Comments on: Is it okay to have landscaping rocks around plants?

By: JW Tree

JW Tree — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:52:09 +0000

I Have been an arborist for years and I have had to cut down many nice trees because they died. Reason? girdling of the stem. Placing rock around the trunk of a tree is like placing a tight rubber band around your finger, it turns blue,then back and then it dies and has to be cut off. If you must place rock around your trees each year go out there and rack it back and loosen it up so that it doesn’t girdle the stem. I recommend a wood mulch but not more than 2″ deep. Excellent luck and keep thinking green.

By: hbalenger

hbalenger — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:18:26 +0000

Yes it is ok to use the rock. The disadvantages are that the rock will not lock in near as much moisture as square mulch. But, as long as you supply the necessary water for the plant to survive, it doesn’t matter what you place around it. Just plant the tree a small higher than habitual, and don’t pile a lot of rock on top of the root ball…just sufficient to give you the look you want.

By: Margie S.

Margie S. — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:15:34 +0000

Yes, it’s ok. But I would do it in the other way around. I would clear the area of the rocks as much as you can, then plant. Mulch is an brilliant additive for your plants and trees. Thru the years working around the plants and trees you’ll remove more rock and make room for more mulch.

By: Steve E

Steve E — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:35:41 +0000

Did you place the rocks around the plants or on top of them? One works well and the other don’t.

By: stevetower

stevetower — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:04:52 +0000

Stone is one form of mulch. I have hundreds of square feet of 1 to 2 inch stone around my house, trees, and perennials. All grow well, maybe you need to adjust your water shedule.