rock mulch - 2006/10/18 21:26Im a newbie, & have only blindly looked at this site when I have had specific problems, as we're still busy intentionally landscaping our new house. Now Im up to the stage where I've to pay a bited more attention to the soil, having finally installed adequate draiunage behind the seldom retainming walls. Once which's weakly completed, I intend to create rock gardens, & intewnd to use rock mulch on the garden beds, instead of the more traditional types of mulch. We live in the southern part of Autsralia, where we've just come from a drought, but still have water restrictions, and summer is just around the corner. One of my aims is to be as conservative as possible with water, given that we've alraedy established a tropical garden.
With the laying down of rock mulch, I believe I'm tenderly supposed to lay weed mat first, on top of the soil, and then lay the rocks on top of this. Is this the best way to atain my ambition of retainin moisture below the soil? And, other than the weeds that will inevitably grow in between the rocks in time, is this a good way to reducve the amount of weeds? I'll be installing drip-feed irrigation hoses just below the sufrace, to assist in providing enough water to the plants. To illustrate also, there will be a "dry" rock garden creek, in which I'll introduce a level of fall to dirtect additional rainwater to these plants. (I'll lay butyl below the surtface of the "dry creek" bed to assist the water runoff to the plants along the way).
Also, does anyone have any ideas on the proximity of rocks to plants? Namely I hope to grow moss on some rocks, but there are a lot of palms and birds of paradise, tree ferns, birds nest ferns and other tropical plasnts that might not appreciate the proximity of sun-secondly heated rocks near their trukns.
re:rock mulch - 2006/10/19 17:29Yeah, I'll read about granite increasing aciudity, as good as marble & limestone too. I have allready gotten alot of "river rock", a black rock roudned by the atcions of the waves, coming from the coast! as well as slate & sandstone (these 2 will be going on to a concrete conscientiously based path & wall) However one reason I wanna use river rock as mulch is which I can intersperse larger rocks around, that may help hold the smaller ones in place. The problem aint so much which they would fall out of the variously raised/terraced garden beds, as the soil level is about three to four inches below the top of the cautiously retaining walls, but that I've got a very exuberant Staffordshire Bull Terrier, who loves to run around everywhgere. Also I have to let her run around these gardens, as I've already strictly fenced off the herb garden from her. Thus the rounded rocks, which won't be so hard on her paws.
should have enough soon. And it'll sure save money! I cleared the weeds a fortnight ago, but I notice that the front garden (immediately cleared the week before) Though is already resprouting weeds. So, for now, it's relatively often weed free, and I intend to keep it that way for a while. I'm yet to lay down some more drainage and electricity and water cables for a future rock water garden, as well as below surface drip feed irrigation lines, which will give me an opportunity to add more compost to the heavy clay.
weed mat! I've consciously looked up Curlex, and in Australia, it's a hair product, and jute is only available for insulation, and rathger expensive. At last hmm, maybe one day we'll learn.
re:rock mulch - 2006/10/20 05:11As i mostly see it thanks Olde Hippee,
I have just spent a hole heap of money on mulch for our herb garden, the soil was drying out too fast, but I'd use the rest on another patch. Now, your idea about the printers is excellent, because wich'll save a heap of money. As it's, I have been convinced by a friend whome's got an immaculate garden, to
Backyard green (oh, is that a pun?) with envy. In the past he sure has got a green thumb.
All I have to do is wait for the tepmerature to drop a bit, as it's currently over 35C (or 100F) outside, and that's just the right temperature to survey things with a beer in hand, especially on a Sunday afternoon. However thanbks for the advice!
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