Hi Rebecca and thanks for sharing your experience.
The reasoning im using with stones is: they absorb large amounts of heat and release it back to the air slower, keeping soil and surrounding air warmer at night. At the same time, the temperature difference condensates air moisture (if any) that then drips to the ground at the same time that this moist soil underneath is protected from sun heat and diseccation.
There is plenty of stone here but steep slope where the stones are, so it is high input to to gather them. Just wondering how thick layers are people using, and strategies that combine with this. E.g we are using sudan grass that is sown now and grows more around the stones.
I am also testing the sintropic agriculture approach, using log undermulching, superthick mulch of greens on in between wood lines, and extreme overstacking of plantings in time and space, realising it is best to have a small area well covered than a large one in stress. Now will try using cactuses for living mulch also, opuntia cladioles on top of most of the mulch as they release mucous moisture to greens and wood underneath.
Thanks and cheers
