Tired of that area that won't grow anything? Ground Cover is the Answer

Ground covers are low-growing plants; usually less than 12 inches tall, that spread to form dense mats which bind and hold the soil in place. Many also have a season of effective bloom. Turf grass is the most common ground cover. However, sites that are less suitable for turf grass, such as slopes, steep banks, and shaded areas, can often grow other ground covers successfully..

A well-established ground cover generally requires much less maintenance than the typical turf grass lawn. Ground covers are not totally maintenance-free, nor will they always tolerate conditions that will not support a turf.

There are many ways of trying to control weeds. We can remove them by hoeing them out or by burning them with a flame gun! We can try to prevent them growing by putting down mulches. Each of these methods has their advantages and disadvantages and each has situations where they are applicable. In this column we will look at another method of controlling weeds - by growing carefully selected plants that can spread to cover the ground and that will out-compete the weeds

Its primary advantages include:

1. By covering the ground with a carpet of vegetation it prevents the germination of weed seeds.

2. When established, it prevents the ingress of perennial weeds.

3. It protects the soil from erosion and water loss. This can be particularly useful on steep slopes.

4. It acts as an insulating cover for the soil, keeping it cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

5. It is living mulch that helps to build up humus levels in the soil.

Selecting a Ground Cover

When deciding which ground cover to plant, consider the plant's height, spread, blooming period, seasonal foliage color, texture, drought tolerance, and whether it is deciduous or evergreen and light condition. The planting site also will affect your choice because each ground cover has specific requirements.

Preparing the Soil

A soil test* will indicate the site's fertility and pH. Most ground covers prefer a slightly acid to neutral soil (between pH 6.0 and 7.0). If the soil is low in nitrogen, incorporate enough 1:2:0 or 1:2:1 fertilizer to apply 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet, or about 30 to 40 pounds of 5-10-5 per 1,000 square feet. Applying highly available phosphorus as a starter fertilizer is beneficial for root initiation and plant establishment.

Many ground covers develop crown rot in heavy clay soils that don't drain well. Adding coarse organic matter, such as composted or aged manure, peat moss, landscaping mix or compost can improve the drainage of heavy clay soils and increase the water-holding capacity of light sandy soils. Roto-till or spade the soil to a 6-inch depth and thoroughly incorporate the organic matter at a rate of two to three bushels per 100 square feet.

Soil preparation can cause serious erosion on steep slopes. Working the soil across the slopes in 12- to 24-inch wide bands alternated with undisturbed soil will help reduce erosion. Mulching the slope with a fiber mat will further reduce erosion while conserving moisture and reducing weed competition.

Planting

Ground covers should be planted in the spring or fall. However containerized stock can be planted anytime during the growing season if proper planting and maintenance procedures are followed.

The number of plants needed depends on the spacing of the individual plants their rate of growth and how fast you want the space to fill in. You may want to densely plant a small, highly visible area for rapid fill, but a large area may require sparser planting, with several years being allowed for covering the site.

To estimate the number of plants needed, first determine the size of the site in square feet. Considering the average width of the species and the spacing of individual plants, use Table below to calculate the approximate number of plants you will need.

Planting space required per number of plants.
Space between plants in inches using 50 plants.

4" between plants 7 sq. ft.

6" between plants 16 sq. ft.

8" between plants 28 sq. ft.

12" between plants 64 sq ft.

Ground covers can be planted in either straight or staggered rows. Staggered rows help reduce erosion on slopes by retaining run-off.

Watering

Water new plantings thoroughly and regularly until the roots become established. Once established, water as needed for the ground cover you've selected--each type has different requirements--but apply at least 1 inch of water at each watering to moisten the entire root zone. Applying less water results in a shallow root system which makes the planting more susceptible to drought injury.

Controlling Weeds

Control weeds to enable the newly planted ground cover to form a dense mat. When properly established, ground covers can successfully compete with weeds. Hand weeding is effective, but can be time consuming. Mulching is a practical way to reduce weeds. Nonaggressive annual flowers can be used to fill in spaces in a new planting. They help shade out weeds but do not inhibit the spreading growth of the ground cover. Be sure to provide enough moisture for both plant types so competition is not a problem.

Pre emergent herbicides can be used to control weeds in large plantings. Dacthal, Treflan, and Dymid can be used on most ground covers, but always check the label for specific information on the particular plant.

Mulching

Mulching serves many purposes in a ground cover planting. Two to four inches of mulch around the plants helps control weeds, maintains a more constant soil temperature, conserves soil moisture and reduces erosion on slopes. One thing to remember when mulching newly planted ground cover is your mulch will reduce or eliminate most of your weeding however it will also prohibit the spreading of your ground cover (usually set that back by about one half to a full growing season) Mulching helps to protect plants from winter injury resulting from uneven soil temperatures and soil heaving. Most evergreen ground covers need protection from winter desiccation (drying). I generally always prefer a shredded Cedar or shredded Cypress mulch, it's the most expensive but they are the only ones that do not float and do the best job retaining moisture around your plants.

Question: Jimmie, I know this might sound elementary to you but what exactly is Hardscape?

Thank you so much for all your columns, I have learned so much.

Cristina L. in Prosper

 

Answer: Hi Cristina, please don’t feel bad about not understanding a landscaping term you're not familiar with. Hardscape, or "hardscaping" refers to the inanimate (i.e., non-living) elements of a landscape. This includes elements made from wood, even though wood was once animating (in the form of trees). Living plants, by contrast, constitute the "softscape." In particular, as the name implies, "hardscape" refers to hard elements such as those composed of concrete, brick or stone, in addition to wood. For instance, constructing a patio or deck is a hardscape project, as is a brick walkway, a stone wall, or a wooden fence. But hardscape goes beyond large-scale projects such as these. Any non-living ornamentation in your landscaping is, technically, part of the hardscape.

Until next time…….Happy Gardening!

Jimmie

 

Send your landscaping and gardening questions to Jimmie Gibson Jr. at http://www.absolutelybushedlandscaping.com or in care of the Prosper Press at  rwilliams@prosperpressnews.com Jimmie is the owner of Absolutely Bushed Landscaping Company. He is a resident in Prosper. His landscaping and gardening column runs every other week in the Prosper Press.

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