"john west" wrote in message
...
At our Allotment there is the general attempt by members to place
scaffolding boards around the edge of their planting areas and also to lay
down plastic sheet covered with wood-chip on the surrounding paths.

This keeps the loose earth contained behind the boards at the edge and
the paths free of wet mud.

These scaffolding boards are about £13 each and after a few years partly
buried in the ground start to rot away.

Is there a cheaper and more durable alternative to the scaffolding boards,
to do this job ?

I have in mind perhaps something like overlapping imitation roof slates?


Why imitation roof slates? - why not roof slates, granted, they can be a bit
sharp if you fall on the edge, but imitation ones would be the same, you can
get old slates from any roofer


Grateful for any *inexpensive* alternatives to scaffolding boards. Thanks.


You've only a choice between slate (or concrete), wood, metal or plastic,
wood and metal will rot, plastic is too brittle, bends and is too expensive,
which only leaves something solid