What Are The Benefits Of Installing Stone Or Gravel Into Your Garden Or Landscape Beds?
Rock or gravel mulch offers several benefits when used in landscape beds. Some of these advantages include:
Low maintenance: Rock and gravel mulch require little maintenance once installed, as they do not decompose or need to be replaced regularly like organic mulches.
Weed suppression: When installed with a landscape fabric or weed barrier underneath, rock and gravel mulch can effectively inhibit weed growth by blocking sunlight and making it difficult for weeds to take root. We use a double-woven weed barrier fabric for our stone installations.
Erosion control: The weight and stability of rock and gravel mulch help to prevent soil erosion, especially on slopes or in areas with heavy rainfall or strong winds.
Water conservation: Rock and gravel mulch reduce evaporation from the soil surface, helping to retain moisture and potentially reducing the need for frequent watering.
Pest resistance: Unlike organic mulches, rock and gravel mulch do not attract insects, rodents, or other pests, making them a more suitable option for pest-prone areas.
Temperature regulation: Rock and gravel mulch can help regulate soil temperature by insulating the ground and protecting plant roots from extreme heat or cold.
Aesthetic appeal: Rock and gravel mulch come in various colors, sizes, and textures, providing a wide range of design options to enhance the appearance of your landscape beds.
Durability: Rock and gravel mulch are long-lasting and do not break down over time, making them a cost-effective choice in the long run.
Preparing Your Garden And Landscape Beds For Stone Or Gravel Mulch Installation
It's not really a good idea to just start spreading out stone or gravel without some preparation to the garden and landscape beds.
For a proper, professional level installation you'll want to properly prepare the areas where the mulch will be installed. This can include removing any weeds in the beds, removal of any brush, undergrowth, or organic debris in the beds.
Shrubs and bushes and any surrounding tree cover should be pruned and trimmed back. This will prevent organic debris from falling into your newly spread mulch.
We are happy to add garden and landscape bed preparation and clean up services into your estimate. It makes an amazing difference in how good the mulch will look after installation.
Edging Your Garden Beds Before Stone Or Gravel Mulch Installation
Edging service is offered for all mulch jobs, and while this service is optional it is highly recommended. Edging a garden bed is done using a special machine or in many cases we just do it by hand. Edging the garden beds will create a more established edge to separate your mulched beds from other landscaped areas and provides a distinct line of separation between your landscaping features. This also helps keep the stone or gravel in the bed and not strewn about your lawn or hardscaping. A defined edge can also keep the grass from growing into the garden beds as well.
Lastly, edging the beds will give your garden beds a nice, clean, and uniform look.