We put down red lava rock in a 4x30 bed last year instead of the annual red pine mulch that bleached out and burns up in the Florida sun. We completely removed the mulch, dug down about a foot and removed any weeds. Put down one of the most expensive landscaping cloths, not black plastic, as there were already plants in the bed. Black Edging and 3-4 inches of lava rock put down. Within 1 week there was St Augustine grass coming up thru the fabric and rock in the center of the 4 ft bed. The stuff is a nightmare to try and maintain. You’ll destroy the fingers of any garden gloves weekly. It DOES RETAIN HEAT and my plumerias lose leaves daily from being baked. It’s also breaking down, with no car or foot traffic in the bed and there’s almost an inch of red rock sand now trapping weed seeds also. We’re in the brutal heat/humidity part of the year right now. In a couple of months, we’re removing it all. Not sure what the replacement will be.

ok, i'm jealous. feldspar....hmmm, having a private moment here. there anyone in your area who is growing produce, flowers, alfalfa, anything on any kind of scale? that you could talk to, buy them a few cups of coffee, bring them some donuts, and learn what they say are the "tricks" to production in that area? because my experience has been...there are many people willing to tell you what they think, especially if they do not have to a) do the work or b) pay for it. and because of the nature of plants and growing them, just about anything you do is likely to at least not yield adverse results. if you've done stuff like this before, under different applications, give it a shot. try a small area, see how it goes. onecof my personal theories is, unless you know it's going to work, use a light hand. that way, even if the experiment is a complete and utter failure, you don't do something irreversible. off the top, i'd say you got a decent handle on your local conditions. still not sure why you got to complain about clay, but that's a personal issue, one they don't make medication for.

Quartz is inert. It may cause a sudden outbreak of diatoms (brown algae) because it is a silicate. Slate is inert as is Granite. When using slate, try to use Vermont Slate, the imports from Asia are very pretty but usually have alot of iron in them. Basalt is also good. Lava stone and/or Scoria is also good. I once bought some lava stones used for gas grills on clearance at Home depot in the early fall for about $2 for a 10lb. bag. Granite is nice and comes in a variety of colors from solid grey/blue(sometimes called bluestone) to white with black specs to pink and green. I use crushed granite from a Farm & Feed supply store (like Agway). It is a feed supplement for chickens and other birds. It is some times called Gran-I-Grits or Cix-grits. There are a few sizes so ask to see a sample of each before you buy it. I think the size I prefer is Grouper Grits, about 1.5-2.5mm. It is about $6 for a 50lb bag. If you are unsure of the rocks you are going to use you can test it with vinegar. Take a sample of the rock you want to use and put it in a small container like a tumbler sized glass. Pour enough white vinegar on it until the rock is completely covered (at least a 1/2 inch over it) Wait about 5 minutes. If bubbles start to come off the rock, like it was a carbonated soda drink, then the rock has alot of carbonates in it that will raise your pH. Limestone and Marble will do this. if you plan on using the sample in your aquarium i would soak it well with fresh water with a little baking soda then rinse it again with fresh water. Seashells will also raise pH quite a bit, they are pretty much 100% calcium carbonate. Same with any sand substrates that come from salt or brakish waters.

Violetwest..this is actually a COA, similiar to HOA only condos (though our units have a substantial front yard.).one of the first large scale over 55 communities built in 1964. It is a grassland and desert area. It has always had dirt with very hardy shrubs, cactus and trees as some owners are part time snowbirds only, and rocks lining yards and paths to help contain or slow down heavy rain run off. No irrigation allowed. About a year ago some owners started using this hard edged strong red rock in their "common area" yards and we were told it was their choice, their expense. But I"ve heard from man in charge of Landscaping they, the Board of Directors, are looking into using the rock more. I don;t know if they can force us to use it or not. I've never been in a COA. I"m sending a letter letting them know we prefer the "natural" ground floor and will never choose or promote t he red rock. I should post a picture...