Does Rock Landscaping Attract Bugs

Landscaping the yard can be fun with all of the choices there are to make the lawn look nice. Some people prefer mulch, while others may look at rubber strips and landscape fabric. On the other hand, some homeowners may choose to use rock. Does rock landscaping attract bugs? Fortunately, no. There is no food source and unlike mulch, it doesn’t decompose so it is a great choice for your landscaping needs.

Let’s take a look at rock landscaping and how it compares to other types of landscaping materials. We will also look at the pros and cons so you can decide what works well for your yard.

Landscape Rocks VS. Mulch and Ground Cover

Landscape Rock Doesn’t Decompose

Landscape rocks, unlike mulch, don’t decompose so they last longer. It can actually last a lifetime. Usually, you need to add more or change it out if you lose some rock to flooding or if you want to change the landscape itself. This is something to think about in your next landscaping project.

Mulch decomposes and becomes part of the soil so you may need to replace it and this is usually each year. However, organic mulch is made up of plant or animal materials that was once living and include wood chips, straw, and bark. It also suppresses weeds and looks great in the landscape design.

Landscape Rock Doesn’t Attract Pests

Unlike mulch, rock landscaping doesn’t attract bugs. Some pests may hide underneath the rocks, but since there is no food source, they won’t stay. Mulch on the other hand decomposes and then attracts pests. Also, depending on the mulch you buy, it can attract termites so keep this in mind as well.

Ground Cover Can Be Trampled On

Ground cover can be trampled on by feet and furry animals. Animals can also destroy ground cover by digging as well as using it as a place to go to the bathroom so it will attract bugs. Also, the ground cover needs maintenance because of weeds and fertilization. On the other hand, landscape rocks hold up to animals and people walking. Also, you can lay landscape fabric down so no weeds grow between the rocks, as well as you can lay a thick cover of rock to protect the ground.

River Rock Absorbs Water

River rock is another type of landscaping rock and it absorbs water, as well as helps with runoff. It also helps in sloped areas in making sure the soil stays in place.

Here is a video about how to prepare the bed for landscape rock

Cons of Landscape Rock

Landscape rock does have some cons and things to think about.

1. Injury from rock – When mowing the lawn, make sure that the landscape rock doesn’t get caught in the mower. It can fly at a high speed and cause injury. Taking care to avoid the rock is essential.
2. Rock can sink into the ground – even though the rock looks nice, unfortunately, it can sink into the soil. This happens more often if there is a lot of foot traffic. If the sinking does happen, you may need to add more rocks.
3. Landscape rock absorbs heat – this rock will absorb the heat so the high temperatures in your area will make it hot to the touch. Also, if there is enough rock, it may even heat up your home so you need to be careful.
4. No nutrients for the soil – rock, and stone don’t provide nutrients for the soil such as nitrogen and phosphorus so they can’t help the flowers and plants grow.

How Much Does It Cost

The national average cost of medium to large landscaping rock is $500 to $1500 to install.

Homeowners may pay as little as $460 or as much as $1,000 to purchase and install medium to large rocks, stones, and boulders in their yards. Depending on the material, the range is $25 to $105 per cubic yard of stone. Additionally, if you have a professional do this for you, you will need to add in that extra cost.

Recommended Maintenance

Now that you know about landscape rock and different ways to spruce up your garden, there are a few other areas to think about.

One of the areas to think about is what to put around the foundation of a house. The answer is simple: flowers, plants, and grass if you decide not to use rock. Also, in some cases, mulch is a good idea. It depends on where you live as to what works best.

Another area to think about is the brick pavers. Your brick pavers will need to be cleaned as they will get dirty over time. To clean them, you will need baking soda and detergent. You also will need to make sure you have time to move the patio furniture and get the weeds out of the pavers before cleaning.

Lastly, if you are lucky enough to have your own swimming pool, you will want to know what the signs are that you have a leak. A few of them are losing 1/4 inch of water each day or the grass around the pool is wet. There is also a bucket test, water pooling in the yard, bubbles in the return lines, cracks in the pool or Ph not balancing well. Keeping an eye on these areas will hopefully allow you to catch the leak sooner than later.

When to Call a Professional

When you have questions about the type of landscaping you want to have or the rocks in your garden, contact a professional for help. Sometimes if it is complicated or confusing, a professional who specializes in that area can help. This is also true of a home inspector or pest inspector as they can tell you what might work best. If you are finding other issues, this might be a great time to have a full home inspection completed.

Conclusion

Planning the landscaping for your home can be fun but also stressful. The good news is there are pros and cons to all types of materials so it depends on what you want and what works best. You now know that landscaping rock does not attract bugs so it should be fun to pick out what will look good in the yard.

Always remember that if you don’t have the time to troubleshoot the problem, you should call on your local home inspection team. This can save you time and money as the inspection team will identify all of the necessary fixes and repairs they find in and outside of the home and solutions. Contact Inside and Out Property Inspectors in Jacksonville, FL, and surrounding areas to get your home inspection done today.