Question
I just moved to No. Virginia and am starting to plant shrubs and trees.  The soil is clay and some areas have lots of small rocks/pebbles.  I started using a screen on the removed soil to sift the soil to remove all the rocks, then used that to backfill.  My question is..Is this a good idea or not?  I dont know if this will change the soil composition to the extent that there will be too much of a difference in the structure of the soil between where I planted and the soil that I didnt work ??

Help...

thanks,
Viv

Answer
Hi Viv, I don't think it's necessary to remove the rock.  In clay soil, rock provides a pathway for roots to develop and rock holds heat better so soil warms up earlier in the spring and retains heat longer into the fall.  In areas you wnat to plant, loosen the soil, incorporate some organic matter, which increases the airspace and microbial activity, and benefit from the rocks. Jim