garden path - any suggestions?

[oldhippy]

Hello,

I am not sure this is the place for my question.

Maybe there are answers already elsewhere - in that case thanks for a link.

 

We live 6 months a year in a 3 rai garden in Chanthaburi, 6 months in Europe.

I love both.....

However, when we arrive back in our garden, it takes many weeks to clear it, as the jungle has taken over.

Particularly, I would like to have some walking paths that are more or less maintenance free, I am 66.

Any suggestions?

Cost plays a role of course, and maintenance too.

 

I was thinking of black plastick 1 meter wide, covered with gravel.

Thanks for all answers!

 

 

 

 

 

[MaeJoMTB]

Easier to pay a local gardener to keep it clear, once a month would be good enough.

Keeping paths clear, about 300bht/visit should cover it.

Edited December 3, 2017 by MaeJoMTB

[oldhippy]

8 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

Easier to pay a local gardener to keep it clear, once a month would be good enough.

Keeping paths clear, about 300bht/visit should cover it.

Yes, but this is Chanthaburi, the second richest province of Thailand, populated by people who - how shall I formulate it? - are not really keen on working on the land.

We have tried extended family and others - no way, not even for 500 for a couple of hours.

You should see the state of our garden, after only 2 months in Europe this time.

 

[juehoe]

Yes, but this is Chanthaburi, the second richest province of Thailand, populated by people who - how shall I formulate it? - are not really keen on working on the land.
We have tried extended family and others - no way, not even for 500 for a couple of hours.
You should see the state of our garden, after only 2 months in Europe this time.
 

Are there no maintenance companies in your location? They would offer a maintenance service for your garden.

[MaeJoMTB]

37 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

Yes, but this is Chanthaburi, the second richest province of Thailand, populated by people who - how shall I formulate it? - are not really keen on working on the land.

We have tried extended family and others - no way, not even for 500 for a couple of hours.

You should see the state of our garden, after only 2 months in Europe this time.

 

Plenty of Burmese working on the sly.

It's absolutely a mistake to employ her family members to do anything.

[oldhippy]

5 minutes ago, juehoe said:

 

Are there no maintenance companies in your location? They would offer a maintenance service for your garden.

I will check, thanks for the suggestion - but this is a 100% non farang area. I am the only farang for miles around, even Chanthaburi city has very few.

555 Our house was built by a hairdresser that evolved to gems trader to building contractor. I am not complaining about the price though.....

[oldhippy]

8 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

Plenty of Burmese working on the sly.

It's absolutely a mistake to employ her family members to do anything.

That would be Khmer here in eastern Thailand.....

Wife says they steal (....), and difficult to organise, as we are not home 50% of the time.

But yes, I will let my wife ask around.

 

Still, I would prefer a semi permanent solution that I could do myself.

 

A road construction company that would pour concrete is an alternative, but sounds like overkill. No cars, at max a wheelchair.... And no worthy offspring to inherit the place.

Yet a cost estimate for a concrete path would be very welcome.

[VocalNeal]

I think the plastic and gravel idea has merit. But I wouldn't put gravel on the top. Eventually it will get everywhere if you use a mower. 

 

Here ya go http://www.revolution-saglac.com/garden/garden-path/garden-walkways.html

[oldhippy]

16 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

I think the plastic and gravel idea has merit. But I wouldn't put gravel on the top. Eventually it will get everywhere if you use a mower. 

 

Here ya go http://www.revolution-saglac.com/garden/garden-path/garden-walkways.html

Thanks! I am reading it now.

 

[cooked]

1 hour ago, oldhippy said:

Thanks! I am reading it now.

 

Great. I don't think you can find gravel easily like that, and the compactor would likely have to be bought. Heavy rains will make mincemeat of the path.

[bankruatsteve]

You might consider bricks packed tight together.  We have some walk ways like that and they are very good at stopping growth from underneath.

[simoh1490]

Black plastic over a sand base with bricks on top will stop most heavy growth, should then be easy enough to clear the light growth which wont have any roots per se. Cheap enough to buy but expect a low, one time expense to get it set up.

[bankruatsteve]

This is photo of one path we have.  The bricks probably could have been packed tighter but after several years nothing has grown through.  Plastic under sounds good but I wonder where you could find something that won't degrade into splinters within a year?  Most likely expensive for something that won't.

[simoh1490]

To add: small stones such as the ones shown above can be had for around 5 baht each, larger paving slab style, say 18 inches square are around 25/35 baht each, based on where you buy. Not difficult and sometimes fun to make your own using a mocked up frame as a die, certainly the cheapest route.

[grollies]

I'll second the block-paving idea. Weedkiller, layer of damp sand and lay the blocks. Brush in fine sand between the blocks once laid. Just very occasionally dust round some ant powder.

[carlyai]

Yes, the blocks and black plastic underneath sound good.
There is one other thing you could do for jungle areas; this will probably not be advice everyone likes, but there are chemical sprays like Round Up you could use sparingly.
We used to live on the edge of a jungle area that grew out of control in the wet season. Every year in the dry season the kids used to light fires, and combined with strong coastal winds, the fires threatened the house. I used RoundUp spray to make a 2 m clear zone around the house fence. It must be horrible stuff as it killed everything, but I had a clear fire break.
You could use it for some jungle path areas, or spray before you lay the path if you can't get the plastic.


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[simoh1490]

2 minutes ago, carlyai said:

Yes, the blocks and black plastic underneath sound good.
There is one other thing you could do for jungle areas; this will probably not be advice everyone likes, but there are chemical sprays like Round Up you could use sparingly.
We used to live on the edge of a jungle area that grew out of control in the wet season. Every year in the dry season the kids used to light fires, and combined with strong coastal winds, the fires threatened the house. I used RoundUp spray to make a 2 m clear zone around the house fence. It must be horrible stuff as it killed everything, but I had a clear fire break.
You could use it for some jungle path areas, or spray before you lay the path if you can't get the plastic.


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There are several problems in using roundup, most of which are well known, carcinogens etc. But a huge problem when using it in the garden is the way that it travels since it heads straight for the roots, when you're growing malay grass, for example, the root may be several feet from the point you are trying to eradicate and it may have several other feeds coming from that root. The net effect is that you try to kill one stubborn weed and end up clearing a large patch of unrelated malay grass - same applies to other plants life types.

[carlyai]

There are several problems in using roundup, most of which are well known, carcinogens etc. But a huge problem when using it in the garden is the way that it travels since it heads straight for the roots, when you're growing malay grass, for example, the root may be several feet from the point you are trying to eradicate and it may have several other feeds coming from that root. The net effect is that you try to kill one stubborn weed and end up clearing a large patch of unrelated malay grass - same applies to other plants life types.

Yes I agree simoh1490, but he's talking about a jungle.
I mixed the amount recommended with vinegar and dish washing liquid, and it only killed (like totally), where I sprayed, it didn't kill the Buffalo grass.
I think there is a place to use this horrible stuff, and keeping jungles down is the place.

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[cooked]

On 12/5/2017 at 8:20 AM, simoh1490 said:

There are several problems in using roundup, most of which are well known, carcinogens etc. But a huge problem when using it in the garden is the way that it travels since it heads straight for the roots, when you're growing malay grass, for example, the root may be several feet from the point you are trying to eradicate and it may have several other feeds coming from that root. The net effect is that you try to kill one stubborn weed and end up clearing a large patch of unrelated malay grass - same applies to other plants life types.

There is no proof that it is carcinogenic and spraying for five minutes a year (as opposed to being exposed to it all the time as you work) isn't quite the same thing.

It works through the leaves and, if all goes well, eradicates the entire plant, roots and all. Never heard of it infecting neighbouring plants through the root system, especially as it will all have dissipated in two - three days. Killing the whole plant if it has an extensive root system isn't a big deal.

In other words, B....

[carlyai]

There is no proof that it is carcinogenic and spraying for five minutes a year (as opposed to being exposed to it all the time as you work) isn't quite the same thing.

It works through the leaves and, if all goes well, eradicates the entire plant, roots and all. Never heard of it infecting neighbouring plants through the root system, especially as it will all have dissipated in two - three days. Killing the whole plant if it has an extensive root system isn't a big deal.

In other words, B....

Respectfully, I don't agree.

The way it kills everything where you spray, is not normal.

Everything is good used in its place, and for a jungle, maybe, but I feel chemical for your crops or body aren't good.

 

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EDIT

Sorry, I missed the 5 mins a year....I agree.

Too busy watching the Aussies beat the Poms in the test match. Ashes are outs.

[simoh1490]

1 hour ago, cooked said:

There is no proof that it is carcinogenic and spraying for five minutes a year (as opposed to being exposed to it all the time as you work) isn't quite the same thing.

It works through the leaves and, if all goes well, eradicates the entire plant, roots and all. Never heard of it infecting neighbouring plants through the root system, especially as it will all have dissipated in two - three days. Killing the whole plant if it has an extensive root system isn't a big deal.

In other words, B....

 

 

Regulatory and investigative bodies from the WHO and the EFSA have looked at Roundup as a carcinogen and keep changing their mind, other bodies have looked at it and some have concluded it is whilst others have said they are unsure. The US has decided it probably is a carcinogen and has banned it accordingly, if you're satisfied that it isn't, may the force be with you! https://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/blogs/roundup-weed-killer-probably-carcinogenic

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glyphosate

 

As the link confirms it is absorbed through the leaves and into the roots and growth points of plants, Malaya grass has continuous root systems that are interconnected whereas Japanese and "farang" grass grows on a per step or cluster basis. I can confirm that using glyphosate on Malay grass will kill much more than the area it is sprayed on and will also kill any other plants where their roots have become intertwined with Malay.

 

Edited December 6, 2017 by simoh1490