Landscaping Supplies That Can Protect Your Property and Soil
by Randy De Knegt
When you shop for landscape supplies, you may be thinking of how to make your yard and property look its best. While it's true that certain trees, shrubbery and other such landscaping features can enhance your home's curb appeal, certain supplies can also protect the property and the soil. When planning your landscaping and shopping for supplies, note a few you may want to include in order to have a healthy yard, not just an attractive yard.
1. Mulch
If you don't add mulch around your landscaping features, you may be missing out on some very healthy benefits for your yard. Mulch not only squelches the growth of weeds around your flowers but it also holds moisture in the soil and protects it from being overexposed to sunlight. This can mean less chance of soil erosion. Mulch also provides a protective covering for insects and worms that help to turn over the soil and keep it healthy. Don't assume that mulch is added just for appearance, but add it in abundance around your property borders to protect your soil, especially if the soil seems dry and unhealthy.
2. Aggregate
Aggregate is something of the opposite of mulch; you can add this to soil to absorb moisture and also keep it from collecting in the soil. If you live in the tropics or have water that collects on your property for any reason, you can mix an aggregate into the soil to make it drier and stronger. This can be done around your landscaping features so that the roots don't get too soggy or around your driveway so that the concrete doesn't buckle on the soft soil.
3. Mats
Soil mats are added just below the upper layer of soil and they can make the soil stronger, keep water from running off the soil and give shrubbery and other plantings a firm base as their roots grow stronger. Mats can be made of jute or another strong material or may be biodegradable so that they simply compost over time.
4. Riprap
This is a type of rock lining that protects from soil erosion. You can add riprap to the lower layer of soil or you can add riprap around landscaping features to keep them well watered. Riprap can be a very attractive way of keeping water around your property or just a certain landscaping feature. It can be built to the height you need to keep water from draining off or just be a simple layer that keeps some moisture in the soil as needed.
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About Me
When people talk about saving energy, they often get bogged down in the same topics – seal your drafty home, install a programmable thermostat, paint your roof white and similar tips are often shared. However, there are other ways to save energy. My name is Gina, and I run a small office. However, recently, I decided to let all of my team telecommute from home. They no longer waste fuel driving to work, which is great for the environment, and it is all possible thanks to phone systems that make it look like we are all in the same office. I also do other environmental things for my company. If you want tips or ideas on being more environmentally friendly with your business, check out these posts and enjoy.