The gravel bedis a great way to develop a representative part of the garden. It is relatively easy to care for, and the gravel used in the bed is a perfect contrast to the green shoots and leaves of the plants. However, the gravel bed is assumed a bit differently than a typical flower bed. Seehow to make a gravel bedand learn about the bestplants for a gravel bed
Gravel discount in the Japanese garden
Gravel discount - advantages and disadvantages
Gravel can be a very interesting material to use in the garden.By using gravel, we will make our garden look original, much more interesting than the neighbors' gardens. The use of gravel is quite wide. We can pour it over paths in the garden, the edges of a garden pond or a stream, and cover the soil in flower beds with plants, creating the so-calledgravel rebatesWhy is it worth setting up a gravel rebate? First of all, gravel is available in different colors, which gives us new possibilities for composing colors. Mostly, light gravel is used, which emphasizes the beauty of plants (emphasizes their shapes and colors) and makes the garden look neat and elegant.
Gravel bedis a perfect solution for the development of small urban gardens from the front of the house, where there is often no space for lush vegetation and where a simple form of a plant composition works. Gravel beds can be placed in very sunny places in the garden (light gravel heats up less than black soil), giving them the character of a Japanese or Mediterranean garden.Gravel beds are also effective in shady places, where bright gravel will lighten the position a bit.
Gravel in the bedalso acts as a bedding material (e.g. garden bark can be used), reducing evaporation water from the soil (reduces the drying of plants, allows to reduce the frequency of watering), limits fluctuations in soil temperature (in winter it is an insulating layer against frost, in summer it prevents the soil from heating up by the sun), limits the growth of weeds. Under the gravel, it is also easier to hide elements of the irrigation system or cables supplying electricity to garden lamps.
These numerous advantages of gravel mean that if you decide toset up a gravel bed , you can create a nook in the garden very interesting, aesthetic and easy to maintain.
Gravel discount with ornamental grasses
How to make a gravel discount
If the plants are already growing in the bed, the gravel can be spread between the plants, using it just like any other bedding material.First, however, the plants need to be weeded out, weeds removed and the soil surface leveled. Spread the gravel evenly. Its layer should be not less than 3 cm. When the gravel layer is thinner, soil clearances under the gravel will quickly appear and weeds will easily sprout. A thicker layer will significantly reduce the number of weeds that appear. We should also remember to put a slightly thicker layer of gravel (just like any other bedding) for plants that are sensitive to frost and shallow roots, such as azalea and rhododendron.
Ifgravel bedwill be put on from scratch, it is worth doing in a slightly different way. Thanks to a few simple steps, we will make our new discount much easier to care for (in fact, we will completely eliminate the need to remove weeds) and keep its charm for a long time.
First, makegravel bed design and plan your plantings. Asplants for the gravel bed , expressive, architectural plants with strong colors and beautiful shapes that will contrast attractively with the light gravel covering the soil are perfect.Boxwood (it looks great when formed into a ball), miniature conifers, typical plants of Japanese gardens - palm maple, rhododendrons and azaleas, as well as hydrangeas, funkies, cranberries, yucca and low ornamental grasses will be perfect here.Then we carefully prepare the soil, just like for a traditional bed - we weed, dig, fertilize, level.
Combination of gravel with garden bark
So far, ourgravel discountis assumed in the same way as the traditional discount. But from that moment on, serious differences begin, affecting a completely different functionality of the gravel bed. Well, to prevent the growth of weeds and the mixing of gravel with the soil, it is worth placing an insulating material on the surface of the soil. It must be a material that will be permeable to water and air at the same time. It can be black mulching nonwoven agrotextile, nursery mat or thin geotextile. On the other hand, impermeable foil is not very suitable.If you decide to use the foil, you need to make additional cuts in it so that water and air can penetrate.
This element makes the previously madegravel bed designand planning the plantings so important, because it will be difficult to introduce changes after laying the non-woven fabric.
At this stage, it is also worth thinking about the method of watering pebble discounts. Well, the water on the gravel can deposit sediment, discoloration can form. So if we want it to be really nice, let's think about drip irrigation. Place the irrigation system under the fleece. It is worth doing the same with the elements of the electrical installation. Any cables leading to the garden lamps will be perfectly hidden under the mat.So, first we install the irrigation system and put the cables under the garden lighting, and then we spread the mat on the ground. We should also remember to wait a few days from the moment of preparing the soil to lay the mat so that the ground has time to settle.
Gravel discount
How to plant plants in a gravel bed
After unfolding the mat, place the plants on it in the places where they are to be planted (therefore it is most convenient to buyfor a gravel bed for plantsin containers). Then, cut holes for plants in the mat (you can also make cross cuts and fold the edges of the fleece underneath). In the place of the holes, we dig holes, slightly larger than the pots in which the seedlings are located. We fill the holes with fertile soil enriched with fertilizers. Usually it is good to add soil mixed with manure or compost and additionally sprinkle with mineral fertilizers suitable for the given groups of plants. We can alreadyplant the plants in the gravel bedinto the wells prepared in this way, and then fill the holes with the rest of the prepared soil.
After planting the plants, clean the non-woven fabric of soil remnants and pour gravel on it. Spread the gravel evenly, creating a layer of 3 - 5 cm.The discount is now ready. Now the plants need to be watered to make it easier for them to take on the new position.
Prepared in this waygravel bedwill require slightly different care than a traditional bed. First of all, we basically eliminate the problem of weeds completely. On the other hand, it will be difficult to fertilize the plants, because it will not be possible to simply spread fertilizers on the bed. Soil liquid fertilizers will be useful here (after dilution, water directly under the plant) and foliar fertilizers. After some time, it may also be necessary to level and refill the gravel layer.
