Mulch or rock for landscape?

June4bride2be

We have mulch and replace it every other year, although it would look better doing it every year!

Which do you use? Would rock hinder weed growth better than mulch? I am so tired of weeds, I thought a nice thick layer of mulch was supposed to block weeds....not so much this year. =(

I know rock would be more expensive, but it wouldn't need replacing so often!

If you have rock, what color is it?

Thanks! 

Irisheyes1247

I know my parents did the rock at our old house, and they laid down some black fabric (I was probably 8 when they did this, I don't remember what it was called), and then put the rocks over it, and then you didn't get any weeds. They just had little areas lined out for flowers and left that part dirt. I think they did a red and a white colored stone. It looked really nice, but I know every few years they picked them all up, replaced the fabric and then laid the stones again.

missyjg

If you do rock, the little leaves and branches will get caught up in there. We took all our rock out and relaid mulch for that reason. But we have those cotton wood trees around us which make a huge mess and we used white rock. Also lay the fabric, it will hinder the weeds. It's a pita to lay but the weeds really stop growing with it down. I only have to weed about once a month, and it's not that much. So my opinion is don't use white rock, looks horrible after a few months. My neighbors have dark rock and you can't tell. Good luck!

ArcticFox

We have mulch for stuff like landscaped beds, but I'm thinking rock like along the sides of the house.  Rain just sheets off the roof and I don't want a lot of plants near the founation, so I would consider rocks.  I've never tried them before, but I hear you about not replacing mulch.

xKimx

Is this in your backyard or a place where R will be playing? If so I vote no rock. If he is anything like my boys the rocks will be all over the place because rocks are just meant to be played with in their eyes! 

June4bride2be

xKimx:

Is this in your backyard or a place where R will be playing? If so I vote no rock. If he is anything like my boys the rocks will be all over the place because rocks are just meant to be played with in their eyes! 

haha.....good point! I let him play in one section of mulch anyways.....but rock would be worse for the mower! It would be to replace all the mulch, which is both back and front yard!

One neighbor has white rock, one had red/dark.....can't decide if I like one more than another. 

jnk062602

Ya... dd would live outside if we had rocks instead of mulch.  As it is, the neighbors 2 doors down have a rock driveway, what a pain.

DH did not want rocks bc of the lawn mower.  We have a medium colored mulch and top it off every other yr.  It does look kinda crappy by the second yr, but only up close, not by the road or anything.

ProcessofBecoming

Actually, we live in the Capital Region, and are currently digging out all our landscaping rocks (there's a ton of them) and replacing with mulch. My fiancee just has no love for rocks and wanted to re-landscape, and who was I to stop him??

 We're piling them up by the street for the time being, and using some for drainage with the new landscaping, but soon, I will be posting an ad on Craigslist for folks to bring a truck and come and get 'em!