Andyd wrote:
Any other options? Any help would be appreciated. What do places
like the Wildflower Center do to keep their decomposed granite
pathways weed-free?

Andy -- I used decomposed granite in 2 beds as mulch. One was a total
success -- A raised cactus bed, bordered with limestone, raised about
6-8 inches above the lawn. The ONLY weeding I ever do is pull out the
St. Augustine that sneaks in from the yard.

The other was a total failure -- the narrow strip that lies between the
street and sidewalk. It only ever grew weeds so I tried to turn it into
a bed. I sprayed it with roundup, weedeated it down to the dirt, put in
the granite and planted some plants. My street is peculiar in that
there's no curb, just a cement apron between the street and the grassy
strip. The rain washes dirt and everyone elses weed seeds into this
area.

Both beds were done at the same time, with 1.5-2 inches of granite. My
theory is that the raised bed drains well. The granite in there forms a
crust that doesn't allow seeds to germinate. The other bed quickly got
dirt mixed in with the granite. No crust, and no shortage of weed
seeds.

If you like the look of the decomposed granite (I do) then I'd say pull
it out and spread it over the lawn. It's probably got dirt mixed in
with it and isn't weed resistant anymore. Edge the walks with something
that will allow them to be raised -- stone, metal edging, concrete,
etc. Then fill them with new decomposed granite.

good luck,
--steve