Questions and Answers for Mosser Lee 5 lb. River Gravel Soil Cover

A:  The Mosser Lee Red Lava Rock can be used in a fire pit.

A:  The Mosser Lee Lava Rock is only available in small 1.5 quart bags. We would suggest sand bags to help control flooding in your yard.

A:  The individual piece size of the Mosser Lee Red Lava Rock is approximately 5/8" to 1 1/8".

A:  They're all small, maybe the diameter of quarters, dimes, etc.

A:  The Mosser Lee River Gravel would work for this purpose, but a gravel with larger stones would probably work better.

A:  The Mosser Lee River Gravel vary in size from approximately 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch.

A:  Thank you for the question. The Mosser Lee Red Lava Rock are small porous red stones with tiny holes through them and the River Rock are small solid stones of various color, size, and shape.

A:  These are lighter then rocks & are somewhat more porous then rock. They help aerate the roots of the plant & in the same time retains moisture.

A:  Yes, they aerate the soil & keep the soil from clumping together. They are lighter then rocks & are somewhat porous. So at the same time they aerate soil, they retain moisture too. I combine perlite, peat moss & bark with this.

A:  Thank you for the question. Plant roots can only breathe in well-drained soil and Lava Rock helps drain the soil. Its best to place a layer 1-2" deep of Lava Rock under the soil.

A:  Lava rocks are great in the bottoms of planters because they hold water. They work great on top of the soil in pots because they are decorative and help hold the moisture in. I would think they would do the same in soil on the ground.

A:  They can help keep the soil moist between watering when added on top. However, it is hard to say if it will be beneficial without knowing the type of plants it will be used for. I have spider plants and a golden ivy, both of which will tolerate anything. Some plants may need more air circulation, so too much on top could make it harder for the soil to "breathe" for that plant. If you live in a warm climate/humid, you don't have to put too much on top, because the soil may become too warm & damp. I made a small layer under the dirt (placed at bottom of planter pot). It helps to reduce the chance of the roots becoming rotted from too much water (this is because my pots do not have drain holes - so if your pots do, it doesn't need any on the bottom). Then I put on top of the soil as well as a "cover." It looks nicer and helps keep the soil moist between watering since the weather is generally dry, especially during the winter. Hope this helps!

A:  I'm sorry Lisa, but you have stumped us. We do not know the difference between white and red lava rock and there is little information available online.

A:  Thank you for the question. The Marble Nugget Soil Cover is made of Calcium Carbonate.

A:  Holly, I am sorry but I don't know the answer to your question. It does seem odd for marble to change color when wet, other than just becoming darker. Maybe it's the dust that is yellow and perhaps you could remove the rocks, put them in a collander and rinse off the dust. You'd only have to do it once, then your plants would be lovely again.

A:  Occasionally we do hear that our jars of Mosser Lee Marble Nuggets do have some dust on them. It comes from the manufacturing process. We recommend washing all of our stone soil covers before applying them to your project.