I removed some old, dirty river rock from the landscaping trenches
around my house, and would like to replace it with something else.
There are some bushes every few feet. I'm undecided between some type
of wood chips, or an some type of rock. My house color is tan.

My main concern is that rock gets so dirty and unsightly over time. I
figure with woodchips, I can add new chips in the spring to renew the
look.

Any advice on what to consider? What is easy to clean out (twigs,
leaves, etc)? What is the least maintenance? Other alternatives?

Thanks!

Kurt

Least maintenance? Concrete with holes for the bushes to grow through.
Asphalt if you prefer black.

steve


wrote in message
...
I removed some old, dirty river rock from the landscaping trenches
around my house, and would like to replace it with something else.
There are some bushes every few feet. I'm undecided between some type
of wood chips, or an some type of rock. My house color is tan.

My main concern is that rock gets so dirty and unsightly over time. I
figure with woodchips, I can add new chips in the spring to renew the
look.

Any advice on what to consider? What is easy to clean out (twigs,
leaves, etc)? What is the least maintenance? Other alternatives?

Thanks!

Kurt

wrote:

I removed some old, dirty river rock from the landscaping trenches
around my house, and would like to replace it with something else.
There are some bushes every few feet. I'm undecided between some type
of wood chips, or an some type of rock. My house color is tan.

My main concern is that rock gets so dirty and unsightly over time. I
figure with woodchips, I can add new chips in the spring to renew the
look.

Any advice on what to consider? What is easy to clean out (twigs,
leaves, etc)? What is the least maintenance? Other alternatives?

You are on the right track.

Stone looks nice as long as you keep it cleaned. You'll have to
regularly remove leaves, then every few years remove the rock to
replace the landscape fabric underneath. You do have the landscape
fabric, don't you?

Use mulch instead of woodchips. The chips tend to wash away. Heck, even
a strong wind will scatter them. I like the finely chopped mulch,
myself. It looks nice and breaks down more evenly.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX

on 7/22/2008 11:29 PM said the following:
I removed some old, dirty river rock from the landscaping trenches
around my house, and would like to replace it with something else.
There are some bushes every few feet. I'm undecided between some type
of wood chips, or an some type of rock. My house color is tan.

My main concern is that rock gets so dirty and unsightly over time. I
figure with woodchips, I can add new chips in the spring to renew the
look.

Any advice on what to consider? What is easy to clean out (twigs,
leaves, etc)? What is the least maintenance? Other alternatives?

Thanks!

Kurt


There's a third alternative. The processed rubber chips that are made
from old tires. About twice the price of the wood mulch, but less likely
to blow away or wash away like the wood chips. They stay cleaner than
stones.
If you don't have a lot of area to cover, it is sold in bags in the
garden section of the big box stores, or some other garden centers.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
in the original Orange County
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

On Tue 22 Jul 2008 08:57:47p, willshak told us...

on 7/22/2008 11:29 PM said the following:
I removed some old, dirty river rock from the landscaping trenches
around my house, and would like to replace it with something else.
There are some bushes every few feet. I'm undecided between some type
of wood chips, or an some type of rock. My house color is tan.

My main concern is that rock gets so dirty and unsightly over time. I
figure with woodchips, I can add new chips in the spring to renew the
look.

Any advice on what to consider? What is easy to clean out (twigs,
leaves, etc)? What is the least maintenance? Other alternatives?

Thanks!

Kurt


There's a third alternative. The processed rubber chips that are made
from old tires. About twice the price of the wood mulch, but less likely
to blow away or wash away like the wood chips. They stay cleaner than
stones.
If you don't have a lot of area to cover, it is sold in bags in the
garden section of the big box stores, or some other garden centers.


Lots of good ideas, but I still don't get the problem with riverbed rock.
Although we also used cedar mulch in some of our landscaping, we used
riverbed rock extensively in other beds. We used landscape fabric under
the rock. Once or twice a season we would spray the rock with an algaecide
and used a low pressure power washer to rinse the next day. It always
looked like new. We bordered all of our beds (rock or mulch) with various
sized small boulders 4-8", which made a nice edging. Careful periodic
spraying the boulder edging with a general herbicide kept weeds and grass
from growing up through the border.

Having said all that...yes, there was some maintenance, but it was a great
look and there were other options that had more upkeep.

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Tuesday, 07(VII)/22(XXII)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
Purring....the sound of a cat
manufacturing cuteness.
-------------------------------------------

On Jul 22, 11:16*pm, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
On Tue 22 Jul 2008 08:57:47p, willshak told us...





on 7/22/2008 11:29 PM said the following:
I removed some old, dirty river rock from the landscaping trenches
around my house, and would like to replace it with something else.
There are some bushes every few feet. I'm undecided between some type
of wood chips, or an some type of rock. My house color is tan.

My main concern is that rock gets so dirty and unsightly over time. I
figure with woodchips, I can add new chips in the spring to renew the
look.

Any advice on what to consider? What is easy to clean out (twigs,
leaves, etc)? What is the least maintenance? Other alternatives?

Thanks!

Kurt

There's a third alternative. The processed rubber chips that are made
from old tires. About twice the price of the wood mulch, but less likely
to blow away or wash away like the wood chips. They stay cleaner than
stones.
If you don't have a lot of area to cover, it is sold in bags in the
garden section of the big box stores, or some other garden centers.

Lots of good ideas, but I still don't get the problem with riverbed rock. *
Although we also used cedar mulch in some of our landscaping, we used
riverbed rock extensively in other beds. *We used landscape fabric under
the rock. *Once or twice a season we would spray the rock with an algaecide
and used a low pressure power washer to rinse the next day. *It always
looked like new. *We bordered all of our beds (rock or mulch) with various
sized small boulders 4-8", which made a nice edging. *Careful periodic
spraying the boulder edging with a general herbicide kept weeds and grass
from growing up through the border.

Having said all that...yes, there was some maintenance, but it was a great
look and there were other options that had more upkeep.

--
* * * * * * *Wayne Boatwright * * * * * *
-------------------------------------------
* * *Tuesday, 07(VII)/22(XXII)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
* * * *Purring....the sound of a cat * * *
* * * * * manufacturing cuteness. * * * * *
-------------------------------------------- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You have to post a photo or we are all guessing

Wayne Boatwright wrote:

On Tue 22 Jul 2008 08:57:47p, willshak told us...

on 7/22/2008 11:29 PM said the following:
I removed some old, dirty river rock from the landscaping trenches
around my house, and would like to replace it with something else.
There are some bushes every few feet. I'm undecided between some
type of wood chips, or an some type of rock. My house color is tan.

My main concern is that rock gets so dirty and unsightly over
time. I figure with woodchips, I can add new chips in the spring
to renew the look.

Any advice on what to consider? What is easy to clean out (twigs,
leaves, etc)? What is the least maintenance? Other alternatives?

There's a third alternative. The processed rubber chips that are
made from old tires. About twice the price of the wood mulch, but
less likely to blow away or wash away like the wood chips. They
stay cleaner than stones.
If you don't have a lot of area to cover, it is sold in bags in the
garden section of the big box stores, or some other garden centers.

Lots of good ideas, but I still don't get the problem with riverbed
rock. Although we also used cedar mulch in some of our landscaping,
we used riverbed rock extensively in other beds. We used landscape
fabric under the rock. Once or twice a season we would spray the
rock with an algaecide and used a low pressure power washer to rinse
the next day. It always looked like new. We bordered all of our
beds (rock or mulch) with various sized small boulders 4-8", which
made a nice edging. Careful periodic spraying the boulder edging
with a general herbicide kept weeds and grass from growing up through
the border.

Having said all that...yes, there was some maintenance, but it was a
great look and there were other options that had more upkeep.

I don't think anyone will argue with you that river rock looks nice.
The OP just asked for up- and down-sides of stone and mulch. The
downside of stone is it requires maintenance. That's OK as long as you
don't mind the work. Lots of my clients insist they don't have time to
do yard work, and they're looking for zero-maintenance yards that also
look full and lush. I have to diplomatically explain that they're
suffering from recto-cranial inversion.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX

On Tue 22 Jul 2008 09:28:43p, ransley told us...

On Jul 22, 11:16*pm, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
On Tue 22 Jul 2008 08:57:47p, willshak told us...





on 7/22/2008 11:29 PM said the following:
I removed some old, dirty river rock from the landscaping trenches
around my house, and would like to replace it with something else.
There are some bushes every few feet. I'm undecided between some type
of wood chips, or an some type of rock. My house color is tan.

My main concern is that rock gets so dirty and unsightly over time. I
figure with woodchips, I can add new chips in the spring to renew the
look.

Any advice on what to consider? What is easy to clean out (twigs,
leaves, etc)? What is the least maintenance? Other alternatives?

Thanks!

Kurt

There's a third alternative. The processed rubber chips that are made
from old tires. About twice the price of the wood mulch, but less
likel
y to blow away or wash away like the wood chips. They stay cleaner
than
stones. If you don't have a lot of area to cover, it is sold in bags
in
the garden section of the big box stores, or some other garden
centers.

Lots of good ideas, but I still don't get the problem with riverbed
rock.
* Although we also used cedar mulch in some of our landscaping, we used
riverbed rock extensively in other beds. *We used landscape fabric unde
r
the rock. *Once or twice a season we would spray the rock with an algae
cide and used a low pressure power washer to rinse the next day. *It
always looked like new. *We bordered all of our beds (rock or mulch)
with
vari ous sized small boulders 4-8", which made a nice edging. *Careful
periodic spraying the boulder edging with a general herbicide kept weeds
and grass from growing up through the border.

Having said all that...yes, there was some maintenance, but it was a
grea
t look and there were other options that had more upkeep.

--
* * * * * * *Wayne Boatwright * * * * * *
-------------------------------------------
* * *Tuesday, 07(VII)/22(XXII)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
* * * *Purring....the sound of a cat * * *
* * * * * manufacturing cuteness. * * * * *
-------------------------------------------- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You have to post a photo or we are all guessing


Well, actually, I can't. That was two houses ago back in Ohio. We now
live in Arizona and have desert/xeroscaping. I wish I could, really,
because it was a beautiful yard.

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Tuesday, 07(VII)/22(XXII)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
No matter how bad it is, there's
always worse.
-------------------------------------------

On Tue 22 Jul 2008 09:28:59p, SteveB told us...

Wayne Boatwright wrote:

On Tue 22 Jul 2008 08:57:47p, willshak told us...

on 7/22/2008 11:29 PM said the following:
I removed some old, dirty river rock from the landscaping trenches
around my house, and would like to replace it with something else.
There are some bushes every few feet. I'm undecided between some
type of wood chips, or an some type of rock. My house color is
tan.

My main concern is that rock gets so dirty and unsightly over
time. I figure with woodchips, I can add new chips in the spring to
renew the look.

Any advice on what to consider? What is easy to clean out (twigs,
leaves, etc)? What is the least maintenance? Other alternatives?

There's a third alternative. The processed rubber chips that are
made from old tires. About twice the price of the wood mulch, but
less likely to blow away or wash away like the wood chips. They
stay cleaner than stones.
If you don't have a lot of area to cover, it is sold in bags in the
garden section of the big box stores, or some other garden centers.

Lots of good ideas, but I still don't get the problem with riverbed
rock. Although we also used cedar mulch in some of our landscaping,
we used riverbed rock extensively in other beds. We used landscape
fabric under the rock. Once or twice a season we would spray the
rock with an algaecide and used a low pressure power washer to rinse
the next day. It always looked like new. We bordered all of our
beds (rock or mulch) with various sized small boulders 4-8", which
made a nice edging. Careful periodic spraying the boulder edging
with a general herbicide kept weeds and grass from growing up through
the border.

Having said all that...yes, there was some maintenance, but it was a
great look and there were other options that had more upkeep.

I don't think anyone will argue with you that river rock looks nice.
The OP just asked for up- and down-sides of stone and mulch. The
downside of stone is it requires maintenance. That's OK as long as you
don't mind the work. Lots of my clients insist they don't have time to
do yard work, and they're looking for zero-maintenance yards that also
look full and lush. I have to diplomatically explain that they're
suffering from recto-cranial inversion.


Yep, never have seen a decent yard yet that was maintenance free unless it
was totally paved over.

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Tuesday, 07(VII)/22(XXII)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
Pi R squared. Nooo! Pie R round,
cornbread R square!
-------------------------------------------

Great responses everyone (I am the OP)!

I am not averse to doing some work to keeping things up, but I got
really frustrated with dirty rock in the past. Wayne's idea with
herbicide spraying is intriguing. I've also been frustrated with wood
chips for the same reason (and they blow around). And yes, I do use
fabric underneath. In fact, I got some high-quality fabric to put down
under my new stuff from a local landscape supplier.

Thanks for the great ideas.

Kurt

On Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:29:52 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

I removed some old, dirty river rock from the landscaping trenches
around my house, and would like to replace it with something else.
There are some bushes every few feet. I'm undecided between some type
of wood chips, or an some type of rock. My house color is tan.

My main concern is that rock gets so dirty and unsightly over time. I
figure with woodchips, I can add new chips in the spring to renew the
look.

Any advice on what to consider? What is easy to clean out (twigs,
leaves, etc)? What is the least maintenance? Other alternatives?

Thanks!

Kurt

For a trench, rock will drain better than chips. Wood chips are
better than rock for plants because the wood adds humus as it
decomposes. Around my parts, rocks will become home for copperheads.
With either material you will still need to remove twigs, leaves,
litter and other debris. Another alternative is to get the perforated
corrugated tubing and lay that in the trench, cover with landscaping
fabric and top with rock.

wrote in message
...
I removed some old, dirty river rock from the landscaping trenches
around my house, and would like to replace it with something else.
There are some bushes every few feet. I'm undecided between some type
of wood chips, or an some type of rock. My house color is tan.

My main concern is that rock gets so dirty and unsightly over time. I
figure with woodchips, I can add new chips in the spring to renew the
look.

Any advice on what to consider? What is easy to clean out (twigs,
leaves, etc)? What is the least maintenance? Other alternatives?

Thanks!

Kurt

Last year we landscaped with wood chips. Found out neighbors dogs and cats
using it as a public bathroom. There are bare spots here and here as the
cats and dogs like to move the chips around before they do their business.
Also the chips tend to blow away, but not all that much. We have rocks too
with less of this kind of problems. Regardless of rocks or chips, it needed
to be redone about every five years to maintain good looks. Rocks are heavy
to move around if over a few yards but you could clean it and reuse it while
the chips become trash, even the more expensive colored ones, after a few
years in the hot sun. Having moved and clean a few yards of rocks, its clear
to me, unless you have a lot of time, its easier just to dump the old rocks
and get a fresh batch.

On Jul 22, 10:29*pm, wrote:
I removed some old, dirty river rock from the landscaping trenches
around my house, and would like to replace it with something else.
There are some bushes every few feet. I'm undecided between some type
of wood chips, or an some type of rock. My house color is tan.

My main concern is that rock gets so dirty and unsightly over time. I
figure with woodchips, I can add new chips in the spring to renew the
look.

Any advice on what to consider? What is easy to clean out (twigs,
leaves, etc)? What is the least maintenance? Other alternatives?

Thanks!

Kurt

Much feeds the dirt which is good. Rock can be powerwashed every few
years to keep it looking good

on 7/23/2008 12:05 PM ransley said the following:
On Jul 22, 10:29 pm, wrote:

I removed some old, dirty river rock from the landscaping trenches
around my house, and would like to replace it with something else.
There are some bushes every few feet. I'm undecided between some type
of wood chips, or an some type of rock. My house color is tan.

My main concern is that rock gets so dirty and unsightly over time. I
figure with woodchips, I can add new chips in the spring to renew the
look.

Any advice on what to consider? What is easy to clean out (twigs,
leaves, etc)? What is the least maintenance? Other alternatives?

Thanks!

Kurt


Much feeds the dirt which is good. Rock can be powerwashed every few
years to keep it looking good

Yeah, I tried that once on a section of small round stone ground cover
around my inground pool.
I'll try it again after I cement all the stone down so it doesn't go
flying all over the place.
Even a garden hose set at Full will make them fly.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
in the original Orange County
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

willshak wrote:

on 7/23/2008 12:05 PM ransley said the following:
On Jul 22, 10:29 pm, wrote:
-snip-
Much feeds the dirt which is good. Rock can be powerwashed every few
years to keep it looking good

Yeah, I tried that once on a section of small round stone ground cover
around my inground pool.
I'll try it again after I cement all the stone down so it doesn't go
flying all over the place.
Even a garden hose set at Full will make them fly.

That's why I use about 3/4 power.g A rake, and a bit of grade
helps, too.

I've got wood in places where I put plants as it holds moisture better
and adds nutrients. I've got rock in places that are more permanent.

Jim

On 07/23/08 12:50 am Wayne Boatwright wrote:

Yep, never have seen a decent yard yet that was maintenance free unless it
was totally paved over.


About 40 years ago I saw small residential properties in Adelaide, South
Australia with no grass: just concrete painted green! "If it grows, cut
it down; if it moves, shoot it."

Perce

Percival P. Cassidy wrote:

About 40 years ago I saw small residential properties in Adelaide, South
Australia with no grass: just concrete painted green! "If it grows, cut
it down; if it moves, shoot it."


There was this family on my street who put in gray rock in their front
yard a number of years ago after unsuccessfully trying to grow grass.
(This family had a few members with a few screws loose). A few months
later, I guess they thought it was too barren-looking and needed a
little bit of green, because they dug a hole and planted an ARTIFICIAL
Christmas tree into the rock.

It lasted a few months before they took it down, but we never ceased to
laugh every time we saw it, and I still laugh when I think about it today.