If you’re going to be doing the project over a few days, wrap the roots of the plant in a plastic bag and mist them with water to keep them alive. Removing the weeds before you begin working will keep them from growing back once you lay the gravel.
If you come across any large stones, put them to the side to incorporate into the gravel. You can find compost or manure at most home improvement stores or nurseries, or you can make your own compost pile at home.
Then, dig a border about 3 to 4 inches (7. 6 to 10. 2 cm) wide and 1 to 2 inches (2. 5 to 5. 1 cm) deep around the garden inside the edger. Fill the border with gravel to increase air in the soil and remove excess water that the plants can’t use. For gardens with regular soil, this step isn’t necessary, but adding a border won’t hurt your garden if you like the look of it.
Try to keep the membrane in straight lines to avoid wasting any material.
You can find landscape staples at most home improvement stores, or you can order them in bulk online. The number of staples needed will depend on the size of your garden and how many pieces of weed membrane you’ll use.
If you have soil with a lot of clay in it, select larger and more established plants to ensure that their roots will attach to the soil when you plant them.
For an eye-catching look, pair flowers, like lilies, with large shrubs, like juniper trees, to create a pop of color when the flowers bloom. Try to avoid planting smaller plants, like stonecrop, underneath of large bushes that might cast a shadow on them for part of the day. Make sure you give the plants enough space to grow to their full width! For most plants, their maximum size will be listed on the tag or you can look it up online. Avoid cutting a hole for the plant, because this makes the weed membrane useless in that area. Cutting a cross allows the membrane to be as close to the plant as possible to protect it from weeds.
Add compost to the hole to provide extra nutrients for your plants. This is especially important when using a membrane/weed barrier as the soil beneath the gravel won’t be naturally enriched with organic matter. Avoid letting soil fall onto the membrane while you’re planting. If some does get onto the membrane, wipe it off before you lay the gravel.
If the membrane is lifting, you can use a landscape pin or rock to hold it in place.
You can add large rocks or boulders to the area before you spread the gravel to add variety. Depending on the size of your garden and grade of the gravel, you might have to buy more or less gravel to cover the entire area of the garden. If your garden isn’t a square, measure the shape of a square around the garden and use the leftover gravel to fill in bare spots as needed throughout the year.
Be careful when you’re leveling the gravel to not interfere with the plants. When you reach a plant, use the rake to go around the plant and even the gravel without damaging the leaves or pulling it from the ground.
After a month, you can cut back your watering to an as-needed basis. For areas that don’t get a lot of rain, water the garden once per month or more depending on your climate and the needs of your specific plants to ensure the plants have enough water. Be sure to use a mist or gentle stream to keep the gravel from moving when you water the plants. This applies to all plants, even watering succulents and cacti, to ensure that their roots become established in the soil.
After the first year, your plants will be more established and there will be fewer weeds to pull.
