I'm not sure which to go with.
This 46x11ft strip of dirt is not used for anything except my compost bin. Every year it just grows weeds, I cut the weeds down, they grow back and then they die. And they neighborhood cat poops on it.
The area does not get any foot traffic. I have no plans on turning it into a space to sit or to host people. One day I might set up planter boxes out here for growing vegetables.
I'm looking for something that is near zero maintenance. Leaves from a nearby tree will drop leaves once a year.
Also, I have skunks that traverse through my yard at night, thus the holes under the fence. They'll likely damage the DG or push the gravel away, huh?
Pros and cons of DG vs gravel?
Plus, what kind of gravel?
Any insight would be greatly appreciated!
by ChunFai
2 Comments
If it gets some sun, might be a great spot for some fruit trees or a vegetable garden.
Not sure what DG is, but weeds will grow anywhere, and they can be a real pain to pull out of gravel… Just mentioned this a couple days ago, but we have a particular weed that grows around our house, which is comically easy to remove. The roots are just barely below the surface and grow laterally. Easiest thing ever to remove…until it grows in gravel. My goodness, it’s impossible to pull.
That said, gravel in the sun gets hot, and can help kill plants, which is why gravel instead of mulch or soil is generally a terrible idea, and a great way to kill all your plants that you actually want. Our gravel is under our back steps, so it’s shaded. In the sun, you might get lucky and kill the weeds, but…you’ll probably still get weeds. Life finds a way.
This soil is still important for absorbing rainwater, though. As the other commenter said, some sort of garden wouldn’t be a bad idea… Though cat poop isn’t great to have with your vegetables. But, welcome to the outdoors. Poop is everywhere.