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Zeroscaping Madness

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Zeroscaping or hardscaping is largely confused with xeriscaping which itself has nothing to do with replacing entire lots with rocks. The widespread practice of replacing plant cover with rocks to eliminate the need of maintenance, is complete non-sense and does absolutely nothing positive to the ecosystem. If no outdoor maintenance is sought, why choose a house with outdoor space instead of a condo or apartment ?

The removal of plants in general reduces or eliminates pollination which is an important factor for food production. Bee populations are already on the decline not only by the impacts of herbicide or pesticide applications, but also because of habitat loss. Entire ecosystems are affected when plants are replaced by rock – no more insects, rodents or birds which are all important players in a healthy environment.

All living space, inside or outside – sooner or later, requires attention. Areas filled with nothing but rock are filled up over time with landed seed pods, moss and other plant debris that gets blown in.

While zeroscaping is a popular practise here and there, it is becoming increasingly illegal in many other places of the world for its destructive effects on the ecosystem. In addition, many European cities have found that too many people draw on the energy net with the increased use of air conditioners to get relief from the heat that the rockscapes emit everywhere.

Rocks are highly ineffective as a mulch. The purpose for mulch is to retain water, add add nutrients to the soil and to suppress weeds. Rocks conduct heat during daytime and emit heat during nighttime, thus inhibiting any form of natural cooling during seasons already hotter than normal due to climate change. Increased use of air conditioners leads to more air pollution from non-hydro power plants.

Mulching For Soil Improvement

In little time, rock filled areas are overgrown with weeds that are hard or impossible to remove. During hot seasons, dried weed covered areas can turn into dangerous flammable surfaces which can ignite when ambers from nearby wildfires rain onto them.

Pea Gravel Instead of Crush or Rocks – Rocky materials used for mulch should be smaller than a half-inch in diameter for the benefits of water conservation and weed suppression. Pea gravel has been shown to improve water infiltration into the soil, especially after heavy down pours. Larger stone sizes do not function well as mulches. Read Mulching For Soil Improvement.

Hi, I am Matt – the owner of Chasing Sprouts website. The blog, resources and plant database segments feature a wealth of information to master all sorts of gardening projects. Feel free to share my articles with your world. Bookmark Chasing Sprouts to stay in the loop!

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Native Shrubs For Okanagan Gardens

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Beneficial native plants are vital components of healthy and resilient ecosystems. They increase biodiversity, provide habitat for wildlife, attract birds, butterflies and other pollinators. Native plants are adapted to local climate, soil and are resistant to disease.

Increase of human population and development has put many ecosystems at risk. As gardeners and stewards, people can take environmental action into their own hands by creating habitat with shade providing or drought tolerant plants. There is a wide variety of flowering and fruiting shrubs and trees available that are showy in bloom, uniqueness, oddity, medicinal qualities and simplicity.

Red-Osier Dogwood (Cornus stolonifera)
Red-Osier Dogwood is a deciduous, fast growing, hardy shrub with showy red twigs and white flowers. It can grow from 3 to 20 feet tall and wide. The plant forms dense thickets by sending out long thin stems that grow horizontally along the ground, sometimes as far as 10 feet away from the parent plant. White berries attract birds and mammals. With its dense appearance, tolerance and adaptability for dry open and seepage areas, this plant is suited for cover hedge and shoreline planting.

How to Plant Correctly

Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia)
Amelanchier alnifolia (Serviceberry) is a 10 to 15 foot tall and wide deciduous native shrub that grows from western Ontario to British Columbia and the Yukon. It thrives in moist, well-drained soils and is tolerant of harsh, dry, or alkaline conditions once established. Serviceberry is one of the earliest fragrant, blooming shrubs in spring and is an essential early-season food source for pollinators such as bees and butterflies. The berries that ripen in June are a favourite of songbirds and mammals. Saskatoon is recommended in landscapes for mass planting, hedges and screening.

Juniper (Juniperus communis)
The common juniper, is a species of small tree or shrub in the cypress family Cupressaceae. A sun loving evergreen conifer, growing to 2 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide. This plant tolerates a wide range of soils and is drought tolerant once established. Juniper berries are a favourite of coyotes, jackrabbits, and many other birds. Perfect as a specimen plant, for foundation plantings, rock gardens or containers.

Kinninnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
Kinninnick, also known as common bearberry is an extremely winter hardy, creeping, slow-growing, prostrate, woody evergreen shrub. It typically grows to 6 to12 inches tall but spreads over time by flexible branching from 3 to 6 feet wide or more. It can be effectively used as a ground cover and is ideal for sunny locations with soils that are nutrient-poor, acidic, rocky or sandy and have limited water input. The plant is extremely tolerant of the elements and can be used to replace lawns in these tough areas. It also cascades nicely over ornamental rocks and borders.

Weed Barriers – Costly & Ineffective

Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
This broadleaf shade and drought tolerant evergreen shrub is typically found in shrub lands, rocky woods and coniferous forests in the Pacific Northwest. It has an upright to spreading habit and grows slowly, up to 3-6 feet tall and wide. Spiny foliage emerges with bronze-red colouring, turns green as it matures, and develops a purple-red colouring in the winter. Brilliant yellow flowers in spring are followed by deep blue berries in fall. Oregon Grape spreads by suckers to form colonies which makes it ideal for mass planting as a screen or as a single colourful accent.

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Mulching For Soil Improvement

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Mulching is excellent for soil improvement. It suppresses weeds and enhances soil structure and fertility. Mulch mimics the natural environment found in forests where leaves and branches blanket the soil surface, replenishing nutrients as they decompose and creating an ideal environment for root growth.

Mulching helps with the conservation of moisture by increasing water infiltration and slowing of evaporation. Mulch also acts as a barrier that blocks sunlight for weeds to germinate and grow.

How to Plant Correctly

Types of Mulches – There are two types of mulches, organic and inorganic. Organic mulches include wood chips, hardwood and softwood bark, pine needles, straw, grass clippings, seed hulls, etc. Inorganic mulches include gravel and rock. The various organic mulches decompose at different rates and require periodic reapplication. Inorganic mulches, such as gravel, stone chips, river rock, and rubber, do not provide the same benefits as organic mulches as they do not decompose.

The Negative Impacts of Black Plastic and Landscape Fabric – A common practice is to apply mulch over black plastic (polyethylene) and woven plastic weed barrier fabrics (polypropylene). Black plastic is impermeable therefore no oxygen exchange can occur to the soil. Lack of oxygen to the roots and soil microbes significantly reduces plant growth. Black plastic also prevents water penetration.

Weed Barriers – Costly & Ineffective

Woven weed barrier fabrics initially allow some minor oxygen and water exchange to the soil, but eventually become clogged and create the same issues as plastic. Weeds easily germinate on top of the fabric and root into or through it. Both plastic and woven plastic fabrics disrupt the life cycles of many pollinators and other soil invertebrates. Fabrics and plastic can be good choices for large-scale vegetable production where regular maintenance and replacement is easily performed.

The selection of a mulch depends on its intended use. If the main objective is soil improvement, organic mulch that gradually breaks down is a good choice. If the area is used primarily for annual flowers, it often is more practical to use a temporary organic mulch such as composted leaves or grass clippings that can be turned under each fall. Wood chips and inorganic mulches like pea gravel are a good choice for landscape plants such as trees, shrubs, or perennials.

Zeroscaping Madness

Most mulches, including wood chips and pea gravel can be applied to a depth of 2 to 4 inches. Mulch that is too deep can weaken plants and prevent water and air from reaching the soil. Bark or wood chip mulches mixed into the soil may starve plants of nitrogen. If this occurs, a nitrogen fertilizer can compensate as needed.

For tree health, all mulch materials must be kept away from the trunk and the root flare which is where the trunk meets the soil. The root flare is at or near the ground line and is identifiable as a marked swelling of the tree’s trunk where roots begin to extend outward. Unless the soil is poorly drained, no more than a 2 to 4 inch layer of organic mulch should be used to prevent harm to the root system. When using finely textured or double-shredded mulch that allow less oxygen through the root zone, no more than 1 to 2 inches of mulch depth is required..

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Planting – How To Do It Right

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Planting flowers, shrubs or trees is quite simple and anyone can do this. As a rule of thumb, a hole 2 or 3 times of the diameter of the plant’s container but not deeper must be dug. In clay soils, the sides of the hole should be roughened up as roots cannot penetrate a ‘glazed’ side caused by a shovel. Proper site selection is important considering the plant’s maximum growth size.

The plant can be placed carefully into the hole after an initial water application has drained. Then the planting is to be backfilled with halfway mixed native soil, a handful of bone meal and then watered again.

Mulching cannot be overstated. Mulch keeps roots cooler during summer and insulates them during winter. It reduces the loss of moisture during the heat of the day and it will eventually break down providing the plant with beneficial nutrients.

DO NOT, however, mulch around the trunk of plants. This can cause rotting and diseases. It is best to mulch the entire planting area starting 3-4 inches away from the trunk. The use of transplanting product 5-15-5 after planting helps minimize post-planting stress.

When planting balled and bur lapped plants, be sure to remove all twine / wire and peel back the first 1/3 of burlap from the top. The rest can be left on as it will decompose. Lastly, deep watering is far more beneficial and efficient as opposed to a quick spray on the surface.

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