[TychoMonolyth]

Amazon...
About $20 for 3lbs of crystals.

Evaporation is the least of your watering worries. Crystals only release the water when the earth needs it. 3-4 inches below ground is where you need it most.

[h.h.]

Voles love plastic cover. It makes a great roof.
Depending on size, flat rocks can be the same.
Pea gravel will cave in on them, help keep things moist, and it ain't plastic. Breathes better.
Depending on area, a soil sifter may produce enough small stones.

[bilko]

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[kokomarin]

I do mulcing with kompost,thick straw,stones,.
you can see in ghs,nh-fem,paige4 my pic from season 2015.
big stones against wind and wild pigs .

[troutman]

Use fallen leaves or wild grasses instead.

They are natural and will enrich the soil.

Don't pollute wild environments please.

[Mtn. Nectar]

I would look at my soils and prep for better h2o retention within hole then apply non fungal/algae native mulch for top dressing.........

plastic......plastic.....sound s like Jim Mora's response to Super Bowl.......

ganj on......

[TychoMonolyth]

The minute I can get out in the spring, I'm digging holes with my auger and getting super soil in them.

[baduy]

Originally Posted by troutman

Use fallen leaves or wild grasses instead.

They are natural and will enrich the soil.

Don't pollute wild environments please.

Originally Posted by Mtn. Nectar

I would look at my soils and prep for better h2o retention within hole then apply non fungal/algae native mulch for top dressing.........

plastic......plastic.....sound s like Jim Mora's response to Super Bowl.......

ganj on......

I appreciate people being concerned and warning about plastic waste. As I previously said that's not really the issue on the spot I'm thinking of, a long time abandoned house and elders in my area couldn't care less about ecology so the place is basicaly a big waste-yard. That's great to deter humans but proved itself tricky for working (gloves mandatory because of broken glass everywhere) It appears there is a big stock of partially degraded plastic liner in the barn and was thinking they could serve as a replacement for flat stones if under a thick mulch as I a am very enthousiast about the combo flat stones+thick mulch in arid ecosystem, never had problems with voles, I'm more concerned about boars. Appart from that I use buried plastc bottles (which I take back later on of course )around the hole for watering,replace the cap when full and it gives me a slow watering 10 inch deep.
About water crystals I know they work great but last time I looked they were approved for ornemental plants but not for edibles yet, another side of them is I would like to know more about the kinds of modifications soil could possibly get after degradation.
My soil is a mix of native soil, old leaves compost, home made biochar and a little manure. Last year I've been lazy about collecting leaves, I had a punctured japanese tatami which I cut in 2 pieces and brought there, If someone asked I'd just be a zen master who brought material for practicing his art in the woods it's amazing how much rice straw you get from a half real Japanese tatami.
regards

[baduy]

F*** it! Just bought some water crystals. First time in years I buy an industrial product for my guerilla, kind of a failure but I won't be able to haul the amount of water needed if not.

[TychoMonolyth]

Originally Posted by baduy

F*** it! Just bought some water crystals. First time in years I buy an industrial product for my guerilla, kind of a failure but I won't be able to haul the amount of water needed if not.

Nothing wrong with it.