Do I need stones?

[mrbadexample]

Hello all.

Do I need stones in my soil?

I'm currently digging a pond. Whilst doing so, I've sieved a fair quantity of the extracted soil to fill some tubs in which to grow carrots and parsnips. Actually, I've ended up filling 9 recycling bins (not wheelie bins, the smaller rectangular ones) which I will use to grow things in this year before chucking the soil onto the raised beds. I've done this so that I do not unnecessarily throw away perfectly good topsoil, & reduce the number of trips to the tip etc.

Obviously, for nice carrots and parsnips I want stone-free soil. But what about other veg? Is there any reason why I couldn't (apart from the fact it'd be a right royal pain in the arris) sieve all the soil in my raised beds and remove all the stones? Would that be beneficial, or would it detract from the overall soil structure? Are they, for example, beneficial for drainage? Are small stones good and big stones bad?

C'mon, tell me all there is to know about stones please!

Cheers,
MBE

[binley100]

Well , I would think a certain number of stones would be useful for drainage but not great big rocks . Anyway it doesn't seem to matter how many stones you rake off your beds as soon as it rains there seems to be more ......bit like worms leave little piles of them at the ends of the beds as hiding places for beetles ......

[SarrissUK]

Use them for your paths or areas of your plot that is damper than they should be. Even stones have a use

[Peas'n'Kews]

The OH religiously riddled our 4 raised beds. We used the stones for paths which is great, because the stones are now coming back in the raised beds! They come to the surface eventually (like lumps in your pastry mix).

But at least with the stone paths I can chuck the bigger ones straight onto the path!

Veg and stuff don't really have a problem with stones, but hoe-ers do!

[Aberdeenplotter]

Stones also help moderate the soil temperature. They heat up during the day and release the heat overnight. During the very hot weather, the stones will absorb heat from the soil thereby cooling it down. Natural heat exchangers

[Bigmallly]

Ideal for mulching round plants that don't like heat on their roots eg Clematis.

[Two_Sheds]

Do I need stones ...?

I'm impressed that we're (nearly) all mature enough not to laugh at that

[Feral007]

Actually I'm matocking large weeds out of my paddocks. All the best weeds (if that is not an oxymoron) are attached to a rock of some sort with their roots. I was seriously wondering what it was all about! Really doesn't do your back any good when you're hitting rocks for two hours or more. But then reading some natural farming stuff it is apparent that plants need rock dusts etc and usually find a rock that will provide what it needs. I'm not planning on sieving my paddocks but I can see that plants will find what they need so maybe some rock is a good thing unless you're growing root vege's and don't want bent carrots!

[veggiechicken]

I'm impressed that we're (nearly) all mature enough not to laugh at that

As usual, I couldn't think of anything sensible to say so, for once, kept quiet. But you, 2S, are incorrigible!
At least there wasn't a video

[mrbadexample]

At least there wasn't a video

Oh, there can be if you like.

[veggiechicken]

I'll use my imagination instead

[mrbadexample]

I'm impressed that we're (nearly) all mature enough not to laugh at that

2S, I can't believe you've lowered the tone of my thread like that. <smirk>

[mrbadexample]

I'll use my imagination instead

That's probably for the best.

[Two_Sheds]

2S, I can't believe you've lowered the tone of my thread like that. <smirk>

It's suppressed silliness: I have to keep sensible during term time and *frown at things like that. Holidays, they just pop out of my head onto the keypad

[mrbadexample]

It's suppressed silliness: I have to keep sensible during term time and *frown at things like that. Holidays, they just pop out of my head onto the keypad

Oh, now I understand. So, what's your take on amorphous petrological specimens in the soil then eh?

So far (apart from handy alternative uses), all I've got is heat exchange. What happens to soil without them then?