Brick Bed

[NotsoGreen Thumb]

Hi Jeff,

Can broken/chipped brick be used to lay down in landscape beds?

A couple of years ago a friend gave me a load of leftover brick from a construction site. I used it to extend a porch in our backyard. It looked great in the beginning. After some rain, a heavy winter with snow and ice, and general aging, the brick cracked up and broke apart. All the brick that has been laid is broken and the pile I planned to use for another project is broken to pieces. It was a very sandy composition that was used more for aesthetic purposes intermittently with other brick in the overall masonry design of the house. It is no good for porches.

So, rather than let it all go to waste, and to find a way to de-clutter my yard, I thought I could break it up more and scatter it in the plant bed like a bed of lava rock or gravel. Is that a good idea, or would it end up hurting the bed?

Thanks so much!

[Jeff McManus]

NotsoGreen Thumb,

I am all about reusing materials we have available, but in this case I would not use the brick as a mulch substitute. Here is why:

1. The brick chips will not give you a "natural" look. The color, texture and lack of consistent sizes will draw more attention to the brick than the plants. I think aesthetics on this is a big deal to making that first "wow" impression.

2. I really think in time you will find it creates its own maintenance problems. As soil moves into and around the bricks, weeds will grow in and around the bricks. My preference is almost always for organic mulches since they break down over time and improve the soil.

3. Reflective heat will be tough on the existing plants. 100 degree days will heat up the brick surface and could cause more heat stress to the plants in the bed.

Great questions NotsoGreen Thumb!