Help With Walkway Around Obstacles

Good morning everyone! I'm a new member, but have been following along on Dave's Garden for quite a while. I'm hoping to get a few ideas for my new home. I'm out in a very rural area of NC. I need a walkway in the rear yard to help keep the red clay at bay. I'd like something relatively inexpensive. As you can see, I have a variety of pipes, heat pump and a crawlspace to work around. I'd also like to have areas to plant some things too. (Any feedback appreciated!) :) I'm in zone 7B. Thanks in advance and have a super day!

well for now you could put a mulch down and around all your a/c and pipes and bigger area until you discover what path is more natural. then later you could put in yor walkway and when your ready and decided on plants you already have your mulch. I'd lay the mulch fairly thick though. Maybe cedar chips or something? that ought to keep the clay off your shoes.

I would agree with Len, but use the smallest mulch you can in order for it to break down more quickly and help with amending your clay. Or if you have access to free pinestraw, use that. You can plant things later that will help disguise your equipment, and some things grow quickly. First and foremost is amending your soil--otherwise you could have a hard time getting things to grow.

What part of NC are you in? I've not heard of your town.

Thanks, Len, that is probably a good way for me to start out. Then I won't feel so overwhelmed! :) I'm thinking of
putting down thick black plastic under the mulch to keep the red clay from washing through and keep my wild blackberries at bay.

Gardengram...Hi! I'm looking into free mulch. Someone told me Burke County has a free mulch pile for the taking. I do like cedar and pinestraw as well. Well, whatever I find that's free is gonna win! LOL BTW...Connelly Springs is about 15 or so miles west of Hickory and about 65 miles east of Asheville. Just love that town!

Thanks for all your help

I have done the black plastic thing and I wish I had never heard of it. Eventually dirt gets on top and then weeds grow there anyway. When you want to plant you have to cut a hole and then that opens it up to dirt on top and weeds. Eventually it gets old and terrible and it's impossible to get it all up without digging up your entire plot. Better to just put an extra thick layer of mulch down. Just my two cents worth. The landscape cloth isn't any better except that it lets water through. Better for the weeds on top. ; ^ }

I've found the landscape fabric is helpful under paths. I would definitely not recommend it in an area where you're going to be planting, but I have found that it slows down the weeds in paths.

Hmmm...so, "gram", you've tried the black plastic and it was a pain in the neck...that does change my mind for sure. My motto has always been, "Less work for Mother", so I think I'll just do a thick layer of mulch and maybe put down some thick cardboard under it to smother the wild blackberries. I guess no matter what I put down the weeds will find a way to germinate! Someone I know recommended stones for the path but I don't think I want to go that route. Any pros or cons for the landscape fabric for keeping weeds down in flower beds or around shrubs?

If Gram stands for grandmother, I'm one too! You must also be south of me being you're a zone 8A...Is Fayetteville close to the NC/SC border? I'm new to NC (1 year)

Linda

I would never use landscape fabric where you're going to be planting, even with the kind that lets some air and water through it's not super great for your soil, not to mention it's kind of a pain to plant through it. I like it for paths though, so if you know where your path is going to be I think it would be fine to use under that. But for the garden beds themselves I'd stick with cardboard, newspaper, mulch, things like that

what i would do for your down spout is get a rain barrel
http://rainbarrelguide.com/

DH has always buried the black pipe for the down spout, but if i would have thought about it, I would have gotten rain barrels.... or ran the down spouts away from the house, but put in a 'water garden'.

as for landscape fabric... been there, done that -- with in a few years, it's coming up and so are the weeds... then you have to tear it all out around your plants... what a nightmare.

I agree no plastic or fabric, mulch should hold weeds to a minimum and the few that do get through will be easy to remove

I did not find the landscape cloth to be helpful in any area for the same reason as the plastic. I just use newspaper now. It biodegrades and is free. I've not had reason to use cardboard, but would choose it over the other two options. When I disliked the plastic so much, I used the landscape cloth for the next project and I could not tell any difference between them. Weeds still grow on top.

Fayetteville is where Ft. Bragg is with the Special Forces command and training center, and the home of the 82nd Airborne. There are untold thousands of soldiers and their families here. We are about 2 hours from the beach, about 5 hours from Asheville, but I don't know how long it takes to go to SC in a direct line from here. One of my daughters lives in Pageland, SC and that's about 2 hours from here, but we are traveling west at the same time we are traveling south.

I am a mother of three, grandmother of 12 and great-grandmother to 4 precious little persons, two boys and two girls. It's so much fun!!

i use the "bark like" wood chips, and i have virtually no weeds and when i do get one, they pull out easily since they dont have time to root in the soil - due to the chips.

>>I am a mother of three, grandmother of 12 and great-grandmother to 4 precious little persons, two boys and two girls. It's so much fun!!

wow -- that's a bunch!! Great fun to spoil'em and send them home? My In-laws used to do that.
Got any lil gardeners in that bunch to help you out?

I have one adult granddaughter and one of the little girls that love flowers and watering and working outside. They even pull weeds sometimes! My older daughter is a better gardener than I am, but none of her children or grandchildren are interested. One of my grandsons in FL has started his first garden this spring. So it's in the gene pool I guess. ; ^ }

I found the bark chips hard to walk on (remember now that I am old!) and they are slow to break down (which is an advantage in some situations). But they do make a nice look. Maybe if you could find some small ones.....

Gram! congrats on the large family! WOW..lots of grandkids and great grandkids to boot! Yes, they are a blessing. I have 3 grandchildren...Olivia is 10 and we just welcomed twin girls in January. Sooo cute!

I've decided against the landscape cloth and plastic. I'll deal with the few weeds that make their way into the mulch. I like the rain barrel idea too...hmmmm maybe divert the rainwater to a small pond/water garden feature? I LOVE that idea. Now my creative juices are flowing. They just needed a kick start. ;)

Linda,

a few months back i went to a seminar of sorts for "back yard conservation" and wet lands and the sort.

granted, this site is for the Illinois area... but it may give you ideas
(can't find the "rain barrel" info sheet in my collection of papers)

http://www.theconservationfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=11&id=22&Itemid=48


here is a link for the Carolinas and Native Plants
http://www.carolinanativenursery.com/
http://www.ncwildflower.org/natives/natives.htm

Hope this helps you get started,

Terese

wuzo1--Be sure to send pictures as this all develops.

Diane

Thanks Terese for those great links! They will come in handy as I move along with this project.

It will be a few weeks Diane before I get pictures up but I certainly will do it. Everyone's been such a terrific help here, I can't thank you all enough!

Linda

Now someday you can use your experience to help someone else.

Diane