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june

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driveways, footpaths, & gravel

Anchor 1

     It's getting colder and wetter, and the ground is soggy, and getting bogged is becoming more of a possibility with each rainy day. It may be time to do some graveling at home.

     It's this time of the year when the driveways can get really boggy, so think about some options at a reasonable price compared with concreting. Gravel or screenings may be a good choice for you... sometimes it's best to put a compacted dolomite or quarry rubble base down first, and then layer the metal to help prevent the mud and allow for excess water to drain away.

     The compacted base will help to suppress the weed growth. It doesn't hurt to spray the soil with weed killer before applying the base. Some try plastic or weed mat, which does slow down the weeds, but can tear and the weeds somehow find their way through the holes. There is a good range of gravel or screenings to suit your driveway with the most popular being grey and white. The yellow stone from Yankalilla is definitely worth considering, as is the limestone gravel from Goolwa quarry and the blue quartzite. The best thing to do is measure the area that needs covering, including the depth, and ask the team at DSM who can give you a guide as to how much to order. Most people tend to go for concrete driveways, but they are not without their maintenance especially if you have visiting ducks. Make sure you wash off their mess as quickly as possible, particularly if the concrete is a light-colour mix. The stains can last a long time. If you go for the gravel or screenings, give consideration to the rest of your garden if you also have stones in there. It may not look right if, say, everything is covered in white screenings.

     There is no escaping little weeds completely because the smallest start growing from dirt that over time gets into the screenings. Just keep spraying the weeds every few weeks to keep them at bay. 

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Happy gardening!

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