When Should I Plant Ground Cover?

Where winters are cold, plant

in spring

; this will give the groundcover an entire season to become established before it must face the rigors of winter. In areas with hot, dry summers and mild winters, plant in fall; the winter rains will help get the plants off to a good start.

What is the fastest growing ground cover plant?

Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)

This low-lying ground cover plant produces flower blossoms in an array of outstanding colors. This particular species of ground cover plant is the fastest growing plant on this list, so it needs to be trimmed regularly, especially if you are using it along a pathway or as a border.

Does ground cover come back every year?

Not all areas of your yard are conducive to a grassy lawn—and that’s where ground cover comes in. … Hundreds of plants can be used as ground cover—including vines, grasses, plants with spectacular blooms, even low-growing shrubs—and they’re perennial, meaning

they come back every year from their roots.

How do you prepare for ground cover?

Before planting groundcovers,

remove any weeds or turf grasses

. If the area was in lawn previously use a sharp spade to remove the grass, roots and all. Then improve the soil by adding as much organic matter as possible (compost, rotted manure, shredded leaves).

How long does it take for ground cover to spread?

Spreading from stolons (underground stems), it will grow into a colony about 2 feet across

in a couple of years

. Not as aggressive as some, you may want to spread it around; that’s easy to do, just plunge your trowel into the earth and take a hunk (making sure that you have some of the roots).

What is a good ground cover to prevent weeds?

What ground cover will choke out weeds?

The Dragon’s blood sedum or Schorbuser Blut

is considered the most versatile and toughest ground cover that can choke out weeds. Similar to creeping jenny, this type of ground cover also has stems that easily root, so it’s fast to proliferate. A dragon blood sedum is an all year-round charmer.

What is the fastest growing ground cover for shade?

• Sweet Woodruff. Zones 5 to 8. …
• Bunchberry. Zones 2 to 7. …
• Goldenstar. Zones 5 to 8. …
• Trailing Periwinkle. Zones 4 to 8. …
• Creeping Thyme. Zones 4 to 9. …
• Yellow Alyssum. Zones 4 to 7. …
• Ice Plant. Zones 5 to 10. …
• Creeping Juniper. Zones 3 to 9.

Is creeping phlox easy to grow?

Learning how to plant and care for creeping phlox is quite simple.

The plant has an easy going nature

and thrives in a variety of conditions. Almost any soil is suitable for growing creeping phlox as long as it is in full sun to partial shade.

Is Mint a good ground cover?

Mint has been around and prized for centuries for its fresh scent and flavor. There are more than 600 mint varieties, some with an upright habit and some low growing mint more

suitable as groundcover

. … Because mint forms runners, it is an excellent plant for use in areas that need soil stabilization.

What is the cheapest ground cover?

• Creeping Periwinkle – $1.07 per plant.
• Walk-on-Me Thyme – $3.99 per plant.
• Moss Phlox – $4.59 per plant.
• Violets and Pansies – Seeds range from $0.95 to $2.95.
• Early Snow Glories – $2.40 per plant.

What ground cover can you walk on?

Choosing Groundcover That’s Walkable. Here are some good groundcovers you can walk on:

Thyme (Thymus sp.)

– Includes several walkable groundcovers such as woolly thyme, red creeping thyme, and mother-of-thyme.

Will creeping phlox take over grass?

Creeping Phlox is a hardy, dependable groundcover plant that is widely used in rock gardens, and to suppress weeds on hard-to-mow slopes. … There’s no way to kill lawn grasses in groundcover beds, and if it’s allowed to go to seed,

grass will ruin the phlox groundcover and you’ll have to start completely over

.

How can I make ground cover grow faster?

Though ground covers are tough, they’ll grow and spread more quickly if you prepare the planting area carefully. Dig out weeds,

amend the soil with compost or well-rotted manure

, and broadcast a complete fertilizer over the area (follow the package directions for amounts).

What should I plant on a steep slope ground cover?

Steep, sunny slopes are perfect for perennials such as daylilies, creeping phlox,

lamb’s ears

, stonecrop and a variety of ornamental grasses. A number of woody plants can also serve as good groundcovers, especially creeping juniper, fragrant sumac, bearberry, and Russian arborvitae.

How fast does blue star creeper grow?

Growing From Seed

Keep the container in a location where it receives partial sunlight, and keep the soil consistently moist until the seeds sprout. Blue star creeper seeds take anywhere from

7 to 15 days to sprout

so be patient!