DIYbanter - View Single Post - Mulch substitute -- crushed brick ??

Dave

"James" no wrote in message
.. .
I have a fairly large gazebo, built on the side of a mountain, on a sloped
site. I have planted many plants all around the structure, and I need a
mulch substitute. The site is too steep for regular mulch. or straw, as
the rains will just wash it down. Same problem with installing weed
screens, any mulch on top of that will just wash away.

I have seen what looks like crushed red brick in commercial restaurants
such as McDonald's etc. It may be a lava type product, but the last
time I noticed, it looks like crush brick pieces. It is a reddish color,
and it looks really good where I have seen it.

The problem (and my question) is whether or not weeds are a big problem
if you use that product as a mulch subtitute. I would think that if you
got it 3 or 4 inches deep, weeds would not grow through it, like it will
with mulch. My thinking is that mulch retains moisture, and promotes weed
growth, and that the brick product would not hold moisture. By the way,
this is in a shady area, and the "mulch" would be more for looks that for
preserving moisture for the plants. That is not a concern or problem in
my situation.

Have any of you ever used this crushed brick product, or can any of you
offer comments or advice ??

Thank you very much !!

James

Yep, I can play with words too.

There's organic mulch, meant to absorb and contain moisture and promote
growth of surrounding plants. Not to be confused with the close relative
word: compost. There's, also, inorganic mulch which does the opposite.
Like crushed brick.

There's also mulch used a perimeter boundary around trees and so forth
that's organic but has slow decay process. Depth of such mulch is key in
preventing growth of unwanted plant growth other than the tree itself.

Mulch, what BS word. Ought be politicized.
Dave