Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design Re: Pebbles When Dry Is Dulllll 21May 11, 2009 8:51 pm Dear Dargonfly, Yes, dull when dry, when wet the pebbles has red, cream, a tint of blue, black and very very nice. What about yours? S&T Re: Mulch Or Pebbles For 40cm Garden Bed? Please Advise 22May 11, 2009 10:37 pm Picean I understand your theory behind the moisture and the newspaper but Mulch does much more than just keep moisture in the soil. I can also show you how the moisture stays deeper without using newspaper. You don't want moisture close to the surface. The roots need to get to work and chase it to deeper cooler soil. Now the single most important thing that mulch does is return nutrients to the soil. Any dense layer under that will act to slow or prevent (when the cardboard and newspaper dry) that return of nutrients. The same goes for using "weedmat" under the mulch. I would love to know what weeds come form deeper down in the soil ? Couch grass, tree suckers etc won't be stopped by weedmat or newspaper and cardboard. Nor will they be stopped by heavy mulching. It really is vital we get mulching right and there is no end of misinformation and myths about it. For those in WA, I would very strongly advise you get along to the Great Gardens workshops which are free and sponsored by various Government depts. They will do away with all sorts of myths and get us on the correct path to not only saving water in the garden but better still have better gardens with less. The swan coastal plain has (and it is arguable) the oldest and most infertile soil on the surface of the earth. If it isn't, well it is bloody close to the top of the list. Not only do we need to use the right mulches but to a successful Perth garden the soil needs to be feed and improved. Re: Mulch Or Pebbles For 40cm Garden Bed? Please Advise 23May 12, 2009 5:52 am Fu Manchu Picean I understand your theory behind the moisture and the newspaper but Mulch does much more than just keep moisture in the soil. I can also show you how the moisture stays deeper without using newspaper. You don't want moisture close to the surface. The roots need to get to work and chase it to deeper cooler soil. one of the functions of mulch is also weed suppression and if you use a loose mulch weeds can grow through it much easer than if it has a barrier underneath, it's the same approach whether it is weed mat or newspaper. the purpose of the newpaper is to use it between plants it does not cover the root zone which is the only area that needs nutrients and water to begin with. Fu Manchu I would love to know what weeds come form deeper down in the soil ? Couch grass, tree suckers etc won't be stopped by weedmat or newspaper and cardboard. Nor will they be stopped by heavy mulching. from experience kikiyu and nut grass are two very tenatious weeds that come from deeper down and can be smothered with newspaper and cardboard. after a short time of mulch breaking down superficial weeds will also germinate from beneath the mulch unless you constantly keep it at the required thickness which most people dont. Fu Manchu It really is vital we get mulching right and there is no end of misinformation and myths about it. the newspaper and cardboard approach has been used for a very long time but since the introduction of chemicals and weedmat it is now mostly used by organic gardeners. as someone in the industry, you are taught to use product, whether it is fertilisers, sprays, weedmat etc, no one in the industry takes a simple organic approach to gardening because it's easier to use product. Ive worked in nurseries myself and that is how it is. for someone doing their own garderning though, there is also a choice to use freely available inputs without spending lots of money to achieve the same result. newspaper is porous and easily allows water and nutrients through it, it's not plastic that will block everything from reaching the soil, and once it has mulch on top in contact with it, it will break down quite easily and if you've ever had a worm farm you will know how much earthworms also love to eat paper so it doesnt sit there for ever and a day, just long enough to smother weeds. If you have plants growing there is bound to be some irrigation to speed it along. not surprisingly this is not something they will teach at tafe, there you will learn conventional gardnening techniques that are the norm in the industry which is what tafe courses are aimed at as far Im concerned there is no right or wrong, only what works and often with gardening there are many differing opinions on what that is, whether it is in a book, from experience, conventional, organic or otherwise. Re: Mulch Or Pebbles For 40cm Garden Bed? Please Advise 24May 12, 2009 3:31 pm weed mat was never designed to be used under mulch but as a cheap effective floor covering for commercial nurseries. Others have adapted the product and incorrectly re marketed it for domestic applications. This is a very worth while discussion for sure as the questions are always brought up. The point that I am taught to use products instead of other means is nowhere near the truth. In fact it is not using products as such and using basic, reliable methods that my work is based on. It is also what I teach others. The green mulches are not loose mulches. These will mat together forming porous cover over the soil without themselves holding much water. The closer the roots are to the surface the more expensive a garden can get to maintain. Newspaper used in certain circumstances is a long time used method of weed control, true. but it shouldn't form the basis of an entire garden. It's great when doing no dig gardens and treating certain weeds organically by smothering them as you say. But in the end I will agree to disagree on it's use under mulch. Under black mulch there maybe a benefit but not under a good efficient green mulch. Re: Mulch Or Pebbles For 40cm Garden Bed? Please Advise 25May 14, 2009 10:42 pm Check out these pebbles... Gdn pebbles 1a.jpg Gdn pebbles 1b.jpg and there's weedmat under the lot to prevent it from mixing with the soil and disappearing. Mulch will go on the garden beds, following the wetting agent. Dripper irrigation means soil only gets water in the vicinity of the emitters, so this long dry autumn is also lengthening the summer retic necessity. I know the slabs are a bit sexy, but hey, I works with what's to hand... including the wishing stones. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Mulch Or Pebbles For 40cm Garden Bed? Please Advise 26May 14, 2009 11:39 pm I love the use of the terracotta pipe and a saucer for the bird bath You have been busy Looks great Re: Do You Know Of Any Lacquer For Pebbles? 28May 15, 2009 7:26 pm Calling Lace Bark or Fu, Hello there, just wondering if you know of any lacquer that we can use to coat on outdoor pebbles so they stay nice with wet look? My pebbles are so dry & dull Thanks so much, S & T Re: Mulch Or Pebbles For 40cm Garden Bed? Please Advise 29May 15, 2009 8:10 pm No, sorry Serenity; some pebbles are tumbled and polished before purchase, I haven't heard of anything you could coat them with - wouldn't chipping and discolouration then be a problem? Perhaps a clear lacquer spray ? Re: Mulch Or Pebbles For 40cm Garden Bed? Please Advise 30May 16, 2009 1:36 am Pebbles look really great when wet. I suggest if you can have it on a flowing water much better. You notice when the ground with pebbles dries up, you also feel something you can't explain. I don't know maybe because pebbles is perfectly match on a wet ground. Re: Mulch Or Pebbles For 40cm Garden Bed? Please Advise 31May 16, 2009 9:50 am 9finances Pebbles look really great when wet. I suggest if you can have it on a flowing water much better. You notice when the ground with pebbles dries up, you also feel something you can't explain. I don't know maybe because pebbles is perfectly match on a wet ground. Where do you live 9finances? - wasting water in Australia just keeping pebbles wet to look good?????!!!!! How wasteful - not to mention illegal in most states with water restrictions!!!!!! I am looking for someone who might have tackled a similar issue as me. I have a few rendered interior walls, the surface condition is hardly flat. I can see all the bumps… 0 7967 Fig Landscapes has produced an e-book and native plant index, available for purchase from their website. It's a great resource, full of inspiration and tips. Another… 1 12261 |