Landscape rock has become a popular material to use in designing gardens. Apart from beautifying your landscape, they also prove effective in blocking weeds from growing.
With that in mind, we have compiled a comprehensive guide on choosing the best landscaping rock to prevent weeds.
Here are the best landscaping rocks to prevent weeds you can buy in 2024:
- Heat-Proof: Venetian Princess Lava Rocks
- Easy To Spread: LF Inc. 50 Lb. Premium Small Mixed Mexican Beach Pebbles
- Best For succulent plants: Floryden Pebbles, Small Garden Rocks
- Best For Water Retention: Southwest Boulder & Stone Landscape Rock & Pebble
- Best For Erosion Prevention: Margo Garden Products 30lbs Bag Rainforest Gravel
| 5 Best Landscaping Rocks To Prevent Weeds | ||
|---|---|---|
Heat-Proof | Venetian Princess Lava Rocks | |
Easy To Spread | LF Inc. 50 Lb. Premium Small Mixed Mexican Beach Pebbles | |
Best For succulent plants | Floryden Pebbles, Small Garden Rocks | |
Best For Water Retention | Southwest Boulder & Stone Landscape Rock & Pebble | |
Best For Erosion Prevention | Margo Garden Products 30lbs Bag Rainforest Gravel | |
Heat-Proof: Venetian Princess Lava Rocks
- Perfect for gardens in tropical regions or during summer months – heat-proof characteristics
- Ideal for both small and large gardens – two size options
- Brighten up the green of plants & a nice decorating item in any garden – two color choices: red and black
- The size of the rocks isn’t really in uniformity
Choosing heat-proof landscaping rocks is essential for a garden if it’s in a tropical region or during summer months. Otherwise, the heat generated by rocks will burn your plants.
If that is also what you’re after, we highly recommend the Venetian Princess Lava Rocks. They are available in two size options – 10 pounds and 40 pounds, which is perfect for both small and large gardens.
There are two color choices to choose from – red and black – that helps brighten up the green of plants. The size is 0.75 inches.
| Venetian Princess Lava Rocks Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 10 Lbs. |
Size | 3/4" (.75") |
Highlight Features | heat-proof characteristics two size options two color choices: red and black |
The Venetian Princess Lava Rocks are heat-proof so they’re a perfect choice for tropical landscapes or during the summer to not only save your plants from weeds but also sun heat.
Easy To Spread: LF Inc. 50 Lb. Premium Small Mixed Mexican Beach Pebbles
- Easy to spread – smooth surface with no sharp edges
- Eco-friendly & high-quality – hand-picked and gathered from the beaches of Baja Mexico
- Good at restraining the growth of weeds, erosion prevention, and protecting the soil against temperature extremes
- No complaint
The next option is for large gardens.
These pebbles are hand-picked and gathered from the beaches of Baja Mexico so they’re naturally smoothened by ocean waves for no sharp edges.
They are a nice choice for restraining the growth of weeds, erosion prevention if your garden is in drainage areas, and protecting the soil against temperature extremes. A big bonus is that they’re easy to spread.
The size is around 1 to 2 inches, and there are four color options: grey, red, tan, and black to consider.
| LF Inc. 50 Lb. Premium Small Mixed Mexican Beach Pebbles Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 50 Lb. |
Size | 1-2 Inches |
Highlight Features | smooth surface with no sharp edges hand-picked and gathered from the beaches of Baja Mexico |
Pick the LF Inc. 50 Lb. Premium Small Mixed Mexican Beach Pebbles if you want some natural landscaping rocks that not only inhibit weed growth but is also easy to spread
Best For succulent plants: Floryden Pebbles, Small Garden Rocks
- Give a wild, natural look, which suits succulent plants - river pea gravels with no uniformity in sizes or colors
- No scratch your plants – the smooth surface
- The sizes are a bit smaller as described
If you’re looking for landscaping rocks for succulent plants, this pack is a shining contender.
They are actually river pea gravels that have been naturally polished for a smooth surface. The colors and sizes are 100% natural so they aren’t in uniformity, which gives a wild look if combined with succulent plants.
While enhancing the overall look of your succulent pots, it saves the soil from corrosion, moisture escaping, and weeds.
| Floryden Pebbles, Small Garden Rocks Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 64-Oz/4 Pounds |
Highlight Features | river pea gravels with no uniformity in sizes or colors the smooth surface |
Natural landscaping rocks with no uniformity in sizes and colors are a great choice for succulent plants as they create a nicely wild overlook. In this case, the Floryden Pebbles, Small Garden Rocks are a shining candidate
Best For Water Retention: Southwest Boulder & Stone Landscape Rock & Pebble
- Help regulate soil and retain the water excellently
- Not slip easily when watering or during rains - angular surfaces
- Safe for pets or people with bare feet to walk on – the blunted edges
- Safe to use - 100% natural, no additives.
- A bit larger than the description
Aside from preventing weeds, these landscaping rocks regulate soil and retain the water excellently. Besides, they are budget-friendly, easy to set up, and safe to use because of no additives.
These rocks are created by crushing large stones, featuring angular surfaces to lock securely into place.
The size ranges are from 3/8” to 12”, which suits perfectly potted plants or water-wise landscaping.
| Southwest Boulder & Stone Landscape Rock & Pebble Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 20 lbs. |
Size | 3/8" |
Highlight Features | angular surfaces the blunted edges 100% natural, no additives. |
The Southwest Boulder & Stone Landscape Rocks & Pebbles, while preventing the growth of weeds brilliantly, are good at retaining the water as well. They’re a fantastic choice for loose soil or tropical gardens.
Best For Erosion Prevention: Margo Garden Products 30lbs Bag Rainforest Gravel
- Versatile and easy handling – bagged according to colors
- Safe for landscaping bed use - Made completely of durable natural stones & Mulch and Soil Council certified
- Good at water retention and erosion prevention
- Affordable
- There aren’t many color choices
These landscaping rocks are divided into different colors, crushed, and then bagged for ease of handling. That means there are a lot of color options to consider, which is perfect for gardens of all sizes.
Made completely of durable natural stones, they are 100% safe for landscaping bed use to not only inhibit the growth of weeds but also keep the water in soil and erosion prevention.
They actually get certification from Mulch and Soil Council for product assurance, ideal for applying both commercial and residential landscapes.
| Margo Garden Products 30lbs Bag Rainforest Gravel Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 30lbs |
Size | 12 x 8 x 3 inches |
Highlight Features | bagged according to colors Made completely of durable natural stones & Mulch and Soil Council certified |
The Margo Garden Products 30lbs Bag Rainforest Gravel gives you the best of both worlds – prevention against weed growth and erosion to keep your plants thrive the most happily.
How To Choose The Best Landscaping Rock To Prevent Weeds?
Types
One of the first things to consider when choosing landscaping rock is which type to go with. Here are the main options for you that can prevent weeds.
- Pea gravel: these are small, multi-colored rocks with a smooth edge. They can well replace a mulching medium for small areas though they work for large areas as well. It’s worth noting that using this type, you need solid edging or the rocks will spread to other spaces.
- Rive rock: these are larger than pea gravel but still feature a smooth edge. As a mulching medium, river rocks are better for large areas. However, they can be heavy and not great on your feet.
- Chipped rock: these don’t have a smooth edge or polished look like the previous types. There are multiple color options but they mostly come in one color. This type is more suitable for low-maintenance gardens.
- Lava rock: these rocks come in different sizes with sharp edges, featuring a red color. They are also more suitable for larger areas.
Determine Your Needs
In addition to preventing weeds, you should also keep in mind what you need for the landscape at your home. This way, you will be able to choose rocks that add beauty to your garden rather than ruining it.
This involves choosing the size and color of the rock based on the plants in your garden, as well as for deciding on a rock design that fits the overall landscape. For instance, to create a natural waterfall effect, you can consider building a small wall of rocks in the garden.
Keep Balance In Mind
Balance is crucial if you want the ultimate harmony in your garden. This means you have to balance the size, texture, and shape of the rocks to create a natural look. Maybe you should buy neutral-colored, smooth rocks, or multi-colored pea gravel to decorate your garden.
Which Brands Make The Best Landscaping Rock To Prevent Weeds?
LF Inc.
This brand brings you pebbles from Mexico with smooth edges that are safe and great for gardens. They also offer protection against erosion.
Southwest Boulder & Stone
Founded in 1989, this is a top brand for landscape rock. Here, you will find perfect products for landscaping and building like boulders, pebbles, cobble, crushed rock, etc.
Margo Garden Products
Since 1981, this brand has become a trusted brand in terms of garden and home materials. Among various products, it supplies pebbles to make your garden more beautiful.
FAQs
What is better for landscaping: rock or mulch?
This depends on the situation of your garden. Rocks are great at preventing and killing weeds as well as retaining water for your garden. But they are not good for a garden with a lot of sunlight as they tend to hold more heat.
How deep should rock be for landscaping?
In most cases, 2 inches of rocks are enough. The depth should not exceed 8 inches.
What to put under rocks to prevent weeds?
The best underlayment to put under rocks is either black plastic or landscape fabric.
How do you prepare the ground for rock landscaping?
There are two main things to do:
- Remove grass and weeds: dig up all the weeds and grass, leave only dirt.
- Put underlayment: this will help prevent weeds from growing, using landscaping fabric or black plastic.
Does rock landscaping attract bugs?
No, they don’t.
Conclusion
This is the end of our buying guide of the best landscaping rock to prevent weeds. We have also provided you with a list of the best brands to buy from, we hope that it will help you get the perfect products for your garden in no time.
