social

Choosing the Right Groundcover

April 14, 2008

I have a medium sized hill that has a maple tree in the middle. The dirt on the hill is very poor - full of gravel, rocks, and bad dirt. I am looking for a ground cover that will cover quickly and fill this area. Any suggestions?

Advertisement



Hardiness Zone: 7a

Peggy from Springboro, OH

Answers


Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 239 Feedbacks
April 14, 20080 found this helpful

We use Vinca on slopes like this and it's worked out well. It is a vine with purple flowers in the spring and all you have to do is stick it in the ground. It's very easy to grow.

 

Gold Feedback Medal for All Time! 690 Feedbacks
April 14, 20080 found this helpful

Any good nursery should be able to help you. A good one will test your soil if you bring them a sample.

 
April 17, 20080 found this helpful

We use vinca, we have red clay soil and it grows there. Plus we get snow and it makes it through. Plus the deer don't eat it.

 
By Carol in PA (Guest Post)
April 18, 20080 found this helpful

Most groundcovers are pretty hardy. I would say this is true of the most popular varieties. Most people use them for a similar situation as the one you've described.

Advertisement

I like English ivy. It grows in shady areas like under trees and on slopes. You can even walk on it if you like without damaging it.

I also grow vinca Beacon Silver which has silver and green leaves. It flourishes in my poor soil. I never water my plants or do anything to help them grow. It gets pink flowers in the spring, but also reblooms.

There are two other groundcovers that have a similar look. One is called pinks and the other is called phlox (groundcover phlox). Pinks are related to carnations and require an alkaline soil. The groundcover variety of phlox is an entirely different plant although they look very similar. My soil is acidic and I can grow phlox here. Both bloom in the spring and I believe both can be mown over if desired. The phlox might rebloom if you mow over it or cut it down, but I dont think pinks will do that for you.

Advertisement

If the area is sunny, I recommend groundcover sedum. There are many varieties and you can plant several of them there. All are hardy.

Good luck.

 
By Carol in PA (Guest Post)
April 18, 20080 found this helpful

After sending my previous posting, I realized I had only suggested low growing groundcovers. The ones in my previous post only grow 4 to 6" tall. There are many other plants that are considered groundcovers that grow taller. They are more like 12 to 18" tall. One that comes to mind is Lady's Mantle. Lady's Mantle self seeds and soon covers a large area. Another plant that comes to mind is the daylily. Both of these plants are quite hardy and grow in my partly shady acidic soil.

Good luck.

 
Answer this Question


Gold Post Medal for All Time! 858 Posts
February 24, 2011

Once established, groundcovers offer an effective means to suppress weeds, stabilize soil, and fill in the space around individual plants. There are species for every landscaping dilemma....

 
Read More...

November 23, 2011

Groundcovers are useful for covering large areas in the landscape. They can also be useful for solving specific landscaping problems, like replacing grass in shady locations, providing erosion control on steep slopes, and providing cover in spaces where it's difficult to mow.

Up close photo of groundcover.

Read More...

November 2, 2011

I have 2 suggestions. Pachysandra is great for covering the area around a tree where, because of shade or shallow tree roots, grass is difficult to grow. Like all ground covers, it fills in nicely after a year or three, while still being easy to control.

 
Read More...
<< First< Previous
Categories
Home and Garden Gardening LandscapingAugust 19, 2011
Pages
More
🌻
Gardening
🐰
Easter Ideas!
👒
Mother's Day Ideas!
Facebook
Pinterest
YouTube
Instagram
Categories
Better LivingBudget & FinanceBusiness and LegalComputersConsumer AdviceCoronavirusCraftsEducationEntertainmentFood and RecipesHealth & BeautyHolidays and PartiesHome and GardenMake Your OwnOrganizingParentingPetsPhotosTravel and RecreationWeddings
Published by ThriftyFun.
Desktop Page | View Mobile
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
Generated 2024-03-29 09:02:25 in 3 secs. ⛅️️
© 1997-2024 by Cumuli, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
https://www.thriftyfun.com/tf/Gardening/Landscaping/Choosing-the-Right-Groundcover.html