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Backyard with black lava mulch

joe_OC

By joe_OC
in DISCUSSING PALM TREES WORLDWIDE

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joe_OC Grand Master

joe_OC

Posted
Posted

So I finally got around to start adding the black lava mulch into my planters. Here are some pics:

DSC_0099.JPG

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DSC_0102.JPG

Huntington Beach, CA

USDA Zone 10a/10b

Sunset Zone 24

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Justin Veteran

Justin

Posted
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Very nice looking. Hopefully it stays clean of leaf litter going forward. That's always the toughest part with lava rock.

Resident of Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, San Diego, CA and Pahoa, HI.  Former garden in Vista, CA.  Garden Photos

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Stevetoad Grand Master

Stevetoad

Posted
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Looks awesome. Looks like hawaii!

"it's not dead it's sleeping"

Santee ca, zone10a/9b

18 miles from the ocean

avg. winter 68/40.avg summer 88/64.records 113/25

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spockvr6 Grand Master

spockvr6

Posted
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Yes looks great.

We don't have access to that stuff around here!

Larry 

Palm Harbor, FL 10a / Ft Myers, FL 10b

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joe_OC Grand Master

joe_OC

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Thanks, guys. What I really like is the soil stays nice and moist. I do not have to water as much. Lots of worm activity as well. The layer of mulch is between 4-6" thick.

Huntington Beach, CA

USDA Zone 10a/10b

Sunset Zone 24

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MattyB Grand Master

MattyB

Posted
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That looks great Joe! I know you were mulching with a lot of organics before. Do you plan on using organics anymore or just the lava?

Matt Bradford

"Manambe Lavaka"

Spring Valley, CA (8.5 miles inland from San Diego Bay)

10B on the hill (635 ft. elevation)

9B in the canyon (520 ft. elevation)

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realarch Grand Master

realarch

Posted
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Joe, looks like you've got a volcano just up the road. Nice job and everything in the garden looks great.

Tim

Hilo, Hawaii

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joe_OC Grand Master

joe_OC

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That looks great Joe! I know you were mulching with a lot of organics before. Do you plan on using organics anymore or just the lava?

Thanks, Matt. Yes, after 4-5 years of mulching with organics 1-2 times a year, I felt the soil was conditioned enough. I will continue to feed with cold fish emulsion/kelp and humic acid.

Huntington Beach, CA

USDA Zone 10a/10b

Sunset Zone 24

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joe_OC Grand Master

joe_OC

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Nice backdrop to enhance the color of your bromeliads.

Greg,

I will post pics of my broms soon. I was waiting for the black lava before I posted pics of all the Billbergias I got from you. ;)

Huntington Beach, CA

USDA Zone 10a/10b

Sunset Zone 24

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brodklop Experienced

brodklop

Posted
Posted

Top looking garden Joe. A good mix of colour and form. The lava real sets thing of.

Palms are the king of trees

Brod

Brisbane, Australia

28 latitude, sub tropical

summer average 21c min - 29c max

winter average 10c min - 21c max

extremes at my place 5c - 42c

1100 average rainfall

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MattyB Grand Master

MattyB

Posted
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That looks great Joe! I know you were mulching with a lot of organics before. Do you plan on using organics anymore or just the lava?

Thanks, Matt. Yes, after 4-5 years of mulching with organics 1-2 times a year, I felt the soil was conditioned enough. I will continue to feed with cold fish emulsion/kelp and humic acid.

I was thinking Joe: I have a few areas that I mulched with gravel and various small rocks. I periodically add compost on top of the rocks and eventually the rocks become exposed again when the compost breaks down and washes in. I bet you could throw some fine screened manure or compost around and in a few weeks it would be all washed in and expose your rocks again.

Matt Bradford

"Manambe Lavaka"

Spring Valley, CA (8.5 miles inland from San Diego Bay)

10B on the hill (635 ft. elevation)

9B in the canyon (520 ft. elevation)

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joe_OC Grand Master

joe_OC

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Thanks, Matt. That's not a bad idea! I will look into it.

Huntington Beach, CA

USDA Zone 10a/10b

Sunset Zone 24

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Hammer Grand Master

Hammer

Posted
Posted

That looks great Joe! I know you were mulching with a lot of organics before. Do you plan on using organics anymore or just the lava?

Thanks, Matt. Yes, after 4-5 years of mulching with organics 1-2 times a year, I felt the soil was conditioned enough. I will continue to feed with cold fish emulsion/kelp and humic acid.

I was thinking Joe: I have a few areas that I mulched with gravel and various small rocks. I periodically add compost on top of the rocks and eventually the rocks become exposed again when the compost breaks down and washes in. I bet you could throw some fine screened manure or compost around and in a few weeks it would be all washed in and expose your rocks again.

Matty is there a particular kind you use that works well? I've been searching, with not much luck, for compost/composted mulch that is really broken down. Most everything I have found still has a fair amount of wood pieces in it.

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Sutter Bob Proficient

Sutter Bob

Posted
Posted

Looks great.

Makes me wonder if you might get a degree or two of warming in the winter with the darker color

(for those of us who need all the help we can get).

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joe_OC Grand Master

joe_OC

Posted
  • Author
Posted

That looks great Joe! I know you were mulching with a lot of organics before. Do you plan on using organics anymore or just the lava?

Thanks, Matt. Yes, after 4-5 years of mulching with organics 1-2 times a year, I felt the soil was conditioned enough. I will continue to feed with cold fish emulsion/kelp and humic acid.

I was thinking Joe: I have a few areas that I mulched with gravel and various small rocks. I periodically add compost on top of the rocks and eventually the rocks become exposed again when the compost breaks down and washes in. I bet you could throw some fine screened manure or compost around and in a few weeks it would be all washed in and expose your rocks again.

Matty is there a particular kind you use that works well? I've been searching, with not much luck, for compost/composted mulch that is really broken down. Most everything I have found still has a fair amount of wood pieces in it.

I do notice that there is a "crust" of wood mulch on top of certain areas in my yard. These areas require that I break up the crust so the water does not channel and soaks in evenly. If you use a drip system, it is not an issue, but if you handwater or with conventional sprinklers, it will prevent the water from absorbing. I've talked to old timers and they like using a more course mulch so that there is no water channeling issues. The rocks will make sure those areas with the crust will always stay moist, so water can be absorbed.

Huntington Beach, CA

USDA Zone 10a/10b

Sunset Zone 24

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DoomsDave Grand Master

DoomsDave

Posted
Posted

Joe, looks good, but Matt's suggestion is also good. Keep up the organics. Like money in the bank.

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

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ghar41 Veteran

ghar41

Posted
Posted

Very nice look! Great broms also :)

Glenn

Modesto, California

 

Sunset Zone 14   USDA 9b

 

Low Temp. 19F/-7C 12-20-1990         

 

High Temp. 111F/43C 07-23-2006

 

Annual Average Precipitation 13.12 inches/yr.

 

             

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