Hi:

I have a fenced in garden area (to keep out the deer) with flowerbeds.
Right now I have decomposed granite for the paths between the beds.
However, I am finding the weed problem on these paths is horrendous,
and I need some recommendations for options. My thoughts so far a

1. Leave the decomposed granite and just weed- I don't have the time
to do this, and the weeds are numerous, various sizes, and out of
control. I need to restrict my weeding to the beds as my available
time is so little, and the paths are so bad.

2. Leave the decomposed granite and just use Roundup or equivalent-
Although not totally against chemicals, I'd much rather avoid the
poison, and besides, even if I Roundup the walkway I eventually have
to pull up the dead plants anyway. Plus it looks cruddy with dead
plants all over it. This isn't really a consideration.

3. Leave the decomposed granite and try a pre-emergent- Again, I'd
rather avoid chemicals. I tried corngluten and it was pretty much
useless. It appears I have just too many things germinating over too
wide a range of time to nail with a pre-emergent, at least a
non-chemical option like corngluten, which has a effective window of 2
weeks (or so I am told). I guess I could go out and sprinkle
corngluten every 2-3 weeks all year.

4. Remove all decomposed granite, dig out dirt to a flat surface, put
down weed barrier fabric, and replace decomposed granite- The problem
with this is the area is on a slope, not severe, but enough that the
granite does wash off a bit. I probably need 2-3" of granite I am
guessing on top of the landscape fabric.

5. Remove the decomposed granite and replace with mortared in
limestone- My mom cautioned me on this by noting that the pathway
might get very hot (it isn't sunny, but a partial sun area) which
might not be great for the plants. Is this true?

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

Thanks.

andyd

I use a propane torch with a Red Dragon wand to keep the weeds off the
decomposed granite in 5-6 places that have these paths.

http://www.flameengineering.com/

-- =

Celestial Habitats by J. Kolenovsky
2003 Honorable Mention Award, Keep Houston Beautiful
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.celestialhabitats.com - business
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.hal-pc.org/~garden/personal.html - personal

I use a propane torch with a Red Dragon wand to keep the weeds off the
decomposed granite in 5-6 places that have these paths.

http://www.flameengineering.com/

-- =

Celestial Habitats by J. Kolenovsky
2003 Honorable Mention Award, Keep Houston Beautiful
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.celestialhabitats.com - business
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.hal-pc.org/~garden/personal.html - personal

Andyd wrote:
However, I am finding the weed problem on these paths is horrendous,
and I need some recommendations for options. My thoughts so far a

Yup, we have the same problem.

1. Leave the decomposed granite and just weed- I don't have the time

That's what we do. Getting a weeding tools helps a lot and it's very
easy to do in the granite since there are no plants to be careful with.

2. Leave the decomposed granite and just use Roundup or equivalent-

Why not used concentrated vinegar? It works like a charm and it's
non-toxic. Plants pretty much disintegrate, unless they're huge weeds,
you won't notice them at all.

3. Leave the decomposed granite and try a pre-emergent- Again, I'd

We apply corn gluten twice a year. It does help some.

4. Remove all decomposed granite, dig out dirt to a flat surface, put
down weed barrier fabric, and replace decomposed granite- The problem

Won't do you any good. Weeds thrive in decomposed granite.

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

I'm pretty sure they weed a lot. Go to the Natural Gardener and get one
of their weeders. The one that works best on granite has a swivel head
with a curved double blade. It's very easy to use and works very well
for the granite.

--
Victor Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he

Andyd wrote:
However, I am finding the weed problem on these paths is horrendous,
and I need some recommendations for options. My thoughts so far a

Yup, we have the same problem.

1. Leave the decomposed granite and just weed- I don't have the time

That's what we do. Getting a weeding tools helps a lot and it's very
easy to do in the granite since there are no plants to be careful with.

2. Leave the decomposed granite and just use Roundup or equivalent-

Why not used concentrated vinegar? It works like a charm and it's
non-toxic. Plants pretty much disintegrate, unless they're huge weeds,
you won't notice them at all.

3. Leave the decomposed granite and try a pre-emergent- Again, I'd

We apply corn gluten twice a year. It does help some.

4. Remove all decomposed granite, dig out dirt to a flat surface, put
down weed barrier fabric, and replace decomposed granite- The problem

Won't do you any good. Weeds thrive in decomposed granite.

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

I'm pretty sure they weed a lot. Go to the Natural Gardener and get one
of their weeders. The one that works best on granite has a swivel head
with a curved double blade. It's very easy to use and works very well
for the granite.

--
Victor Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he

I second that!

John



"J Kolenovsky" wrote in message
...
I use a propane torch with a Red Dragon wand to keep the weeds off the
decomposed granite in 5-6 places that have these paths.

http://www.flameengineering.com/

--
Celestial Habitats by J. Kolenovsky
2003 Honorable Mention Award, Keep Houston Beautiful
ô¿ô - http://www.celestialhabitats.com - business
ô¿ô - http://www.hal-pc.org/~garden/personal.html - personal

I second that!

John



"J Kolenovsky" wrote in message
...
I use a propane torch with a Red Dragon wand to keep the weeds off the
decomposed granite in 5-6 places that have these paths.

http://www.flameengineering.com/

--
Celestial Habitats by J. Kolenovsky
2003 Honorable Mention Award, Keep Houston Beautiful
ô¿ô - http://www.celestialhabitats.com - business
ô¿ô - http://www.hal-pc.org/~garden/personal.html - personal

Good idea, but if I showed up with a flame torch in the tinderbox
better known as my neighborhood, my wife would kill me first and then
toss out my new toy.......

On Mon, 05 Apr 2004 21:45:18 -0500, J Kolenovsky
wrote:

I use a propane torch with a Red Dragon wand to keep the weeds off the
decomposed granite in 5-6 places that have these paths.

http://www.flameengineering.com/

I think I shouldn't have included No. 1 on my list as an option.
Weeding is just not an option, at least not in the paths. I am
talking about literally thousands of weeds, numerous species,
everything from small (1/2") grasses, generic broadleaf weeds (the
worst because they start seeding out at a very small size), to giant
prickly things (I hadn't had time to get out yet this year, some were
3 feet tall- aack). I had some time on Sunday to work in the yard,
and I ended up spending 75% of my time, probably 3-4 hours total,
weeding the $&#!*^ paths, and I still only got the things I could get
my hands/fingers around, and not the tiny stuff. They'll get bigger,
but then I'll be faced with the same cycle again, weed the bigger
stuff, leave the tiny stuff, use up a lot of time that could be spent
on the flowerbeds and other things. Getting a different shaped weeder
isn't going to work, I don't think, not when I am faced with thousands
of tiny little weeds that I can't even really grab ahold of.

Maybe I should ask my wife about that torch suggestion... That is the
sort of solution I need. Either that or rock pathways.

On Tue, 06 Apr 2004 02:44:14 GMT, Victor Martinez
wrote:

Andyd wrote:
However, I am finding the weed problem on these paths is horrendous,
and I need some recommendations for options. My thoughts so far a

Yup, we have the same problem.

1. Leave the decomposed granite and just weed- I don't have the time

That's what we do. Getting a weeding tools helps a lot and it's very
easy to do in the granite since there are no plants to be careful with.

2. Leave the decomposed granite and just use Roundup or equivalent-

Why not used concentrated vinegar? It works like a charm and it's
non-toxic. Plants pretty much disintegrate, unless they're huge weeds,
you won't notice them at all.

3. Leave the decomposed granite and try a pre-emergent- Again, I'd

We apply corn gluten twice a year. It does help some.

4. Remove all decomposed granite, dig out dirt to a flat surface, put
down weed barrier fabric, and replace decomposed granite- The problem

Won't do you any good. Weeds thrive in decomposed granite.

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

I'm pretty sure they weed a lot. Go to the Natural Gardener and get one
of their weeders. The one that works best on granite has a swivel head
with a curved double blade. It's very easy to use and works very well
for the granite.

What ever happened to using a weedeater?
Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz?????

Job done, loud smokey and annoying for about 10 or so minutes. Grind
those little weeds right to the ground and don't worry about it for
about 2 weeks or until the rains stop. Seems like a weedeater or torch
is the thing to do!!!!!!!

Andyd wrote:
I think I shouldn't have included No. 1 on my list as an option.
Weeding is just not an option, at least not in the paths. I am
talking about literally thousands of weeds, numerous species,
everything from small (1/2") grasses, generic broadleaf weeds (the
worst because they start seeding out at a very small size), to giant
prickly things (I hadn't had time to get out yet this year, some were
3 feet tall- aack). I had some time on Sunday to work in the yard,
and I ended up spending 75% of my time, probably 3-4 hours total,
weeding the $&#!*^ paths, and I still only got the things I could get
my hands/fingers around, and not the tiny stuff. They'll get bigger,
but then I'll be faced with the same cycle again, weed the bigger
stuff, leave the tiny stuff, use up a lot of time that could be spent
on the flowerbeds and other things. Getting a different shaped weeder
isn't going to work, I don't think, not when I am faced with thousands
of tiny little weeds that I can't even really grab ahold of.

Maybe I should ask my wife about that torch suggestion... That is the
sort of solution I need. Either that or rock pathways.

On Tue, 06 Apr 2004 02:44:14 GMT, Victor Martinez
wrote:


Andyd wrote:

However, I am finding the weed problem on these paths is horrendous,
and I need some recommendations for options. My thoughts so far a

Yup, we have the same problem.


1. Leave the decomposed granite and just weed- I don't have the time

That's what we do. Getting a weeding tools helps a lot and it's very
easy to do in the granite since there are no plants to be careful with.


2. Leave the decomposed granite and just use Roundup or equivalent-

Why not used concentrated vinegar? It works like a charm and it's
non-toxic. Plants pretty much disintegrate, unless they're huge weeds,
you won't notice them at all.


3. Leave the decomposed granite and try a pre-emergent- Again, I'd

We apply corn gluten twice a year. It does help some.


4. Remove all decomposed granite, dig out dirt to a flat surface, put
down weed barrier fabric, and replace decomposed granite- The problem

Won't do you any good. Weeds thrive in decomposed granite.


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

I'm pretty sure they weed a lot. Go to the Natural Gardener and get one
of their weeders. The one that works best on granite has a swivel head
with a curved double blade. It's very easy to use and works very well
for the granite.

On Mon, 05 Apr 2004 20:37:48 GMT, Andyd wrote:
(snipped here)
Right now I have decomposed granite for the paths between the beds.
However, I am finding the weed problem on these paths is horrendous,
and I need some recommendations for options.

How about adapting a steam carpet cleaner to do this? You just need
something to burn off the tops of the plants and steam would do that.
Do it very often and maybe the plants would give up.

I have been playing around with using crushed glass containers to make
paths like this and the next path I will put down on a root proof
fabric and put the path material over it. My neighbors do not mind -
so far. It is sort of pretty, especially after dark, and the glass
gravel is not sharp.

Rusty Mase

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

The best answer to your problem is to use the mortered rock. The rock will
be cooler than the granite and cheaper than maintaining the granite by
chemical or other means.
I have used a torch numerous times and am pleased with the result. However
the chance of a fire is great.
Call me if you would like a quote on mortered rock.
293-3989
As for R.C.


"Andyd" wrote in message
...
Hi:

I have a fenced in garden area (to keep out the deer) with flowerbeds.
Right now I have decomposed granite for the paths between the beds.
However, I am finding the weed problem on these paths is horrendous,
and I need some recommendations for options. My thoughts so far a

1. Leave the decomposed granite and just weed- I don't have the time
to do this, and the weeds are numerous, various sizes, and out of
control. I need to restrict my weeding to the beds as my available
time is so little, and the paths are so bad.

2. Leave the decomposed granite and just use Roundup or equivalent-
Although not totally against chemicals, I'd much rather avoid the
poison, and besides, even if I Roundup the walkway I eventually have
to pull up the dead plants anyway. Plus it looks cruddy with dead
plants all over it. This isn't really a consideration.

3. Leave the decomposed granite and try a pre-emergent- Again, I'd
rather avoid chemicals. I tried corngluten and it was pretty much
useless. It appears I have just too many things germinating over too
wide a range of time to nail with a pre-emergent, at least a
non-chemical option like corngluten, which has a effective window of 2
weeks (or so I am told). I guess I could go out and sprinkle
corngluten every 2-3 weeks all year.

4. Remove all decomposed granite, dig out dirt to a flat surface, put
down weed barrier fabric, and replace decomposed granite- The problem
with this is the area is on a slope, not severe, but enough that the
granite does wash off a bit. I probably need 2-3" of granite I am
guessing on top of the landscape fabric.

5. Remove the decomposed granite and replace with mortared in
limestone- My mom cautioned me on this by noting that the pathway
might get very hot (it isn't sunny, but a partial sun area) which
might not be great for the plants. Is this true?

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

Thanks.

andyd