There’s a fine line between a low-maintenance yard and just being lazy.
Depending upon how you have utilized landscaping rocks, you’ll want to set aside some time, every 6 to 12 months, a couple of hours at a time, to clean them up.
For some great suggestions on low-maintenance landscaping, check out this article published by Texas A&M University, “Low Maintenance Landscaping Tips.”
This may seem kind of silly, after all, rocks in nature don’t really ever get cleaned. While that may be true, the rocks in nature, well they just kind of fell where they lay.
Either you or the people you hired, decided to layout and present your landscaping rocks in a specific way. This makes it worth your while to maintain that polished look, otherwise why bother in the first place?
Cleaning up your landscaping rocks isn’t really all that difficult. Once you’ve figured out a method you prefer, this bi-annual to annual chore won’t take very much time or effort.
What you’ll be left with is some fresh, clean landscaping that looks as great as it did the day it was installed! Below you will find a detailed list of the steps involved in cleaning landscaping rocks.
Clear off any debris
A good first step is to grab your leaf blower and see how much dirt, debris, and other unwanted material you can get rid of this way.
A leaf blower works best with large landscaping rocks.
If you have small landscaping rocks, make your own sifter, small or large. Use a wooden or metal frame and hard mesh cloth or screen material.
Place the rocks in the sifter and use a rake or shovel to remove the weeds, pine needles, and whatever else has become attached to your rocks.
You may also use a broom to brush off unwanted debris.
Be mindful of your landscape fabric during the cleaning process. Damage could result in unwanted vegetation growth, seepage and collection of moisture in areas designed to drain.
While you’re cleaning your landscaping rocks, it’s possible you’ll notice that your trees and bushes need to be trimmed. Call JC’s Landscaping and we’ll do that part for you.
Wash the rocks
For rocks that are not very dirty, a regular garden hose may work just fine.
Another option is to use a pressure washer.
Use caution with a pressure washer because it may cause your rocks to become chipped or cracked.
If your rocks have oil stains, a solution of water and dish soap will get them sparkly clean.
Some rocks might have moss or algae growing on them from exposure to water elements in your landscaping. Vinegar will take care of that little issue.
For rocks that have serious stains, combine one part bleach and two parts water to provide the bath those rocks need to get cleaned right up.
These rocks must be removed from the bed first. Bleach will kill any plants or grass that it comes in contact with.
Make sure your runoff goes to a place where children, pets, vegetation, and other wildlife are unlikely to wander into and be exposed to the chemicals.
Make sure to give everything a final rinse, especially if you used anything besides water to clean your landscaping rocks.
Anytime you’re using water, it’s important to conserve as much water as possible. A gardener should always attempt to have a water efficient landscape.
After you’ve cleaned all your landscaping rocks, you may decide it’s time to plant trees and bushes. JC’s Landscaping is happy to assist.
Wrapping up
Now, you’re all set for another 6-12 months of low-maintenance landscaping.
Your landscaping is fresh, crisp, and looks as good as it did the day it was installed.
JC’s Landscaping offers a phenomenal stone and landscaping installation service in Frisco. Call us today to get your installation scheduled.
