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How to Maintain Landscape Rocks
How to Maintain Landscape Rocks. Landscape rocks are both functional and beautiful and can be used for several purposes. These rocks can create boundaries, decorate gardens, make walkways or become flooring for outside patio areas. Regardless of how you use landscaping rocks, maintenance will be the same. The most important thing to do when...
Landscape rocks are both functional and beautiful and can be used for several purposes. These rocks can create boundaries, decorate gardens, make walkways or become flooring for outside patio areas. Regardless of how you use landscaping rocks, maintenance will be the same. The most important thing to do when maintaining landscaping rocks is to keep weeds from growing through them. Pulling a weed out by the root is a safe alternative to using weed killer.
Things You'll Need
Gardening gloves
Stone rake
More stone (optional)
Lawn mower
Put on a good pair of gardening gloves. Pull all weeds on the landscape rocks by gripping onto the stems and pulling by the roots. Remove weeds by hand to avoid using weed killer, which can be toxic to garden plants and can dull the brightness of your rocks. Pull the weeds along the perimeter of the landscaping rocks as well.
Remove any clumps of dirt that came up when you were weeding. Do not allow dirt to remain on top of the rocks, as the weeds will grow back more quickly.
Use a stone rake to level the rocks and ensure the thickness of the layers is uniform for the entire area the rocks cover. Pull the rocks towards you with the rake as you step back, then push the rock forward with the rake.
Add more stone if the layer of landscaping rock is less than 4 to 5 inches thick. Do this to build up the stoned area, ensuring weeds will not grow through it and ground will not show through. Purchase the same type of stone, or layer using a different, more decorative surface stone. Add as much stone as it takes to make the depth of the stone about 6 inches thick.
Weed the area consistently. Check for weeds once a week to prevent new ones from growing. Pull weeds around the perimeter of the stoned area, or use a lawn mower to mow around it. Level the stone with a rake once per month to smooth the areas where stone has been displaced due to being walked or driven on.
Tips & Warnings
If weeds are not kept at bay they will overtake the stone.
Wear gardening gloves while weeding and raking.
