Free Garden Catalogs

how to separate rocks from garden soil?

i am cleaning out an old planting area where the previous owner had bushes and used red rocks for mulch. I am making it into a nice flower bed but am struggling with an easy way to separate the rocks from the soil (which is quite good). I plan to reuse the rocks, as much as possible, by adding to other areas where they are already in use. any ideas?

Public Comments

1. Nasty nasty dirty work that, you need a riddle. They look like big industrial strength kitchen seives. It takes ages though, and its dull, and theres always more rocks.
2. Build a screen box.
3. buy a strainer
4. you could bend over and pick them out........just think of it as a good exercise for your hips
5. A screen box is best, and the mesh is approx 3/8 to 1/2 inch for best results. I'll assume the rocks aren't that small in general. They can be used after the fact as a bed covering, like a mulch, or in ares where a French Drain might be needed. Frame with 2/4's as large or small as you feel is adequate, horseshoe nail the selected piece of screening to the frame, set in on blocks, saw horses, milk crates, use a bucket under, a wheel barrow under, or just let it sift to the ground. Rev. Steven