Mastering the ideal landscape has been a challenge of homeowners for many years. We tend to see our lawns, gardens, walkways and driveways as integral elements of our daily lives. Further, they are important reflections of who we are as people. We take pride in them. They make us feel good and they make others feel welcome in our homes. In the age-old mission of crafting a great outdoor scape, the use of crushed shell ground covering has become a popular method of beautifying our beloved outdoor areas as well as enhancing our gardens. There is no shortage of benefits for this intriguing ground cover.
Great Mulch
Weeds are an omnipresent threat to the health and appearance of gardens. No matter how hard you try, the battle never seems to end. With crushed shell ground covering, you have the opportunity to both help eradicate pesky weeds and benefit your garden. Weeds, like all plants thrive off of water and sunlight. They use water in their complex vascular systems. If water is denied, they quickly begin to shrivel. They also need sunlight in order to engage in photosynthesis, which helps keep them alive. While it’s difficult to deny weeds water, denying them sunlight can be done using mulch. Crushed shell ground covering makes for a great mulching solution. As the crushed shells are spread over the areas where you don’t want weeds to grow, they begin to kill off tiny weeds that would have otherwise sprouted up. Without sunlight, they starve and die. Crushed shell ground covering also helps prevent new weeds from growing on top of it. Although it is far from bad for the soil, plants need more than just crushed shell ground covering to grow. So new weeds will find the crushed shells a difficult landscape on which to grow. You can even get crushed shell in bulk to save time and money on this great solution.
If your garden suffers from acidic soil, crushed shell ground covering can help you with that as well. The minerals inside it can help neutralize the acid. You can also mix it with fill dirt to accomplish this same purpose. Combining it with pea gravel is another helpful solution to help the landscape around and through your garden maintain a pH level that is conducive to healthy plant growth.
Perfect for Paths
Even though making a path can be a fairly straightforward process, the details of your path can require several careful decisions. You want the path to compliment your garden and remain as weed-free as possible. In addition, you want the path to be inviting to walk on. The relatively light and colorful hues of crushed shell ground covering make it a great solution for the formation of paths. You can put it right on your topsoil, or you can put a weed-resistant layer underneath it. The color adds style to your garden. Because some crushed shell ground covering has shells with color inside, there even exists the opportunity to coordinate the color of the crushed shells with that of your garden. It’s a simple touch, but one that can pay big style dividends.
You can also combine the crushed shells with pea gravel to enhance a walkway through your yard or up to your car or garage. The combination of the two adds a touch of texture that will look as good as it feels under your feet.
Good for the Environment
Crushed shell ground covering helps support a healthy environment as well. This is especially true when you use it to help form a driveway or walkway instead of using asphalt. Even though some of the asphalt and what goes into it can be contained, there is always the danger of some run-off from the process. This can disturb the local ecosystem significantly. On the other hand, crushed shell ground covering does nothing but benefit the ecosystem, and is, therefore, a safe choice.
Using crushed shells helps not just the environment, but the overall look and feel of your home. They add a touch of style and make your home a place that is more welcoming, both to your friends and neighbors and your family.