Gravel?

[ColaOlaLa]

Silly question but I have some areas of soil in my garden where I wanted to cover with some gravel/pebbles? But do I have to do anything to the soil first? To stop weeds maybe? I’m a total beginner 😬

Generally yes you put a plastic sheet down as a weed barrier, then lay the gravel on top.

Usually a water permeable membrane. You want water to get through but not weeds.
If you won't be driving vehicles on it, you probably don't need to spend £££. Here's a helpful article distinguishing what type to get www.stonewarehouse.co.uk/about/news/2016/oct/17/how-to-choose-and-use-your-membrane

If you don’t put some sort of membrane down then eventually your expensive gravel will work it’s way down into the soil and disappear. Does it have to be gravel? Could you put mulch or bark clippings instead which will eventually improve the texture of your soil.

No as got a cat and several seem to visit our garden daily and I heard they love bark!

I have had gravel with soil underneath and gravel with membrane underneath and in my experience both will grow weeds.
You have to check regularly and pull up seedlings immediately.

umm, cats love gravel too. The best way i've found to keep them away is to plant densely.

umm, cats love gravel too. The best way i've found to keep them away is to plant densely
I agree with dense planting but cats tend to like smaller gravel, like pea gravel.
A larger gravel, 20mm ideally, they often don’t use.
I have 10mm Cotswold, I would have preferred 20 but the cats never toilet in it.
‘Sharp’ gravel aswell, like slate chips, cats tend to dislike.