On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:23:34 -0800, "Eigenvector"
wrote:

I was thinking about this as I dug up the winter weeds in my garden. My
soil is riddled with rocks, rocks of various shapes, sizes, and
construction. Nothing too obnoxious, I rid myself of the boulders long ago,
but kept the walnut sized ones.

But I was thinking, I wonder how important those rocks are to my garden. Do
the flowers and herbs use them to anchor themselves to the ground, do the
rocks give off the important minerals that the plant needs or does the soil
alone supply that, without surface rocks will the spiders have less places
to live. Do the rocks provide that last shred of moisture to the roots
during dry times

Question, for those who have done this for a long long time, do you find
that soil that is essentially just dirt that plants grow better or worse
than in soil that is natural and rocky but still of good quality?



I find rock removal improves the growth of most plants. I moved all
the larger rock to the lower part of the garden to help make the
garden more level and reduce runoff/erosion. In another garden I
lined the border with rocks. Farmers dislike rocks in their fields
(it dulls the rototiller and plow).