mushy ,also you have to replace t every year or so ,this is only my opinion of course,others may have had more success than me

i dont mind replacing it every year as the bags of bark seem to be cheap and readily available. The mush isnt a huge problem as noone will be walking on it apart from to collect the food waste bin when the bin men throw it over the fence

 

[AM9]

Small slate is more often used for this these days isn't it?

Also has the advantage of reducing evaporation from the soil.

Slate or gravel are better than anything organic. Although the topping above the membrane will be near sterile at the point of laying, over months, a combination of leaves and bird droppings will metabolise and form pockets of new soil into which weeds can take root. Adding chipped wood with it's high fibrous surface area and organic state will accelerate the creation of soil for weeds.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I have slate in our garden; we don't have the membrane under it and it seems to work very well at suppressing weeds - it's been in place for several years now.

 

[Russel]

I have slate in our garden; we don't have the membrane under it and it seems to work very well at suppressing weeds - it's been in place for several years now.

Interesting to read.

One of my neighbours covered their front garden in slate last year and the weeks soon started to grow back through it, it currently resembles a jungle.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Interesting to read.

One of my neighbours covered their front garden in slate last year and the weeds soon started to grow back through it, it currently resembles a jungle.

Did said neighbour bother to remove the weeds first, or simply tip the slate on their flowerbeds and hope...?

 

[Russel]

Did said neighbour bother to remove the weeds first, or simply tip the slate on their flowerbeds and hope...?

No idea, I'll say it did look rather nice, for the first few weeks though.

 

[hi2u_uk]

Slate or gravel are better than anything organic. Although the topping above the membrane will be near sterile at the point of laying, over months, a combination of leaves and bird droppings will metabolise and form pockets of new soil into which weeds can take root. Adding chipped wood with it's high fibrous surface area and organic state will accelerate the creation of soil for weeds.

this sounds very sensible i think i will be going for gravel , even though its more expensive than bark

No idea, I'll say it did look rather nice, for the first few weeks though.

there is one house with slate and i think they weeds popping through. I was wondering if this is because the slate had more gaps than gravel. I want it to look nice for more than a few weeks though

 

[Acey]

There are some very efficient weedkillers ideal for dealing with slate/gravel paths ( Pathclear etc )

 

[AM9]

There are some very efficient weedkillers ideal for dealing with slate/gravel paths ( Pathclear etc )

If they are that aggressive and only used for cosmetic reasons they will sooner or later probably be removed for sale for consumer use.

 

[hi2u_uk]

i've just been told that the paving slabs are probably dug up from the ground by child immigrant labour in India. Is this correct ? Im thinking of maybe leaving the paving slabs as im feeling a bit concerned about the origin of paving slabs in the UK now as some child on the other side of the world has probably suffered a lot for the slabs im about to casually throw away

 

[AM9]

i've just been told that the paving slabs are probably dug up from the ground by child immigrant labour in India. Is this correct ? Im thinking of maybe leaving the paving slabs as im feeling a bit concerned about the origin of paving slabs in the UK now as some child on the other side of the world has probably suffered a lot for the slabs im about to casually throw away

Almost every commodity consumer product that is imported to the UK has some element of coertion in a poorer country to keep our prices low.

 

[GusB]

i've just been told that the paving slabs are probably dug up from the ground by child immigrant labour in India. Is this correct ? Im thinking of maybe leaving the paving slabs as im feeling a bit concerned about the origin of paving slabs in the UK now as some child on the other side of the world has probably suffered a lot for the slabs im about to casually throw away

If they're standard paving slabs, they'll be made from concrete and won't have been "dug up". You also don't need to throw them away; advertise them on a local Freecycle/buy swap sell Facebook page and someone will take them off your hands. Don't bother trying to sell them as you'll get a load of time-wasters (personal experience) - just put them at the front of your garden and say "first come, first served".

Have you actually considered putting some plants in, rather than bark or stone chips? I'm not an expert (I'm new to the gardening game), but there are some fairly fast-growing options out there, and you'll be helping the local wildlife in the process. I've got a load of self-seeded nasturtiums that are currently providing excellent ground cover, and they're edible too.

 

[52290]

There are some very efficient weedkillers ideal for dealing with slate/gravel paths ( Pathclear etc )

What's the difference between a weed and a wild flower? My garden has some dandelions in it, are these weeds? The local council has been planting what they call wild flower seeds at various spots around the town and I have some nettles in my garden because the RSPB say they are good for insects, which in turn are good for birds. So I'm confused, weeds or wild flowers?

 

[DustyBin]

What's the difference between a weed and a wild flower? My garden has some dandelions in it, are these weeds? The local council has been planting what they call wild flower seeds at various spots around the town and I have some nettles in my garden because the RSPB say they are good for insects, which in turn are good for birds. So I'm confused, weeds or wild flowers?

Strictly speaking, a "weed" is anything growing where it's not wanted, so if you're happy with your dandelions and nettles they aren't weeds.

(I nearly wrote they're not weeds but thought better of it!).

 

[najaB]

I nearly wrote they're not weeds but thought better of it!

That took me a moment or two...

 

[ChrisC]

Strictly speaking, a "weed" is anything growing where it's not wanted, so if you're happy with your dandelions and nettles they aren't weeds.

Whether you consider them to be weeds or not, they have certainly in this part of the country grown very profusely this year. I can’t remember ever having so many sprouting up continuously all over the garden. They are coming up through gravel and between paving stones at a rate that I have never known before. I have tried not to use weed killer and have been trying to get them out with their roots, but within days there are more to take their places. It’s not just in my garden but most friends and relatives I have spoken to have had the same problem this summer. Coming back to the original post, if you are using bark chippings you will need a good thick layer and some very good quality weed membrane. I’ve got an area of gravel with weed membrane underneath (which has been there many years) and this year weeds are even growing through that.

 

[DustyBin]

Whether you consider them to be weeds or not, they have certainly in this part of the country grown very profusely this year. I can’t remember ever having so many sprouting up continuously all over the garden. They are coming up through gravel and between paving stones at a rate that I have never known before. I have tried not to use weed killer and have been trying to get them out with their roots, but within days there are more to take their places. It’s not just in my garden but most friends and relatives I have spoken to have had the same problem this summer. Coming back to the original post, if you are using bark chippings you will need a good thick layer and some very good quality weed membrane. I’ve got an area of gravel with weed membrane underneath (which has been there many years) and this year weeds are even growing through that.

We get Mare’s Tail (aka Horseweed) in our garden, when we first moved in it was completely out of control. Weed killers don’t touch it, but fortunately I used to have the occasional accident with ammonium sulphamate (bought for composting purposes, obviously) whereby some would get spilled over the Mare’s Tail, rendering it no more……

Boiling water is an excellent non-harmful weed killer incidentally.

That took me a moment or two...

Not my finest admittedly!

 

[telstarbox]

Whether you consider them to be weeds or not, they have certainly in this part of the country grown very profusely this year. I can’t remember ever having so many sprouting up continuously all over the garden. They are coming up through gravel and between paving stones at a rate that I have never known before. I have tried not to use weed killer and have been trying to get them out with their roots, but within days there are more to take their places. It’s not just in my garden but most friends and relatives I have spoken to have had the same problem this summer. Coming back to the original post, if you are using bark chippings you will need a good thick layer and some very good quality weed membrane. I’ve got an area of gravel with weed membrane underneath (which has been there many years) and this year weeds are even growing through that.

Same here, it's an uphill battle!