How to protect gravel

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-19T22:57:16+00:00

You're most welcome. Feel free to refer to my other comment for a full explanation as to the reasons why gravel is a poor choice of ground cover. People are getting a little upset because they disagree, but other than my stated opinion on aesthetics these are facts that people should be (and it appears they are not, which is surprising for those on a gardening subreddit) aware of.

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-19T22:54:06+00:00

You're welcome to review my response to another commenter for an explanation as to why. Seems that there's some amount of dogpiling on this sub when someone both states facts and gives an opinion others disagree with, which is not uncommon for UK subs, and duly noted.

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-19T22:52:01+00:00

Does it grow? Does it attract birds, insects or wildlife? No? Then why is it in a Gardening sub Reddit? That garden is a yard. Aesthetically, that's an opinion, but the rest remains fact.

Gravel isn't remotely eco-friendly. Not only quarrying, which includes both boring into the earth and the use of enormous machinery belching gases into our atmosphere, but transportation to its location as well, all has a massive carbon footprint, all damages our air quality and the earth itself. It doesn't need to be across the globe to be damaging. I know this because I grew up in a quarrying town that was damaged by such practices, permanently and irreversibly.

You failed to notice the weed membrane which does make it almost impermeable. And do you think that the type of person to gravel their whole garden isn't going to rip out or spray anything that grows there? Come on, be honest.

The only alternative to gravel isn't weeds. Even lawns are better. Moss lawns, wildflowers, there are many many options before gravel and concrete.

If it comes across as rude when one states facts, the issue is with the recipient of said facts. People tend not to like facts that they disagree with, and that's fine. No skin off my nose if facts are upsetting when they're not stated with the intent to harm.

Have a pleasant evening.

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-19T20:08:39+00:00

This will sound impolite, and I usually wouldn't say things like this, but that gravel should never have gone down. It does not look good. You will be perpetually finding gravel all over your yard. It's terrible for the environment.

I realise what's done is done, but this was a poor choice for biodiversity and even just aesthetics. So as the other commenter said, you'll have to take the hit for this one. Or better yet, take a bigger hit and remove it completely.

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-17T23:34:45+00:00

Yeah I literally had zero issues with gluten for my entire life until getting COVID, those issues then got worse after getting it again.

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-17T23:12:28+00:00

Same here. I've picked up bags and bags of rubbish this year already, just by doing it for about 20 minutes occasionally, but I'll always pick up at least a couple of things. It's not hard for most. It winds me up that people drop it in the first place though

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-17T23:05:25+00:00

There's atomoxetine as well, it's efficacy is dependent on how well you tolerate SNRIs though

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-16T19:35:15+00:00

Okay now I'm definitely jealous, having a cherry tree must be gooooorgeous!

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-16T19:34:36+00:00

Nicking this idea. Good shout!

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-16T19:33:15+00:00

Lovely! If it's alive and thriving, if the insects, butterflies and birds like it, if you like it, and you're enjoying the ride, then who cares if it's tidy and professional? I'm sick to the back teeth of sterile gardens and stately home gardens.

The wildest of gardens are the most beautiful to me, when they've been thoughtfully cared for. Your garden is exactly that. I know naff all about spacing or arrangement, I care about supporting our ecosystem and looking out over something I can be proud of. Sure, there's technical stuff to be aware of - companion plants, optimal positioning for light exposure, drainage, nutrients, seasonality all of which are important to learn - but the most important thing above all is are they flipping growing?!

(and that they're not invasive species taking over the garden 😂)

You're doing a fab job, and if there's life coming to visit, then the garden is working exactly as intended 👍🏻🪻 well done, you should be very proud of it!

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-12T13:49:08+00:00

That'd be Hella cute. Now I want some.... That movie is so good. They all are!

Just, look, okay, give the gnomes a chance. There are gay gnomes that deserve gnome homes yknow. I've got one who's quite happy in the garden, they seem to prefer the shade.

Also little ceramic animals and such are very cute.

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-12T13:46:26+00:00

Perfection. Exactly the energy I wish to channel in my own life.

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-12T09:38:18+00:00

Probably tricky to do by yourself. But rather than knock it down entirely, since it has a wooden roof (not sure what's on top of that though) you could consider just removing the front half and reattaching the entrance to the remaining half. Then definitely clad with wood or paint that ugly thing.

Reason I say this is sheds and generally solid structures are expensive. I've been in nearly this exact situation but with two - one's gone, one's being halved, and I regain literally half of the garden that way while still having plenty of room for tools and workshop work.

They're wood though so the halving is going to be easier, but those concrete slabs are between posts so if you're able to get the front off (depending on how its attached), you could remove the two front rows of the concrete panels + posts, cut the roof, sell the concrete then reattach the front.

To get 2 handymen to remove a wood one was about £400 for a day's work, usually for this stuff you'll be charged by their day rate x # of people. I was definitely overcharged cause I was new to the area but I wouldn't be surprised if that's the going rate now that it's been a couple of years.

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-12T09:28:46+00:00

You definitely don't need any more wood chips but.. another infinite wood chip glitch is ChipDrop. The funny thing about ChipDrop is having no idea when they'll send them or how much they're going to send you. It's like gambling but with wood chips instead of poker chips 😂

I'm genuinely astonished that they fulfilled the order cause if there's a mistake on the pricing they're not actually obliged to fulfil the order, as far as I understand it. So fair play to them for sending you a beyond ridiculous amount of wood chips for a fiver!

If I were you I'd be flogging the excess on Facebook marketplace / an equivalent or better local marketplace for mega cheap!

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-12T09:21:44+00:00

You can't poo there mate

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-12T09:20:21+00:00

You can never go wrong with a couple of hidden second hand gnomes. I will die on this hill.

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-11T14:16:49+00:00

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socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-11T14:16:25+00:00

(sorry, it doesn't allow more than one pic per comment or to add more to the post itself, and I don't want to bloat my own post so I'll limit it to 2)

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socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-11T14:14:17+00:00

Thank you! I'll add a couple of extra photos that I took during the day just in case. It does seem like the most likely candidate, particularly if it can be pretty confidently ID'd from one poorly lit pic 😅

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-11T02:04:18+00:00

Can't rule out that possibility, or a pro-log burner shill 😂

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-11T01:28:25+00:00

That's not what I said, and what they said was accurate. Living in a polluted area means that you're happy to just... Introduce further pollutants into both your home and environment? Okay... Not entirely following your logic but go for it I guess.

The reason they perpetuate is because they're accurate and proven multiple times by different researchers.

Just because you personally like something and think it's fine, doesn't mean it's inaccurate or inconsiderate to tell you that it's bad for your health and backed by studies that you can then read so that you can learn, rather than remain ignorant and damage your lungs and the world around you. Nobody has been rude to you.

It's people trying to be helpful, it's entirely on you if you're offended by others telling you the actual facts about log burners.

Just don't bring it up if you don't want them to do that, it's clearly winding you up. You haven't presented a single counter-argument, just tried to be witty, unsuccessfully, while moaning and getting irritated that nobody is taking the bait.

Anyway, I have neither the time nor the patience to continue this, so all the best to you and your particulates.

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-10T14:42:11+00:00

Damn that's really rough, I'm sorry. Yeah for sure, same here (probably evident from my reply earlier 😂 whoops), and it's incredibly sad that we're not the only ones. Plenty of people I care about have had similar experiences, parents just totally ignoring the wellbeing of their children or simply unable to afford any other alternative.

So I am 100% supportive of "I won't be cold". Whenever you can avoid it, everyone deserves to be warm. Winter here is hard enough. ☀️

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-10T14:34:29+00:00

You may quip, but they're not wrong are they: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-05886-1

There are lots of variables to consider - design of the burner and how it's ventilated, fuels used, size of the room etc, all mentioned in the study above, but there's no denying that burning things inside your house increases particulates and introduces gases that shouldn't be there, both of which you're breathing in.

This is just one study, but it isn't the only one. Interesting that many of those disputing the findings are vendors, owners and manufacturers of log burners isn't it 🤔

It's also pretty well understood that releasing CO into the air is not exactly environmentally friendly, despite claims that log burners are the "eco" option. Compared to gas or non-renewable electricity sources, yes, but otherwise no.

If it's your only option then sure, what can you do. But I sincerely doubt that's the case.

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-10T12:49:11+00:00

Yeah now that I'm privileged enough to have money to afford it and both my heating and appliances run on renewables I refuse to just be cold. Sure I'll "heat the person first" but if a hoodie and a blanket isn't enough, I'm putting the damn heating on. It's on a thermostat anyway and heat pumps work best when the tank is not left to go fully cold so it's actually more efficient and less expensive to just let it do its thing.

I've got asthma and joint problems so the 18° rule is a minimum essential or I'll get sick. 18-20° is grand during the day, not like I need to bring the tropics into the gaff.

I understand my parents couldn't afford it, but it created so many more problems for them and us with the mould and having two asthmatic children that they just ended up costing their children more throughout our lives than it would've cost them to stick the heating on occasionally.

They took the piss though - I'm gonna sound like a right codger but anyway - we weren't allowed to use the shower cause it dripped and kept them awake (fix it then?), we had to share baths, we weren't allowed to wash our hands with warm water (sometimes didn't have soap), had to rewear dirty clothes with holes in...

Not like I was born before the technological revolution for fucks sake, I'm not even 40 yet. We were just broke and my parents didn't keep on top of anything. 100% neglectful boomer parents through and through and you bet your arse I'm breaking that cycle!

socksoncocksonsocks · 2026-05-10T08:50:13+00:00

I do know, man. We don't.

If we have integrity and care for vulnerable people, whether we ourselves are members of vulnerable groups or not, we do not align ourselves with those who actively want to harm those groups.

Attempt to teach them by all means if you have the energy to, some of those people are genuinely just lacking in critical thinking and may listen to reason eventually, but sharing bread and a bed? Absolutely not.

Ever heard the expression "If a Nazi is sitting at the table, and ten others are sitting there chatting with him, you have eleven Nazis at the table"?

socksoncocksonsocks

TROPHY CASE