I would like to convert an area covered by iceplant, 20 x 40 feet, from
iceplant to ornamental gravel. It's more work than I can handle at my age.

I am getting conflicting info re covering the soil under the gravel. What
are the relative advantages/disadvantage of using black plastic, permeable
plastic cloth or just put the gravel on the existing soil?

Part of the area is level, part is at a medium slope.

Can anyone speak from experience? Any URLs?

Thanks for all input

--
Walter
www.rationality.net
-



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

"Walter R." wrote in message
.. .
I would like to convert an area covered by iceplant, 20 x 40 feet, from
iceplant to ornamental gravel. It's more work than I can handle at my age.

I am getting conflicting info re covering the soil under the gravel. What
are the relative advantages/disadvantage of using black plastic, permeable
plastic cloth or just put the gravel on the existing soil?

Part of the area is level, part is at a medium slope.

Can anyone speak from experience? Any URLs?

Thanks for all input

--
Walter
www.rationality.net


With nothing under it, weeds will grow up through the gravel and you'll hate
it. Open the phone book and find a real garden center that sells the kind of
black material used by professional landscapers. It's tougher than black
plastic - sort of a fibrous material that I can't describe.

In article ,
"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:

"Walter R." wrote in message
.. .
I would like to convert an area covered by iceplant, 20 x 40 feet, from
iceplant to ornamental gravel. It's more work than I can handle at my age.

I am getting conflicting info re covering the soil under the gravel. What
are the relative advantages/disadvantage of using black plastic, permeable
plastic cloth or just put the gravel on the existing soil?

Part of the area is level, part is at a medium slope.

Can anyone speak from experience? Any URLs?

Thanks for all input

--
Walter
www.rationality.net


With nothing under it, weeds will grow up through the gravel and you'll hate
it. Open the phone book and find a real garden center that sells the kind of
black material used by professional landscapers. It's tougher than black
plastic - sort of a fibrous material that I can't describe.

Hmmmm .... That "fibrous material" is called "road tarp". That is what I
put under my deck with gravel on top of it. Three years later -- no
weeds -- no standing water. It is heaver than "landscaping tarp".

Road tarp will let water drain into the ground and does not let anything
grow through. Plastic may not let the water soak into the ground. Weeds
will grow through the gravel only.

One other thing I did --- which is a complete sin -- by many here.
Before I put down the road tarp, I .. I ... used ortho's "Total Kill".
I know, I know - I will burn in Hell for that

Also I am no expert here by any means- just a humble beginning gardener
- even my felt flowers are dying

Enjoy Life ....... Dan

--
Email "dan lehr at comcast dot net". Text only or goes to trash automatically.

On Wed, 16 May 2007 12:41:02 -0700, "Walter R."
wrote:

I would like to convert an area covered by iceplant, 20 x 40 feet, from
iceplant to ornamental gravel. It's more work than I can handle at my age.

I am getting conflicting info re covering the soil under the gravel. What
are the relative advantages/disadvantage of using black plastic, permeable
plastic cloth or just put the gravel on the existing soil?

The permeable allows the area to drain and dry out, eliminating the
possibility of stagnant water. I built a wooden border, tacked
permeable plastic landscape fabric, then filled in with gravel. The
border help to contain the gravel and creates a pleasing boundary.
There are no strict rules, but I'd have some concern about not having
a border with a slope. Regardless if you use landscape fabric or
not, there will be weeds to remove but the fabric will help delay the
weeding.


Part of the area is level, part is at a medium slope.

Can anyone speak from experience? Any URLs?

Thanks for all input

--
Walter
www.rationality.net
-

Dan L. wrote:

In article ,
"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:


"Walter R." wrote in message
...

I would like to convert an area covered by iceplant, 20 x 40 feet, from
iceplant to ornamental gravel. It's more work than I can handle at my age.

I am getting conflicting info re covering the soil under the gravel. What
are the relative advantages/disadvantage of using black plastic, permeable
plastic cloth or just put the gravel on the existing soil?

Part of the area is level, part is at a medium slope.

Can anyone speak from experience? Any URLs?

Thanks for all input

--
Walter
www.rationality.net


With nothing under it, weeds will grow up through the gravel and you'll hate
it. Open the phone book and find a real garden center that sells the kind of
black material used by professional landscapers. It's tougher than black
plastic - sort of a fibrous material that I can't describe.


Hmmmm .... That "fibrous material" is called "road tarp". That is what I
put under my deck with gravel on top of it. Three years later -- no
weeds -- no standing water. It is heaver than "landscaping tarp".

Road tarp will let water drain into the ground and does not let anything
grow through. Plastic may not let the water soak into the ground. Weeds
will grow through the gravel only.

One other thing I did --- which is a complete sin -- by many here.
Before I put down the road tarp, I .. I ... used ortho's "Total Kill".
I know, I know - I will burn in Hell for that

Also I am no expert here by any means- just a humble beginning gardener
- even my felt flowers are dying

Enjoy Life ....... Dan


Did something similar.

After using the vegetation killer to zap what was rowing, turned over
all the dirt
and leveled it. Then used Preen / Casaron (sp) on the dirt. Added the
fabric.
Added more Preen / Casaron on p of fabric. Added 3 inches of gravel.
Four years.
No weeds.

http://weloveteaching.com/landscape/gravel/gravel.htm

we leveled our back yard by hoeing and pushing the dirt to level it. deep digging
will, I fear, raise all those weed seeds and set them to grow.
We put the thin fabric barrier down and then the pea gravel. we got some greens
growing up thru, but mostly each spring there are seeds that germinate. we dont use
any chemicals.
just gravel will sink down into the soil.. forever. my parents had a long private
drive that needed gravel nearly every year for 50 years. in spring the cars would
drive over the soft area the gravel would get pushed down, the mud would squirt up
(clay)
we want the back yard to be a water sink to keep the house from getting flooded. the
permeable stuff works fine.
we have a slope out at the dacha where we just put gravel around the ponds and I am
sure that it will need to be terraced a bit to keep the gravel from sliding off. we
will use some treated wood to do that. Ingrid


"Walter R." wrote:
I am getting conflicting info re covering the soil under the gravel. What
are the relative advantages/disadvantage of using black plastic, permeable
plastic cloth or just put the gravel on the existing soil?
Part of the area is level, part is at a medium slope.

Can anyone speak from experience?


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