What is the Importance of Lava Rock in
Organic Gardening

What is the importance of lava rock in organic gardening? Can the kind of mulch you choose actually have an impact on how your plants grow?

The first thing you need to know before understanding what is the importance of lava rock in organic gardening is what exactly lava rock is and why you might want to use it in your garden.

Lava rock is a form of igneous rock created by the eruption of volcanoes. It can be purchased at most home and garden stores in black or red. It is an organically produced mulch, since it comes from the earth.

First off, like any other kind of organic mulch, lava rocks can help keep water in the soil and they can keep weed growth down. As the lava rock breaks down into what's known as lava sand, the sand mixes into the soil and allows the soil to hold in more water.

Because lava rock is dark-colored, it tends to make the soil underneath it a little warmer than it would be otherwise. This could be positive or negative depending on where you live and what time of year it is.

Some people say that the sharpness of lava rocks can damage young plants. However, if you keep the rocks a little bit farther away from seedlings as they get established, this shouldn't be a major problem. Some also complain that the rocks are uncomfortable to sit or kneel on should you need to do any weeding, pest control or plant maintenance in a bed filled with lava rock.

Others say that the rocks are no more precarious than wood mulch, which can cause splinters. To some extent the mulch you choose will be a matter of preference and depend on where you need to use the mulch. For instance, lava rock makes a good mulch on a slope because it's heavy and won't float away in a heavy rain like wood mulches have a tendency to do. It's also a great choice for slug control, because the nasty bugs cut their bodies up on the rocks and therefore can't bother your plants.

Some people suggest that lava rocks aren't the best possible choice of mulch because they don't add any nutrients to the soil, though they can make the soil hold water a bit longer. Pine mulch, for instance, adds acid to the soil. Leaves or grass clippings would also add nutrients.

If you have sensitive skin or think you would be sitting or kneeling in your bed on top of the mulch frequently, you might want to try something a little softer than lava rocks.

If you live somewhere that's already quite hot, you might need to keep an eye on your plants to make sure they don't look like the soil is getting too warm for them under the rocks. This negative turns into a positive if you need to capture every bit of warm sunshine there is, however. Lava rock may even allow people who live in the north to extend their season a bit.

As with many choices when it comes to gardening, deciding what kind of mulch to use is a personal decision. The answer will depend on what you need your mulch to do, where your mulch is going to be situated and how often you want to deal with replacing your mulch.

Lava rocks are a long-lasting mulch choice that will be especially attractive in perennial beds or around shrubs so that you don't have to move the rocks to plant every year.

Get more tips on keeping your garden in top condition by visiting LoveToKnow Garden.

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