Even with careful garden planning, it cannot be avoided that leaves fall onto gravel beds. Some people even prefer to accept the diminished appearance rather than undertake the arduous work of collecting them. Anyone who has ever manually cleared leaves from a gravel bed knows how strenuous the clean-up work is. However, on this page you will find tips on how to avoid the hassle.
How can you effectively remove leaves from gravel beds?
To remove leaves from gravel, it is best to use a broom made of bound willow or birch. Avoid leaf blowers as they can stir up small rocks and drive away beneficial insects. As a preventive measure, you can choose evergreen plants or use fine-mesh nets.
Does the leaves need to be removed
Perhaps you know the advice not to remove the leaves in the garden, but to leave them as frost protection or natural fertilizer. In fact, fallen leaves have effective utility in this regard. However, this primarily refers to garden beds made of soil. In order to thrive in a gravel bed, plants must have special characteristics. While they are comparatively robust in terms of the environment, they are very sensitive to moisture. Moisture forms very quickly under a thick layer of leaves. In addition, plants in a rock garden usually do not require winter protection.
Removal measures
Under no circumstances should you try to blow the leaves out of the gravel bed with a leaf blower. Not only do you stir up small stones and possibly destroy the lovingly created arrangement, but you also drive away useful insects that seek shelter in the gaps.
Brooms
To remove leaves from gravel, a brush broom is suitable instead. This is a broom made of bound willow or birch. Would you like to make such a broom yourself? On this page you will find instructions.
Prevent leaves on the gravel bed
Choose evergreen plants
You can also prevent foliage by specifically planting conifers in the garden. They don't even have to be tall fir, pine or spruce trees. Below you will find a selection of attractive, small trees.
- Dwarf Balsam Fir
- Dwarf mussel cypress
- Dwarf columnar juniper
- Dwarf Bluecedar Juniper
- Hedgehog spruce
- Dwarf Snakeskin Pine
- Dwarf mountain pine
- Dwarf Hoe Pine
- Dwarf boxwood
Setting nets
Fine-meshed nets are another option. Spread them out over your gravel bed just in time for the leaves to fall. After a while you can remove the leaves along with the protective device. However, you must not leave it lying there for too long as moisture can form here too.
