Care for the garden path

The garden path is an integral part of any site. It brings not only beauty, but also functionality to it. Especially acutely the need for garden paths is noticeable during heavy rainfall, when the soil turns into an impassable swamp and the path laid with hard materials becomes the only salvation in it. Garden paths come in various types and from different materials.

Types of garden paths

Types of garden paths are determined mainly by the type of material used in their manufacture. A selection of material occurs according to several factors, among them the availability of certain methods of paving, and how harmoniously the path fits into the general concept of the garden and personal aesthetic preferences. It will help to study the most common varieties of garden paths photo and description below. Below are the basic rules for caring for the paths and methods of their decor.

• Paths made of concrete or tiles. The most popular type of paving garden paths. This material is resistant to frosts, has a long service life, is very durable and at the same time has not a high price. Another advantage is a wide range of application. With concrete tiles, not only pedestrian paths are laid out, but also in a garage, which is much more convenient and cheaper than asphalt coating. Tiles are produced by various forms and will satisfy any consumer requests.

• Natural stone paths. Very practical material, moreover, it looks natural and aesthetically pleasing and fits into almost any garden. The only nuance that makes stone paths not so popular is high price. These paths are paved from marble, granite, labradorite, basalt or limestone slabs. And the price of finished products is quite high.
• Paths from pebbles, gravel or crushed stone. In terms of naturalness and harmony, they are not inferior to natural stone, but they cost much cheaper. Such paths are simply poured with an even layer or laid out with beautiful patterns.

• Brick paths have high quality coating, easily placed and have pleasant colors.
• The coating for paths made of wood is firmly and universal, as it is treated with special substances that prevent their decay and destruction.
• Plastic paths - the material is not very natural, but almost eternal. At the same time, plastic paths are very easy to mount.
• Ceramic tile paths have a very pleasant and diverse appearance. Of all types of decorative coatings, ceramic tiles are perhaps the brightest and most original in their colors.
• Paths made of decorative concrete combine the qualities of ordinary concrete and tiles. From ordinary concrete, the decorative analogue took strength and resistance, and from the tiles a pleasant appearance. It is laid out in different ways, a plastic form is also used. The garden path made of decorative concrete is a little more expensive than tiles and requires special care, but it finds its customers.
• Herbal paths are a very original type of garden paths. Such paths are a lawn tightly sifted with grass. They are beautiful and pleasant for the eyes, give coolness in the heat, but require a special approach.

Care for garden paths of different types

As mentioned above, the garden path requires caring for itself. It is necessary to monitor both the state of the material from which it is made, and the form of the garden path, and the elements of its design, if any. Caring for many materials is similar to each other, but in each approach there are some differences and nuances.

1. Care for paths made of concrete.

• first of all, any path must be kept clean, then it will last longer, while maintaining a respectable appearance. They are taken on a concrete path using a broom, a vacuum cleaner or a watering hose. It is necessary to carefully monitor the plants growing between the slabs, they need to get rid of them in a timely manner, since the plants gradually crumble the base of the path. Weeds are removed manually or treated with herbicide. Oil spots from concrete are removed using a special solution, which is sold in garden stores.

• concrete paths are prone to the formation of cracks. If cases of the appearance of these shortcomings are single and they are not large, then you should not worry about this. If the crack continues to grow, then it is wiped with a solution. When there are a lot of such formations, they change the entire spoiled segment of the track. Pits are closed in a similar way - the edges of the pit are cooked, the entire inner surface of the hole is treated with PVA glue, and then wiped with solution. The sagging or staggering areas of the track is removed and put on a layer of solution so as to return the structure to the original appearance. To determine the required layer of the solution, a building level is used.

2. Care for paths made of natural stone.

• one of the main advantages of natural stone paths is not the exactingness of care. Even in winter, they are cleaned in any way without afraid to damage. Paths for paths are made mainly from a whole piece, and the stone is by its nature hardened by all natural disasters with material. But even if chips appeared on the stone during operation, this will not spoil it, but only add naturalness to its appearance. It is only necessary to remove the grass in the joints of the paths of the track and remove garbage from it;
• the exception is only slabs from shale or limestone, which must be treated with special water -repellent solutions. Garden paths, the stone of which is made of these materials, quickly collapse if this procedure is not carried out.

3. Caring for paths from pebbles, gravel or crushed stone.

• paths from bulk stone materials must be protected from moisture, and especially from current water flows. Water gradually pushes the lower layer of the path, changes its original shape and spoils the appearance. The system of drainage or a simple ditch system will protect the path from streams.   Weeds must be thoroughly removed, but the moss is left if desired. It will destroy the structure of the stone for decades, but then it will give the path a particularly natural and natural appearance. If there is still a desire to remove moss, then it should be pulled out with the roots, whole beams. If a hole has formed on the path of bulk materials, the entire upper layer is removed to the solid coating and stones are poured and tamped again.

4. Caring for a brick path.

• if the path is made of a specially designed brick for this purpose, then it does not require care. Garbage from such a path is removed in any convenient way, without restrictions. If a regular construction brick without covering was used for masonry, then such a path will not last long, no matter how it was careful. The service life of the service is slightly a little if you think over the functional system of water driving and selecting the garbage only with a broom.

5. Care for a path made of wood.

• wood is not moisture -resistant material, because thorough care is needed behind the wooden path. It is necessary to monitor the state of the material and its coating. The coating is periodically cleaned with a metal scraper, treat with an antiseptic and re -coating. Options of protective coating for wood - olifa or paint. Ideally, this procedure is subjected once a year for the entire garden path. The tree gives pleasant tactile sensations when walking, but in the absence of care it is destroyed unpleasantly quickly.

6. Caring for a plastic path.

• the plastic path practically does not require care. It is recommended to wash it from the hose, this must be done a couple of times a month. In winter, such a path is cleaned neatly as not to leave scratches. If some elements of the plastic path failed or began to stagger, then they are removed, a little base is poured on which the path is installed and the elements are placed in place.

7. Caring for a path of ceramic tiles.

• ceramic tiles have a relatively fragile structure and require great attention in the winter during snow purification. In summer, it is necessary to thoroughly wash off the bin from the tiles with a mop or sweeping it with a soft broom. It is necessary to carefully monitor the condition of the inter -seams. They are periodically wiped with a special strengthening solution or cleaned and filled again if the seams are very worn out. For ceramic tiles, a special wax mastic is used, which gives it shine and protects it from environmental exposure.

8. Care for a path made of decorative concrete.

• concrete itself - the material is very durable, but, nevertheless, decorative concrete requires special care. Once a year, its surface is covered with a hydrophobizing solution, and if the concrete is covered with a dye, then a transparent sealant is used to return juiciness of flowers. During the cleaning of the concrete path from snow, it is necessary to act carefully so as not to damage the upper coating.

9. Care for herbal paths.

• the care scheme for the herbal path is much more complicated than any other. It is necessary to water such a lawn for walking twice a month, on hot days watering is carried out more often. The grass on the path must be periodically mowed. The frequency of this procedure depends on the growth rate of grass, the optimal plant height for the track is 3-4 cm. The mowed grass is not removed immediately, but left for a day so that the soil on the path does not dry. With autumn cooling up to 10 ^oWith watering and mowing is stopped;
• so that the garden path from the grass retains a good view, and the cover remains thick, it must be loosened. This is carried out using punctures or soil cuts before watering. To do this, use special slippers with spikes, aerators or ordinary garden pitchfork. In the spring, the grass path is mandatory fertilized. Also, in the spring, it is often necessary to update the turbids frozen over the winter. In this case, the dead places are removed, and new grass is sown in their places.

Winter care for the garden path

The main care of any type of paths, except for herbal, takes place in winter during snowfalls and ice formation. It is necessary to clean the snow even in those places where they do not go in the winter, otherwise it remains in the icy mass. Snow from paths is removed with a wooden shovel, panicles and scrapers. A small amount is removed using a broom, but a layer of 10 cm is cleaned with a shovel. Having removed snow masses, it is necessary to carefully take out the remains of snowflakes from the track, otherwise a thin crust of ice forms on it.

If the snow is not removed on time and the ice has formed, it is impossible to roll it with scrap or other similar tools, since this procedure will lead to damage to the track. It is safe to clean the ice with a shovel, sticking it under the layer and tide. It is also not recommended to use salt and various chemicals for thawing, since they will leave traces on the path and shoes and spoil the soil adjacent to the path. It is better not to allow ice formation and remove the snow in a timely manner.

For cleaning snow, there is a convenient and modern device - a snow removal machine.   These mechanisms are produced in different sizes, differ in the range of snow ejection and cost. This is especially convenient for the owners of large areas. Another progressive method of combating ice and snow is electric heating. The principle of operation of this device is similar to a similar system called “warm floor”. A cable is laid in the tracks, a sensor is installed, which fixes the temperature and starts the heating system.   In the autumn period for harvesting fallen foliage, vacuum cleaners for garbage harvesting are very convenient and effective.

Decoration of garden paths

The garden path from any material is complemented and ennobled in various ways. Decorating garden paths is the creation of a unique and original image that will make the garden unique and bright. There are many ways of decor, you need to choose the one that harmonizes with the garden, corresponds to taste preferences and will not create inconvenience.

1. Decoration of plants from plants. A narrow strip of plants is planted on both sides of the path, the optimal width is 10-30 cm. It is recommended to plant only flowers of the same species or in such a combination so that the plants do not harm each other. For the border, only low -growing colors of colors are selected, which will not interfere when walking along the path.
2. Small stones. This accessory is a novelty in landscape design. With such a decoration, laid out the path along the edge or covered flower beds around the perimeter. In addition to the beauty of the glow at night, such a decoration is also convenient, as it helps to navigate the area in the dark.
3. A border of bottles. To embody this idea, it is advisable to choose the material of the same color and size. In order not to engage in long search for the desired containers, they use bottles of the same shape, and the same color is given to them using aerosol paint. Design in this way the border of the path or the very base itself. The path from the bottles looks very original, while it is practical and not demanding in care.

There are many more ideas for the design of the garden path and the entire garden. It is only necessary to turn on all your imagination and approach the process creatively and with a good mood.