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Adapted from Winfield Fuels and Materials web site.
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constitute an endorsement of either their business or web site nor does it imply
that they endorse my web site. It is placed here solely as representative of
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Using Gravel as mulch
MULCHING
In the arid West mulching is essential to successful gardening. Replenish the mulch layer on your beds.
In many parts of the country gardeners don't need to use mulch because the rain
is plentiful and the slugs are large and hungry. (Where slugs are a problem
mulch can aggravate the situation by providing them a moist shady environment in
which to hide.)
The choice of materials that can be used to mulch is large. Successful gardeners plant densely so there is little or no visible ground. This uses the plants themselves to create a living mulch. In less densely planted beds, mulches are beneficial in many ways. Shading the soil curbs the drying effects of the wind and sun. Mulches reduce weed growth and discourage weeds from re-seeding themselves. And mulches can help capture the rain water from hard driving rains by reducing run-off and allowing the rain to soak into the soil. Mulches can also add a pleasing aesthetic element to the garden by covering the ground and showing the plants to best advantage.
Mulching materials include pine needles, coarsely textured compost, shredded leaves, crushed nut shells (pecan shells are very popular in southern New Mexico), shredded, chipped or composted conifer bark, cocoa bean waste and crushed or water rounded gravel. Never use grass clippings or fresh manure as they will decompose and smell bad. For shady flower beds pine needles are effective and attractive. For sunnier beds crushed pecan shells, composted pine bark or crushed gravel. (These materials are also fine for shade beds. Where you have a lot of large conifers the use of pine needles is more natural looking.
In rock gardens and perennial borders with xeric and very xeric plants, small diameter (3/8" to 1/2") crushed or water rounded gravel is the mulch of choice. Gravel is very practical in very windy areas where lighter mulching materials will blow away. Gravel also encourages many perennials to re-seed themselves. Beardtongues (Penstemon), Hummingbird Mints (Agastache) and Flax (Linum) are just a few of the perennials that naturalize when surrounded by gravel mulch. Plant lots of groundcovers when using gravel mulch. They will grow on top of the gravel and reduce the reflected heat that radiates from large gravel expanses.
Gravel Mulch: many water wise (xeric) native and adapted species such as Penstemon, cold hardy cacti and succulents, Lavender and rock garden plants are best mulched with small (3/8" - 1/2" diameter) crushed or water rounded gravel. The angular shape of crushed gravel helps it settle and stay in place. Use gravel at a depth of 2" (or more) being careful not to bury small transplants. Gravel mulch is extremely helpful in wet climates by preventing crown rot. In dry climates it helps capture rainwater. In hot climates, plant big patches of groundcovers to grow over gravel and greatly reduce reflected heat. In all climates, it encourages native plants to reseed and colonize their area.
Decorative Gravels
- American Heritage 90 square feet @ 3 inch per ton
- Large red lava 220 square feet @ 3 inch per ton
- Small red lava 440 square feet @ 1 1/2 inch per ton
- Large meramec 80 square feet @ 3 inch per ton
- Small meramec 175 square feet @ 1 1/2 inch per ton
- Mexican Pebbles (sold in bags only)
- Red Flint Small 160 sq ft @ 1 1/2 inch Large80 sq ft @ 3 inch
- Red Granite 90 square feet @ 3 inch per ton
- Western Sunset 220 square feet @ 3 inch per ton
- Rotten Granite 100 square feet @ 2 inch per ton
- White marble 100 square feet @ 2 inch per ton
Boulders
- Wisconsin Boulders 4-12 12-18 18-24
- Aqua Blue
- Large Canyon River Flats
- Small Canyon River Flats
- Sponge Boulders
- Moss Stone
- Thunderhill Boulders
- Holey Boulders
- Holey Outcrop
- Shennandoah Outcrop
- Rose Quartz
- Rainbow Boulders
All decorative gravel, mulch, and boulders are sold in bulk unless otherwise
noted. You can pick up in garbage cans, recycle bins, buckets, Rubbermaid
containers, or have it delivered locally by truck.
This research investigated whether organic and inorganic landscape mulches, which buffer soils against temperature extremes and desiccation, create conditions conducive to subterranean foraging by Reticulitermes virginicus (Banks). In the field, termite activity was measured with cardboard monitors placed beneath and within plots of hardwood, pine bark, and pea gravel mulches, and bare ground (control). Gravel mulch provided higher feeding rates in underground monitors. Groundcover type had no significant effect on the number of monitors discovered by termites or the number of termites within each monitor. All groundcovers significantly reduced the temperature of the soil surface compared with bare soils, but temperature and moisture levels 12 cm below mulch-covered surfaces were not significantly different from those beneath bare soil. In the laboratory, R. virginicus were fed one of the three organic mulches or a control diet of white birch, Betula papyrifera (Marsh), as their only food source. All diet types were consumed at equivalent rates, but the mulch-fed termites suffered significantly lower survivorship.
Mulch
In New Mexico it is vital to
Mulch
our landscaping to help conserve and maintain water around our plants. In the
use of mulch
you have some choices to make as to which type you choose. You can use
Organic Mulch
which could include bark, pecan shells, compost, pine needles etc. Non-organic
choices includes rock and fabrics etc. In your long term garden plan, you should be using organic mulches. That way you can toss your soil
amendments right on top of these mulches and incorporate them into the soil as
well. Organic mulches will continue to breakdown over time and build up your
soil quality, which also means that they will need to be constantly replaced.
In Los Alamos chipped wood mulch can be obtained free from the
landfill. You can also get chipped wood from the utilities people who
maintain trees under power lines. You should strive for a three to four inch
layer of mulch around your plantings.
A mulch is any material, organic or inorganic, applied to the soil surface in a layer at least eight to ten centimeters deep. For the purposes of xeriscape, organic mulches are preferred to inorganic mulches. Inorganic mulches include stone or gravel, plastic, and woven landscape cloth.
A. The Inorganic
Stone and gravel collect heat, cause temperature increases and therefore increase cooling costs of the home and irrigation costs to the landscape during summer. (Plants do the opposite, shading and cooling). Weed seeds are easily blown into gravel or stone and soon establish themselves. Another problem sometimes associated with gravel on the Prairies is their high pH which may cause an iron deficiency or chlorosis in susceptible woody plants.
Woven fabrics and fiber mats exclude weeds germinating or growing beneath the fabric and yet allow for water and air exchange. On the other hand, if windblown sand or fallen leaves are allowed to accumulate on top or the fabric they may allow seeds to germinate and root into the fabric and be very difficult to remove. I no longer use the fabric weed barriers because removing them annually or every two or three years becomes a real chore. Additionally, if fabric is used under an organic mulch it prevents the compost from enriching the soil as it decomposes.
Plastic excludes air and water essential to plant growth, breaks down over time or if exposed to sunlight and should not be used under organic mulches.
For all of the above reasons it is generally recommended that organic rather than inorganic mulches be utilized in the xeriscape. It is also well to remember that, achieving water conservation by substituting plastic and gravel for living plants will not add enjoyment to your landscape or value to your home.
While pots are used extensively in low allergen gardens, be
cautious of bringing them into the house in winter, as the moulds in the soil
may release their spores due to the warmth.
It's essential to remember when weeding, that the nose and mouth are near to the
plants and ground, which is why you should have plants which don't cause
allergic reactions.
Cover bare earth areas with a gravel mulch and plant low-allergen ground-cover
plants such as vinca, ajuga, lamium and hostas to suppress the weeds.
Inorganic stone or sand mulch is fireproof and suitable for arid and coastal
landscapes, but may attract cats and ants.
Eliminate weeds and turf.
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Clear all the weeds and grass from the area you intend to cover to prevent them from growing up through the mulch.
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Pull weeds by hand or hoe them out.
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Remove lawn grass by slicing under it with a spade, being careful to dig only into the top 2 to 3 inches of soil.
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Shake the soil out of the turf before discarding it to maintain the soil depth around your trees and shrubs.
Spread mulch.
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Cover the cleared area with 2 to 4 inches of mulch.
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Rake the mulch into a flattened doughnut shape, keeping it at least 6 inches away from the trunk or stems of the plant.
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Make a neat outer edge by leaving a small gap between the mulch and the edge of the surrounding lawn.
Maintain mulch.
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Replace mulch as needed during the growing season to maintain the 2 to 4 inch depth.
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Rake up and replace organic mulch in the spring, especially around roses and fruit trees.
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Lay landscape fabric under gravel mulch to help prevent weeds.
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Never use plastic mulch for trees or shrubs because it prevents water and air from reaching roots.