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Gravel Area

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  • 14-05-2015 9:42pm
    #1
    danjo-xx
    Registered Users Posts: 5,393 ✭✭✭


    I have a narrow strip of soil along side the path outside back of house, which I laid weed-growth preventer along and then put small pebbles on top.

    Of course the weed preventer made a nice home for worms and slugs, and then the birds would route out the pebbles to get at them and they ended up on the path every morning.

    I'm re-doing this strip and am wondering if I just put pebbles down with NO weed preventer, would the birds cause less of a problem.

    I can deal with the weeds another way.

    Any thoughts on this appreciated. Quick fix as don't want to cement or pave it over, something that is instant, cheap n cheerful.:D


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    #2
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,462 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Are you saying the slugs and worms were on top of the weed membrane? If they were under the membrane I am not sure how the birds would get to them. I have not found this a problem.

    I have pebbles over membrane, pebbles over hardcore and also pebbles over soil (3 different jobs). The hardcore is the best solution, different issues with the other two methods, but on balance a good thick layer of pebbles over soil is as good a solution as over membrane I think. You will get a few weeds growing in the pebbles either way but they are easy to pull out. If you get any scutch or similar tough weeds growing through the membrane they are almost impossible to remove without pulling up the membrane, weedkiller is the best alternative there.


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    #3
    ravima
    Registered Users Posts: 848 ✭✭✭ravima


    Have you enough depth of stones? You need it fairly thick.


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    #4
    danjo-xx
    Registered Users Posts: 5,393 ✭✭✭danjo-xx


    looksee wrote: »
    Are you saying the slugs and worms were on top of the weed membrane? If they were under the membrane I am not sure how the birds would get to them. I have not found this a problem.

    From pulling out weeds and also walking across the area holes were made in the membrane. Also there was only a thin layer of gravel. So guess thats what happened.

    I have pebbles over membrane, pebbles over hardcore and also pebbles over soil (3 different jobs). The hardcore is the best solution, different issues with the other two methods, but on balance a good thick layer of pebbles over soil is as good a solution as over membrane I think. You will get a few weeds growing in the pebbles either way but they are easy to pull out. If you get any scutch or similar tough weeds growing through the membrane they are almost impossible to remove without pulling up the membrane, weedkiller is the best alternative there.


    Thanks for the suggestions above.The area is narrower now and won't be walked on. Think I'll run with some hardcore as you say and some small gravel on top and not bother with a membrane at all.


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