When it comes to the outside landscaping and design of your lawn, yard, and garden, you want the very best for your humble abode. That’s why it’s so important to consider the different resources available to you when it’s time to design your outdoor oasis, which is why we’re going to look at two popularly compared options today: river rock versus mulch.
Which one is right for you and your yard vision? Let’s look further at the pros and cons:
Mulch
- Pro #1: Mulch is known for fostering thick and vivid organic growth for trees and plants. As an organic compound that has been mixed together specifically for providing nutrients to living organisms, mulch definitely helps create a plant-filled display in any backyard.
- Pro #2: Mulch is already a hydrated organic substance, which means you will need to spend less time watering the soil to keep the plants hydrated and happy.
- Con #1: Generally, you will need to place your mulch every single year. It doesn’t last forever, which means certain kinds of mulch may need replacing even sooner. The annual exercise of cleaning out and replacing mulch areas can be a daunting task.
- Con #2: The reoccurring replacement can be costly, considering that valuable mulch is not exactly cheap.
- Con #3: In order for mulch to work properly, it needs to be laid at just the right time. If you lay it too early, blooms could pop up too soon; but if you lay it too late, you will fail to stop weeds from germinating.
- Con #4: Some mulch can contain natural weed seeds within its organic makeup, which means you could essentially be planting even more weeds in your outdoor garden.
River Rock
- Pro #1: Unlike mulch, you never have to replace river rock. Once it is positioned and placed, it’s perfectly situated for all of time.
- Pro #2: Since there is no replacement requirement, river rock might cost more upfront, but will not come with reoccurring annual costs. Therefore, it ends up a much cheaper option in the long-run.
- Pro #3: Rocks keep weeds at bay and dead from lack of sunlight for all of time. Plus, rocks do not have weed seeds sprinkled within them.
- Pro #4: If you live in a dry and arid region, rocks are fireproof, which means they can withstand temperature and natural changes.
- Pro #5: Lastly, since rocks are not living, you can lay them, position them, and structure them in a variety of ways around your backyard. The design versatility is unmatched.
- Con #1: Rocks do not provide natural nutrients or a hospital natural climate for plant growth.
- Con #2: Some rocks can get absorb heat from the sun and get very hot, which can upset the surrounding soil and starve plants for water.
- Con #3: Over time, weeds may begin to grow underneath the rocks even with the use of weed barrier. Mother Nature made seedlings highly adaptable to grow in less than ideal environments.
Our Verdict?
In the end, if you want an affordable, versatile, and permanent outdoor design solution, then river rocks are the undisputed winner. Their only cons are related to plant growth, which can be maintained with extra watering and typical weeding practices.
Contact us here at House of Rocks for help with one of our 15 different varieties of river rock. We sell in bulk (by the ton) and most of our inventory is available in convenient 50 lb. bags ready for pickup. We can also help you estimate the amount needed, set you up with convenient curbside delivery, and give you quality contractor referrals for spreading services.
Phone: 914-432-5990
Email: info@houseofrocks.com
Instagram: houseofrockskc
References
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