How to Make Your Garden Grow

5 Reasons to Order Pea Gravel Mulch for Your Garden

20 January 2019

Brent Hoffman

Pea gravel is made of small stones that have been naturally weathered by water. There are several ways you can use it in your garden, including as a type of mulch. Small stones might seem like an odd type of mulch, but using pea gravel actually comes with several compelling benefits, and here are just five.

1. Controls Soil Temperature

Most types of mulch are responsible for preventing soil from getting too hot during the summer and too cold during the winter. Unfortunately, materials such as wood chips and straw don't provide as much insulation as a material like pea gravel. It forms a thick layer across your topsoil that keeps the sun's rays from heating up in the sun and prevents the roots freezing during winter cold snaps. It's a great mulch whatever the time of year.

2. Avoids Soil Erosion

Most people have relatively flat gardens, but others aren't so lucky. If your garden is on a slope, wind and rain can erode the soil, which is obviously going to be bad for your plants. Since pea gravel is relatively large and heavy, it helps stabilise soil and avoid erosion.

3. Promotes Healthy Drainage

One of the most well-known benefits of pea gravel is its ability to keep water draining properly. It helps water to drain slowly down into the soil, preventing overwatering issues. This is a great advantage in any garden, but it's particularly beneficial if your garden is often plagued with standing water or if you're trying to grow plants that thrive in dry conditions.

4. Doesn't Decompose

Organic mulches represent a great way to give your plants and flowers a boost. Unfortunately, organic mulches can start attracting pests if you use too much or fail to replace it as often as you should – you clearly don't want rodents and insects finding your garden attractive. Even worse, decomposing organic mulch can lead to fungus growth, which will sap moisture away from your plants. Pea gravel doesn't decompose, so it won't present the same issues. Additionally, the fact it doesn't decompose means you won't need to replace it on a regular basis.

5. Doesn't Wash Away

Many types of mulch can wash away during rainstorms. This means you must order more, lay it down and potentially clean up part of your garden. Pea gravel is heavy enough to be unaffected by anything but the most severe gales, so you shouldn't have to worry.

Contact your local garden supply delivery services today for more information and assistance. 

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