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too many leaves... how to do paths
hi, great forum,! I have been preparing beds over badly depleted and weedy grounds and have access to plentiful horse manure and leaves. so i've got beds about a foot deep with these. how can i aid fast decomposition the best? i want to plant in the spring. i have a large quantity of garden fabric and am thinking of wetting liberally and covering the beds. Is this a good plan or is there a better option?
I have made 2 deep raised beds but have now run out of lumber. where can i read and see pics of dealing with the bare earth paths? How are these kept in order and weed free?
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Welcome to the forum Sue, your beds sound good, I hope the leaves are at least a year old otherwise they will take nutrients for decomposition. In winter the speed of break-down is slow and covers make only a small difference temperature-wise. They are most useful for excluding light from existing weeds but you presumably have none of those in your manure. Any new weeds can easily be pulled. Covers tend to accumulate slugs underneath so are best used sparingly.
Re paths I have put a couple of pics here from my gardens where the beds are only about three to four inches above path level, so there are no high or steep edges to contain. This means less drying out in summer and less expense of wood, also less slugs!
both photos October, see how paths can become overgrown at season's end! the photo on right shows chicory (radicchio for salad) and purple sprouting and a path in there somewhere.
oh dear, leaves straight from falling off the trees. they have been chopped by the mower but they are fresh. i really should've posted for advice before i did the deed but it's done now. we don't have a slug problem here, northern greece, where winters are cold with frequent cold snaps so i think i will cover some beds and leave others and see what happens. the leaves are pretty much mixed in with some mouldy alfalfa bales and manure. anyways, things can't be worse than last years pitiful veg crop from the wasted land. i do thank you for your input charles. we worked hard today and ended up with 5 deep beds each about 5 square metres having managed to cut the telegraph pole so am feeling tired but satisfied.