Landscaping: Wood chips or rocks? Edging?

[fish6942]

Finally getting around to putting shrubs in front of our house that we built in '08. Our last houses have always had rock around the shrubs but then I see many others that use wood chips.

Initially I'm leaning towards rock primarily to make fall clean up easier by just using a blower to get the leaves out. Plus, it would seem like the chips would need to be added to periodiacally. Other than asthetics, are there advantages to using chips?

Also, I'm trying to decide on a type of edging. I need something that won't get wrecked when the kid runs into it with the mower.

 

[ultrarunner]

I use chips where I get them at no cost delivered.

About 2 to 3 years and it's time to add more.

Rocks last forever and won't float away on slopes... the downside I had at one place is some kids just love to throw rocks...

Concrete boarder is permanent... sometimes bricks over concrete.

My brother buys steel edging and it works for him and it makes it easy to do curves...

Then there is always wood... not sure how the copper treated stuff will hold-up as compared to the old style pressure treatment.

 

[grnspot110]

Around here, I wouldn't use wood chips close to a building. Termites!!! I prefer colored river rock, look around for a bulk supplier. ~~ grnspot

 

[dave1949]

Around here, I wouldn't use wood chips close to a building. Termites!!! I prefer colored river rock, look around for a bulk supplier. ~~ grnspot

Even up north, they can harbor carpenter ants or termites. I wouldn't use just plain wood chips around a house foundation without treating them and I am not a fan of using chemicals unnecessarily such as this use where plenty of good alternatives are available.

I don't know if the cedar bark mulches are a natural repellent?
Dave.

 

[Mounted Madness]

The use of rock or wood chips is often just a matter of asthetics. What look are you trying to get.

The benefit to wood chips are they are a natural mulch, will keep weeds down and can be obtained in different colours. They help keep the soil moist as well, so if there's a dry period this summer (not likely from the last 3-4 years), watering can be reduced.

Using stone has its benefits as previously described. You can pretty much put it down and not worry about it. Come fall, you can use a leaf blower to clean up. Using a ground cloth, weeds are surpressed (though they will grow on a dust ball if given the chance). Any weeds that spring forth, are usually easily plucked out of whatever they are growing from.

The downside to stone is heat sensitive plantings. Minnesota is warmer then Manitoba, and you may end up dehydrating the plants you put into a garden using stone mulch. The stone retains the heat and reflects it into the plant - kind of a double whammy, so be cautious with less then hardy plants.

There is a caution with respect to wood chips/mulch. With the amount of flooding we've had across the continent, be very aware as to the source of any mulch you may buy. The mulch may come from trees that have been poisoned by chemicals released during flooding, absorbed said chemicals and then cut down and 'chipped'. Imagine your wood chips contaminated with herbicides. Not good for the garden.

You can use wood mulch in a vegetable garden, but if there are chemicals in it, they can leach into the plants. Same idea as composting animal and human waste and throwing it 'unseasoned' into your food supply. Not a good plan, but not uncommon in China though....hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

I use grass clippings in my vegetable garden as a heavy mulch. I know there are no pesticides or herbicides in the clippings, and it works back into the soil as a composting fertilizer...and it saves me money.

There, more information then you asked for...

 

[Runner]

I use rock around the house and mulch around trees that are not close to the house. I decided on decorative rock instead of mulch for several reasons:

1. Rock stays in place (doesn't blow around like mulch can).
2. Rock doesn't rot or need to be replenished like wood mulch.
3. Rock doesn't attract termites.

I put down landscape fabric first, then rock over that and it works great.

As for a border, I like to dig down a little and sink rocks into the ground for a border. I run the landscape fabric down into the "channel" for the rocks, then put the rocks in. This holds the edge of the fabric in place and keeps weeds from growing between the rocks. The border rocks sit level with the top of the ground, so I can drive right over them with the mower.

I should probably add, I have a good supply of small/medium sized rocks to use for border material on the property. If I didn't have all that, I'd probably be finding some other type of material for a border. I've used the plastic stuff before, but not a big fan of it. I don't like wood for borders because of rot and termites.

 

[inveresk]

Interesting article on termite survival characteristics in various types of mulch.

http://guelph.ca/uploads/PBS_Dept/building/Termites/Termite Survival on Various Types of Mulch.pdf

 

[charlz]

They both have their downsides;

Bark/wood chips decompose and must be put down every couple of years to keep them looking good. As mentioned they also blow away easily but actually help the soil while they are there.

Rocks collect dust and dirt on top of the underlying fabric and that is all you need for weeds to get started.

Either way you are going to have some maintenance to do.

 

[fish6942]

Thanks for the great replies. I believe we'll stick with using rock for the reasons mentioned. We do use chips around the yard trees.

Any other suggestions on edging? I've looked at the rectangular blocks thinking that they'll work better for keeping the rocks in place but I'm concerned about the blocks getting knocked out of place with the mower.

 

[ustmd]

Any other suggestions on edging? I've looked at the rectangular blocks thinking that they'll work better for keeping the rocks in place but I'm concerned about the blocks getting knocked out of place with the mower.

I have rock around the house. Originally, I used landscape timbers laid on the ground and held down by rebar driven through.

When we did our addtion two years ago, I refreshed the rock and redid the edging with the metal edging you can get at the big box stores. Nothing wrong with the old timbers, I was just looking for a cleaner look.