Forget Gravel: There's A Better Way To Keep Weeds Out Of Garden Beds

Gravel is practical, but it isn't winning any awards for the most beautiful gardening material on the block. It can look industrial and can lean quickly into parking lot territory if you aren't careful. While that may be fine if you are, in fact, installing something like a driveway, it isn't the best look for garden beds. If you have been searching for a more attractive alternative to gravel for your garden that is longer lasting than wood mulch and will help your soil retain moisture, there are better options.

There are many ways to use mulch in your landscape, but one fantastic option is to say goodbye to traditional mulch (like wood chips or gravel) and use brick chips instead. Brick chips are what they sound like — a type of inorganic mulch made from crushed bricks. Like other types of organic and inorganic mulch, brick chips do a great job at keeping weeds at bay. They're lighter, easier to install, and retain soil moisture better than gravel mulch because they are more porous.

Brick chips look exactly as you might expect — like crushed red brick. They typically measure between ³⁄₁₆ and 1 ½ inches in diameter and are a striking rustic red. Because of their intense color, brick chips can sometimes steal the show from the rest of your landscaping, so they should be used in moderation unless you are trying to make a statement. To keep everything looking cohesive, you should choose flowers that complement or contrast the color of the brick. Lush foliage, for example, works great because green is opposite to red on the color wheel. As with any type of mulch, your brick chips should be around 3 inches deep after you have spread them evenly across your garden bed. Heavy-duty landscaping fabric can also help to prevent weeds from coming through.

As with anything, there are some downsides to using brick chips. For one, gravel is significantly more durable. It is also more flexible, because gravel sizes vary drastically and it comes in many shades. Gravel is also cheaper overall — around $60 per cubic yard versus $150 for brick chips. Despite all these factors, because of its porosity and ability to retain soil moisture, chips are superior when used as a mulch substitute in flower beds.