more on that gravel...

[loligo]

So I added a few new plants to that bed that had the Hidden Gravel Surprise. First off, I discovered that there were roots growing both above and below the gravel layer, so breaking through the gravel beneath each plant as I planted them last year was at least an adequate strategy. But removing the gravel from the new planting holes this year was not easy. Prying out some of the larger rocks turned out to be pretty brutal on the stray roots wandering through the area, plus it totally disarranged the soil profile. In a rock-free bed I would have been able to just nudge the soil and any roots aside and slip the new plant in.

So my conclusion is that if you're going to do all your planting at one time, you can skimp on the effort and just remove the gravel below each plant, but if it's going to be an ongoing project, get ALL the gravel out first!

Comments

[panik]

Second this. It works fabulously well, but you need tremendous quantities of mulch to make it work.

[rialian]

===As a side-note...nifty icon...Did you make it, or did it get made for you? (I admit the desire to snag it)

[panik]

I hand-crafted it with my own fair digits so please feel free, I'd be honoured. :o)