I recently bought a house from 1910 that hasn't seen major renovations since the late 90s. Now, as I'm getting my garden and patio area ready in my 18-meter yard, I'm discovering potato-sized rocks scattered throughout the soil while digging out old tree roots and ivy. I've pulled out about 40 rocks so far, and I'm curious if there's any reason these rocks were left there or if the previous owners were just really into rocks. Should I be putting them back in the soil once I start planting, or is it better to get rid of them?
3 Answers
In a lot of areas, it's common to find random rocks in the soil. My advice would be to just remove them as you go and stack them somewhere else. They don't really serve a purpose in the garden, plus you seem to have plenty to deal with!
Honestly, there's no reason to re-bury those rocks in your garden after you've dug them out. You can scatter a few at the bottom of raised beds for drainage or use them as decoration, but in general, they won't help your plants thrive. Just get rid of them or find some creative use for them!
Haha, I was worried they might have some purpose like drainage. I’d much rather use them for borders or some garden decorations instead!
Do you live in a rocky area? What makes you think those rocks were intentionally placed there?
No, the soil is pretty clean for gardening. I heard they had a vegetable garden going back in the 60s. I found these old rotting beams that were likely used for framing the garden area, and a neighbor mentioned they’ve been there since the 70s. So, based on how the rocks are placed, it seems like they might have planted them there, but I'm not sure why.
Thanks! I'll figure out a spot to decorate with them since there are just so many, haha!