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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Gene GeRue wrote:

> It is difficult for us here to be helpful on garden path design 
> because there are so many local imperatives. My present design is 
> wide grass paths that are easily mown for fast maintenance and no 
> mud. I tried chips and sawdust but they rot fast in my climate.


Same here.  I tried chips, but they lasted only a year before they added
to my soil base.  I pulled up the carpet in TJ's old room, and plan to
pull up the carpet in Kate's bedroom soon.  I used the old berber carpet
in the garden..lol..I just moved it around to kill weeds.  It hasn't
deteriorated yet.  Now that I have a 40" space between the beds, I will
cut the carpet to width and lay it in between the raised beds...then no
mowing necessary. We have issues with keeping mowers operative here at
EarthNSky. :)  I usually mow with a weedeater in the garden area. My
neighbor, Todd, the one who mows my pasture, manages a cardboard
container operation and can get me all the cardboard I want, so I'll
probably use cardboard for some areas and when the carpet finally
deteriorates.  Of course, NW Georgia is the carpet capital of the world,
and my county's largest employers are Mohawk and Shaw, so getting more
carpet scraps is a cinch if I need it.  I just make sure to get natural
fibers and no synthetics.  But cardboard works as good to keep down weeds.

Bev
--
Bevanron of EarthNSky Farm   Sleep well tonight, for somewhere in the
ocean's depths, MY son is protecting YOUR freedom.