Why using rock in your landscape is better than wood mulch

Рет қаралды 6,837

10 ай бұрын

In this video, I will explain why using rock as mulch is a better idea. There are pros and cons to using both but at the end, rock will save you the headache of having to put down mulch ever year.

Пікірлер: 22

@antoniobrown3219 10 ай бұрын

So true! We just did a major refresh on the border of the house, replacing the pine straw with slate chips. VERY hard work but like you said with the cost of rock, it's a 1 time investment, now all we have to do is light maintenance.

@inigomontoya8943 8 ай бұрын

If you are a landscaper the rock mulch is a great idea; not only do we get paid for this install but the nest one in a few years when these plants die or get sickly. The soil suffocates and ceases to function biologically as well as freezes hard in the winter then roasts in the summer. Just finished removing rock over fabric around a $3000 Jap maple. The soil had next to no organic matter left just hard clay with all the major roots sitting on top of the soil under the fabric liner. The homeowner was wondering why it was dieing off. Replaced with some good quality mulch and a few companion planting underneath and it seems to be boucing back in short order. The worst thing about it is all the earthworm and decomposition activity occurs on top of the fabric where it cannot benefit the tree at all.

@TheALG 8 ай бұрын

Interesting. Do you think the fabric was causing more issues? Sounds like all the worms and beneficial organisms could not penatrate the fabric. I am starting to slowly lean away from using landscape fabric unless I really have to.

@inigomontoya8943 8 ай бұрын

@@TheALG I've come to really dislike fabric mulch myself in almost every situation lol it's certainly the fabric blocking most of the activity but the two go hand in hand.

@phidip2328 10 ай бұрын

Rock has some benefits, but there are some downsides as well: 1) Heat retention next to a house 2) Harm to mowers if rocks fall out of the bed and on to the lawn and go unnoticed 3) Requires the addition of significant edging to keep rocks in place 4) Harder to do maintenance next to a house later on (e.g. planting shrubs, digging trenches for piping/termite treatment, etc.)

@warrenmeloling3897 5 ай бұрын

I like to put 6 mil plastic and find years later no weeds in the middle only around the edges. Rock is definitely easier in maintaining.only doing mulch around the outer trees not near the house .

@carriebishop8568 Ай бұрын

I really appreciate this video. I am so tired of weeds I live in Clearwater Florida and I want to know if I use for the first layer black either lava or river rocks or just black stones small ones and then on top of that use the larger stones will that prevent weeds from coming through because it's filled the whole ground? I hope you answer me I will check back to see thank you

@TheALG Ай бұрын

Regardless of whatever type of rocks you use, weeds will still pop up if allowed to go unchecked. The best coarse of action is get rid of the current weeds which will take alot of work then lay the rocks. As a maintenance routine, lay down preemergent like preen in your beds to prevent weeds every 3 to 6 months.

@randyman8984 10 ай бұрын

I'm in Georgia also. I noticed the rock really gets hot more when the sun is beating down on it. My uncle uses rubber mulch and one thing I noticed is that it puts off that rubber smell when it's hot also. I'm not really crazy about that smell.

@phidip2328 10 ай бұрын

A problem with rubber mulch is it can lead to heavy metal leeching into the soil, such as zinc. You really don't want that around a place where you're planting vegetables, and who knows what effects it might have on other shrubs you have planted.

@TheALG 10 ай бұрын

I didn't know about the heavy metals leeching

@phidip2328 10 ай бұрын

@@TheALG It's because rubber mulch is made out of old tires, and over time they will break down and the leeching can occur. I don't know if this would be a problem in all places where mulch is placed, but in a vegetable garden that would be a big risk.

@williamtate5077 10 ай бұрын

Where can get the rubber edging you have around the pool to shield the mower from the rocks? I need to do that around my sitting wall.

@TheALG 10 ай бұрын

Gardenersedge.com

@williamtate5077 10 ай бұрын

@@TheALG Thank you. Of course I one more question. What the size brand and size of the Mexican Pebble you used? Looks like 1-2"" inches.?

@TheALG 10 ай бұрын

It is definitely 1 to 2 inches. Bigger rocks will stay put when you blow it with a leaf blower

@Nikolasto77 8 ай бұрын

Do you put landscape fabric under the rocks so they don't disappear into the soil?

@TheALG 8 ай бұрын

I did, but looking back now, I would probably not. Better to use preen to keep weeds out

@Nikolasto77 8 ай бұрын

@@TheALGinteresting that you say that. I thought if I don’t use the landscape fabric, the rocks will sink into the soil and disappear over time. I guess everything has its pros and cons. This weekend I purchased the white creek stones from Home Depot. The rocks were a bit too big, next time I will go with river pebbles.

@TheALG 8 ай бұрын

I would just continue with your project on however way you were going to do it. Don't over think it. I haven't noticed rocks sinking. What I did notice is the fabric coming up over time.

@Nikolasto77 8 ай бұрын

@@TheALGdo you secure the fabric with the landscape staples?

@TheALG 8 ай бұрын

Yes