A: That can certainly become a problem, and even more so for containerized plants, like we see in downtown areas. UGA horticulturalist Bob Westerfield says, “rocks are going to be there long after we are gone. The radiant heat coming off the rocks can burn or stress more fleshy plants like perennials.” Organic mulches work best. These include pine straw, pine bark, wood chips and leaf litter. But the downfall is that they need to be replaced seasonally.

The situation is very different when landscape companies use rocks or boulders to create dry creek beds. They are installed to prevent erosion by directing water a certain way and to promote a drought-tolerant landscape. Plants aren’t typically planted in these rocks.

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