Rocks are not a good mulch for plants. The landscape fabric also is not helpful for plant health and growth. "Florida Friendly Landscaping" calls for the use of an organic mulch such as pine bark, pine nuggets, or pine needles. If you look at the Villages landscaping or houses that use an organic mulch you often see much healthier plants than you do in rock mulched yards. Rocks are also hot in the summer. Rocks are good for a mulch in Southwest USA and Mexico where it is dry and hot. Many of the plants in that area like a rock mulch as it keeps their leaves dry and this is important as they rot easily. (Think cactus, agave, yucca, etc..) Here in Florida a natural mulch is organic and feeds the plants as well as provides a cool root zone which you don't get from the rocks.
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