Ground preparations for a beehive

[Amber]

Plans are to use weed free fabric with paving stones that are available FOC with gravel on top.

Are there any gravels sizes that will work better than others please ? And can gravel with a coating on that has some resistance to moss be used

 

[ericbeaumont]

Drawback with weed membrane is that eventually it becomes a trip hazard, and dust and leaves and bits and bobs end up in the covering - wood chippings, gravel - and weeds take over.

How about a route of least work and cheaper practical result? Suggest you level the ground roughly, remove trip hazards and set the slabs nearly flush with a spirit level. Weed and grass can be cut back a few times a year and you can sow a wild flower mix to jazz it up.

 

[Amber]

The weed membrane would be covered but the soil is ok for planting although a little wet requiring some stable ground underneath for a hive, my concern would be trip hazards if the flags were on the surface.

How could the ground be made stable with planting?

Weed killers were applied a number of years ago to the ground, assume that would not be a problem?

 

[Amber]

Your recommendations sound good but would planting around the flags creare flag movement on damp soil ?

 

[Amber]

The location is at the bottom of a hill although flat where the hive will sit

 

[charentejohn]

I put mine on cement slabs with chicken wire mesh to stabilise it, all it takes to stop it cracking. May need more for larger hives but these are 1m square x 8+cm thick. Ignore the mesh in front of the hives now removed, but the stands are old aluminium garden chairs the webbing rotted on, very sturdy and a good height.
The surrounding area is ground membrane and a thin layer of gravel, thin is best as it allows it to be raked about easily to remove weeds. Too thick and weeds can root in the gravel over winter, no spraying needed. With an open floor all debris sits really visibly on the cement so you can see they are active.

 

[Amber]

Thanks for the photo, your stands look good.

Less chance of a trip hazard with just 1 slab, with a thin layer of gravel do you have any problems with ground membrane?

 

[Erichalfbee]

My hive stands are based on half fence posts driven into the ground. Immoveable. strim the grass underneath and around now and then

 

[ericbeaumont]

with a thin layer of gravel do you have any problems with ground membrane?

Takes a year or two, but membrane will rumple and begin to appear here and there unless it's buried deep, and deep means more money.

Amber, I've sent you a PM with an alternative.

 

[Amber]

I put mine on cement slabs with chicken wire mesh to stabilise it, all it takes to stop it cracking. May need more for larger hives but these are 1m square x 8+cm thick. Ignore the mesh in front of the hives now removed, but the stands are old aluminium garden chairs the webbing rotted on, very sturdy and a good height.
The surrounding area is ground membrane and a thin layer of gravel, thin is best as it allows it to be raked about easily to remove weeds. Too thick and weeds can root in the gravel over winter, no spraying needed. With an open floor all debris sits really visibly on the cement so you can see they are active.

Have

I put mine on cement slabs with chicken wire mesh to stabilise it, all it takes to stop it cracking. May need more for larger hives but these are 1m square x 8+cm thick. Ignore the mesh in front of the hives now removed, but the stands are old aluminium garden chairs the webbing rotted on, very sturdy and a good height.
The surrounding area is ground membrane and a thin layer of gravel, thin is best as it allows it to be raked about easily to remove weeds. Too thick and weeds can root in the gravel over winter, no spraying needed. With an open floor all debris sits really visibly on the cement so you can see they are active.

I put mine on cement slabs with chicken wire mesh to stabilise it, all it takes to stop it cracking. May need more for larger hives but these are 1m square x 8+cm thick. Ignore the mesh in front of the hives now removed, but the stands are old aluminium garden chairs the webbing rotted on, very sturdy and a good height.
The surrounding area is ground membrane and a thin layer of gravel, thin is best as it allows it to be raked about easily to remove weeds. Too thick and weeds can root in the gravel over winter, no spraying needed. With an open floor all debris sits really visibly on the cement so you can see they are active.

Did you make the slabs? They must be pretty heavy

My hive stands are based on half fence posts driven into the ground. Immoveable. strim the grass underneath and around now and then

Are the posts concrete or wood?

sorry still getting used to using the forum !

Takes a year or two, but membrane will rumple and begin to appear here and there unless it's buried deep, and deep means more money.

Amber, I've sent you a PM with an alternative.

Takes a year or two, but membrane will rumple and begin to appear here and there unless it's buried deep, and deep means more money.

Amber, I've sent you a PM with an alternative.

Thanks but unfortunately not able to see your message anywhere in the links but still getting used to the forum, still on nvq level 1 with this forum, will it show in general follow up/responses or a separate message?

 

[ericbeaumont]

Just sent, Amber. Should appear at the little envelope at the top of the page.

 

[Swarm]

.......

 

[Erichalfbee]

Have
sorry still getting used to using the forum !



Thanks but unfortunately not able to see your message anywhere in the links but still getting used to the forum, still on nvq level 1 with this forum, will it show in general follow up/responses or a separate message?

Thus us the top of my page. Yours will be similar.
click on the envelope at the top.

 

[Erichalfbee]

 

[ericbeaumont]

the soil is ok for planting although a little wet requiring some stable ground underneath for a hive, my concern would be trip hazards if the flags were on the surface.
How could the ground be made stable with planting?
Weed killers were applied a number of years ago to the ground, assume that would not be a problem?

How wet? Does water run in volume off the hill at certain times, and does it bog or drain away? Best answer this now and save work and tears later.

Slabs set at ground level will end up below that level after a couple of years as soil expands when wet, so offset that and set them level but above ground, to end up with slabs and ground at the same level (more or less).

Ground can be stabilised but it'll take trees and time! Weedkillers will be long gone (into the watercourse, of course).

 

[charentejohn]

Hi, just looked here again, I used this stuff which is what you see at the side of the road when they plant trees etc. https://www.amazon.co.uk/GroundMaster-Control-Fabric-Ground-Membrane/dp/B01M22DE24
At roadsides it is generally left exposed as UV proof etc. It is tough and lies on the ground well, they use 'staples' to pin it normally as shown in the link, I just cut the grass laid it on top and put a thin layer of gravel on it to hold it against the grass. Grass died off no problem, I cut out a couple of squares and put the cement on top leaving about 10cm of membrane under the cement slab edges.

 

[The Poot]

Hi Amber,
My hives are stood on pallets on gravel which covers weed membrane.

The gravel has accumulated soil over the years from fallen leaves so each Spring there is a green flush of seedlings to deal with.
I find some tree roots, from wild plums and blackthorn can grow up through the membrane.
I use a push / pull hoe to kill the weeds a couple of times through the year, which keeps the gravel looking good, but once the soil develops above the membrane there will be weed issues to deal with.

I find pallets on the gravel works well as the gravel allows good drainage beneath them and they don’t rot too quickly. I do treat them with silicone waterproofer before putting them down though. Two pallets height is good when the hives are on hive stands and there is adequate air flow under the hives.

My garden is thick clay and the above does prevent waterlogging of the apiary, so despite the weed issues the arrangement is good, but not trouble free!
I hope that’s of some help.
Good luck
Poot

 

[charentejohn]

The pallets sound a neat solution, some top quality pallets (reusable brick ones and such) can be made from Japanese Pine which I had never heard of before. If it is really hard wood then may be that. Otherwise sealing them won't matter much as the bees aren't on them anyway.

 

[The Poot]

The pallets sound a neat solution, some top quality pallets (reusable brick ones and such) can be made from Japanese Pine which I had never heard of before. If it is really hard wood then may be that. Otherwise sealing them won't matter much as the bees aren't on them anyway.

I have had access to pallets that carried four 208 gallon oil drums for motor vehicles. Very robust and generally already partially “preserved” by oil contamination
Alas, since retirement, access to (and delivery of same to home) has been lost

 

[Amber]

How wet? Does water run in volume off the hill at certain times, and does it bog or drain away? Best answer this now and save work and tears later.

Slabs set at ground level will end up below that level after a couple of years as soil expands when wet, so offset that and set them level but above ground, to end up with slabs and ground at the same level (more or less).

Ground can be stabilised but it'll take trees and time! Weedkillers will be long gone (into the watercourse, of course).

Not to bad water wise, would call it damp in winter with no pools of water, small and big trees sit further back (sycamore) but not overhanging over where the hive/s can sit.

Hi, just looked here again, I used this stuff which is what you see at the side of the road when they plant trees etc. https://www.amazon.co.uk/GroundMaster-Control-Fabric-Ground-Membrane/dp/B01M22DE24
At roadsides it is generally left exposed as UV proof etc. It is tough and lies on the ground well, they use 'staples' to pin it normally as shown in the link, I just cut the grass laid it on top and put a thin layer of gravel on it to hold it against the grass. Grass died off no problem, I cut out a couple of squares and put the cement on top leaving about 10cm of membrane under the cement slab edges.

Thanks for explaining and the ground membrane is a good price

Hi Amber,
My hives are stood on pallets on gravel which covers weed membrane.

The gravel has accumulated soil over the years from fallen leaves so each Spring there is a green flush of seedlings to deal with.
I find some tree roots, from wild plums and blackthorn can grow up through the membrane.
I use a push / pull hoe to kill the weeds a couple of times through the year, which keeps the gravel looking good, but once the soil develops above the membrane there will be weed issues to deal with.

I find pallets on the gravel works well as the gravel allows good drainage beneath them and they don’t rot too quickly. I do treat them with silicone waterproofer before putting them down though. Two pallets height is good when the hives are on hive stands and there is adequate air flow under the hives.

My garden is thick clay and the above does prevent waterlogging of the apiary, so despite the weed issues the arrangement is good, but not trouble free!
I hope that’s of some help.
Good luck
Poot

Thank you, received some great tips, after looking at all the options wild garden v pebbles I decided to go for pebbles due to the location, hope to set up soon before the bees start flying, using materials I already have available plans are to build a low stone wall that will hold the earth back but will be well away from the hive/s so no trip hazard and maybe use paving stones as a base but am concerned about movement of paving stones over time so not sure which way to layer at this stage.
Amber