Page 1 of 1[1]
anyone use little little rocks for mulch
| Member | Message |
|---|---|
 |
Posted: May/02/2007 3:29 PM PST
Hubby found a place that sales the small round stones (different shades of brown)for 25.00 a ton. These are bigger than pea gravel. I was just wondering if anyone has ever used this for mulch before and your experiences with it. We are considering using this since the regular mulch breaks down so badly. We were going to buy some crushed bricks from the brick manufacturer here but they wanted 75.00 a ton for them. Which we thought was way too much since they make them from the bricks they can't sale due to breaks. My plan is to put more landscape fabric down over top the mulched landscape which is broken down to almost dirt and will act as a good compost to the plants and then put the tumbled stones on it. We think we can do a fairly good job with 5 tons and then maybe buy a ton or two next year if there is a lot of settling of the stone. Anyone ever used this method before? |
 |
Posted: Jul/06/2007 3:32 AM PST
Well, it's been a while and since no one else responded I'll give you what I have learned here at GG - mulch is meant to prevent moisture loss as well as keep weeds from poking through. It is meant to break down and enrich the soil - some mulches do that in a year, some take longer, but it is actually an advantage that it does. Since wind-blown seeds can land on top of mulch, those types of weeds can still get growing, and that will happen with rocks too. Unless you put a thick layer down, I don't think rocks will prevent moisture loss too well, and if they are placed over a growing bed, well, who wants to dig around rocks? even if they are small? Hope this isn't too late to help |
 |
Posted: Jul/06/2007 6:21 AM PST
There's a nursery here that uses gravel to mulch their Mediterranean bed and lavenders, plants that don't need fertilizer and like dry conditions. I use compost to mulch because you need to add it anyway, and it does keep the weeds away. |
 |
Posted: Jul/07/2007 2:21 PM PST
I'd be leery of the stone adding too much weight on the roots of some plants. Edging with it might be pretty, but I don't know if I'd use it all around them. It would be a pain to remove it if you don't like it. Maybe try a small space and see how you like it before you do a large area? |
 |
Posted: Jul/15/2007 2:06 PM PST
Well, BDG, here is what our local extension agent has to say about using rocks as 'mulch'( "Next, for goodness shake do not use rock for mulch in the Pee Dee part of SC. Rock absorbs the heat of the sun all day long and radiates the heat all night long. Hot days and hot nights, the plants never get any rest from the heat.") And I suspect living in VA it gets plenty hot. We have free mulch from our yard waste system. We put yard waste on the curb, they pick it up, put it through a huge shredder, let it sit and decompose, then we go pick it back up to use in our gardens. A good recycling program. See if there is something similar near you in your city or county. YG6 |
 |
Posted: Aug/12/2007 7:27 AM PST
I would recommend on not getting anything that doesn't break down. The rocks look good for the first2, maybe even three, seasons, but eventually you'll find that leaves, twigs, grass clippings and other yard debris get stuck in between the rocks and it is an unbelievable pain in the @$$ to clean the beds to get them looking nice again. Don't do it. |
 |
Posted: Aug/13/2007 9:43 PM PST
Hello I disagree with the rock. I have white rock in front and backyards around roses and other shrubs, All you need to do is use the blower to remove the debree and twigs. I have had this stuff for many years and it looks great. If you would like PM me and I can send you some pics. Rock is not a problem for me. Flowers galore |
 |
Posted: Sep/30/2007 12:40 AM PST
Hi  . Another latecomer to this post. I only have potted plants, both inside & out, some in the full sun & some in the shade with late sun. Most pots have quartz gravel on them & it certainly stops the evaporation which usually happens quickly in our climate. They seem to require much less watering & when I have tested the potting mix for moisture, I have noticed it seems to be at a constant temp., neither warm nor cool, but then we don't get any snow or frost here ,(& I'm not having to buy it by the ton). It does give the pots a Mediterranean look which tends to suit most of my plants.
|
Page 1 of 1[1]
Read Next Discussion
