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batgirl548

Garden help! Should I put a path around raised garden beds?

5 years ago

We just built two raised cedar beds, 19" H x 48" w x 96" L go grow a vegetable garden in our back yard. The beds are currently surrounded by grass. While I like the looks of it as is, I've been told that it will be hard to mow / weed wack around the beds without potentially hacking the cedar. Someone recommended that I do pea gravel around the beds. I'm unsure based on previous discussions on pea gravel that I've read on Houzz. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!

Comments (20)

  • 5 years ago

    Cedar will hold up to a weed whacker just fine! But I prefer a flat, weed-free area that doesn't require much, if any, attention surrounding raised beds as well, I would go with wood chips, which can often be obtained for free from arborists or utility right-of-way trimmers.

    batgirl548 thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
  • 5 years ago

    I used pea gravel once and I hated it. I found it difficult to walk on, you sort of sink down into it. In our new house we are using 5/16 gravel. Generally not as washed when it arrives but the rain takes care of that after a while. Much easier to walk on and it's much cheaper. You might want to try and walk on a bit at the supply yard.

    batgirl548 thanked spiritflower
  • 5 years ago

    Pea gravel will need an edge to contain it, and it will still get into the grass. Leave it as it is.

    batgirl548 thanked partim
  • 5 years ago

    I'd say wood chips or straw make a better path. You can put down cardboard, newspaper or craft paper on top of the grass and cover it with straw or wood chips. It'll kill the grass without effort.

    batgirl548 thanked tetrazzini
  • PRO
    5 years ago

    I'd vote for the wood chips. If you were to use gravel, PEA gravel is NOT the type to use. You'd need angular (not round) gravel that has a variety of sizes from 3/8" down to dust, as it will pack down tightly for a good walking surface. What is commonly sold as "paver base" is an example of gravel that packs. Still, I'd use wood chips.

    batgirl548 thanked Yardvaark
  • PRO
    5 years ago

    Agreed on not using pea gravel.

    A basic mulch could be nice.

    batgirl548 thanked Flores Artscape, Inc.
  • 5 years ago

    I put flagstone with mondo grass in-between the spaces of the flagstone


    batgirl548 thanked Sonja Thompson
  • 5 years ago
    I have two raised beds surrounded by grass that are the first thing I see in the morning out of the window when I wake up. I hate it when the grass gets overgrown around them. I mow as close as I can and trim the tall grass next to the beds with hand held grass clippers. I don’t think it is a big deal.
    batgirl548 thanked shivece
  • 5 years ago

    Thank you, shivece! I’m glad to hear that hand trimming isn’t too much maintenance. We may give that a try for the time being.

  • 5 years ago

    You are quite welcome. I have another path on the other side of the bed next to the fence. It is a bit narrow but enough for me to squeeze by. Unfortunately neither path is wide enough for a wheel barrow but that is ok. This is my first foray into vegetable gardening so I hope I will get something to survive until harvest time. Have strawberries, Kohlrabi, cabbage, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, and various peppers. I think the bed is high enough to keep the rabbits off, but not sure about the squirrels. I would love to see what you end up with.

  • 5 years ago

    Good luck, Sonja! This is my first true garden - I've only planted a few herbs and peppers in the past. I'm holding my breath as to whether it will all grow! I just planted everything today - strawberries, tomatoes, various peppers, lettuce, snap beans, cucumber, squash, and various herbs.



  • 5 years ago

    Beautiful garden. I think it will be difficult to keep grass looking good around raised beds unless you have a lawn mowing company and then it will not be a problem. As' localeater' mentioned I would not use pea gravel. Seeing your beautiful garden I would not use any kind of gravel, but I think a stone path between the two beds and from the patio would look good. Of course if later you decide that that is not the place for your beds then it would look silly to have a path from the patio to the middle of your lawn.

    Good luck on your garden.


  • 5 years ago

    Thank you all for your replies. Localeater, I love your idea of bricks. Sonja's flagstone is gorgeous as well. You all have definitely convinced me to not use any type of gravel - thank you!!!

  • 5 years ago

    On an aesthetic level, this looks like the beginning of a project that would certainly improve with something to tie your nice raised beds to the rest of your yard. A path would do this, but there are other choices

    batgirl548 thanked User
  • 5 years ago

    Wow @batgirl548 you have an amazing looking landscape! Great job on the beds, as well..simple and clean!

  • PRO
    3 years ago

    @Sonja Thompson I just came across this feed and I love your vegetable garden! I am getting ready to build one in our back yard. Do you have additional pics?

  • 2 years ago

    Does anyone know a good website with hacks and tips about gardening? Thx!

  • 2 years ago

    @Radu Minulescu look for a Master Gardener facebook group in the area where you live.

  • last year

    @batgirl548 How is your garden doing? I'm doing something very similar to your layout this summer. Did you end up putting anything in between the beds?