JennyAug 7, 2023

Hello gardening experts! I am a novice in need of some guidance. In my backyard, I have a large area of river rock along my fence line, under which is a layer of landscaping fabric (to prevent weeds I guess, although it really doesn’t). I am slowly redoing my yard to be more eco/climate-appropriate, and want to plant native perennials in those areas…but haven’t the foggiest idea how to do that…

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#Gardening #Garden #Landscaping

Show threadJennyAug 7, 2023

Can anyone help me understand:

1) can I scatter seeds directly in the rocks, or should the rocks be cleared/removed in favor of a bed of soil/mulch?

2) should the landscaping fabric be removed? Leave the fabric and just add soil/plant above above the fabric? Leave the fabric but cut small holes in it for seeds to be planted underneath (and hope they grow through the holes)?

I feel these might be basic, silly question, but would be so appreciative for any tips/tricks and suggestions. 💚

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Show threadmiasorada
@tiamat271 the rocks sound like a pretty cool landscaping element, and depending on the rainfall and your current drainage system, rocks can be really fantastic drainage components. Most weed fabric will eventually disintegrate, so you might not have to remove it.
Aug 7, 2023 at 2:44amWeb
Show threadJennyAug 7, 2023

@miasorada Thanks! The fabric has been there ~7 years or so. I didn’t realize it might disintegrated on its own. How long does that usually take, do you know?

I do like the rocks, but a neighbor told me once that since the area is in full sun, the rocks get very hot and make it difficult for plants to grow (quite hot and dry in my area in summer). I don’t know if that’s true though?

Show threadmiasoradaAug 7, 2023
@tiamat271 Rocks can form shelter for bugs, worms, even small plants and moss. They get hot, but they can still be mini refuges for small life. You could try growing some hardy native/ non invasive plants around them, maybe including some shrubs to get a few layers of plants going. That helps water evaporation, and makes homes for lots of life.
Show threadJennyAug 7, 2023
@miasorada That’s a good idea. I wouldn’t mind adding some low ground cover as well…I’ve read about some native varieties that seem to tolerate sun and heat very well…I wonder if that might offer the roots some heat protection. I didn’t think of that before, definitely something to look into!