Gravel Pathway
Making a gravel pathway? Choose the right rock for your needs.
Generally speaking, pathways around our homes are for walking and rolling wheel barrows, mowers, and garden carts. Creating a solid consistent surface will make life much easier.
Products like pea gravel and river rock are round in shape. They will never lock together to create a solid surface. Walking and rolling wheels through these products takes effort. Not only that, they easily end up outside of the path area. A product like lava rock does have angles but it is so light weight it takes forever to really break down and compact.
Choose crushed rock for the most solid surface. Crushed rock is broken with many edges and locks together. It is also heavy and stays in place. It comes in many types, colors, and sizes. 5/8” minus crushed rock means the rocks are 5/8” or less in size and the powdery fines are also present helping to lock the gravel together once compacted. Washed crushed rock can be used when drainage in the path is desired.
Choose wisely and your path will serve you well for years to come.
Shrub Shaping
If you need to shape or reduce your rhododendrons, now is a great time. Pruning soon after flowering will provide more blooms next year. Remove the old blooms as well if you wish. Rhododendrons are best pruned by hand with sharp clean clippers and bypass loppers. Create mushrooms, globes, squares, marshmallows shapes etc..or just reduce and leave a little wild. Removing dead or diseased material is always appropriate. Don’t be afraid to experiment as rhododendrons are very resilient and forgiving.
Arborvitae
Arborvitae are naturally pointy. However, they can easily become your favorite beer can shape. Arborvitae are very resilient and take well to shaping. Just be careful to not cut too deep on the sides. Cutting with your hedger in an upward motion leaves less room for error. Those experienced with a hedger can use a downward cut. However, a downward cut is much more likely to produce deep unsightly cuts if you lose concentration.
