PREPARING
THE SITE:
The preparation necessary to grow healthy ground covers has a lot
to do with the plants you choose. Plants adapted to your area's
soil, temperatures, and rainfall require less preparation and less
long-term care. The plants mentioned above are widely used, but
it's wise to ask knowledgeable staff at a nursery about plants well
suited for local conditions. Where
many small plants are needed, prepare the site as you would for
a new lawn or garden bed. Dig the soil to a spade's depth (6-8 inches),
working in several inches of compost, rotted manure, or peat moss
to improve tilth and long-term fertility. Rake out or break up large
clods. If you're unsure of the soil's fertility, add 1-12 to 2 lb.
of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 100 sq. ft. (Your local Cooperative Extension
agent can tell you about soil testing for more precise judgment
of soil fertility.)
It
can be more efficient to prepare individual planting holes for large
ground-cover plants. Make the hole slightly larger than the plant's
root ball (the soil and roots in the container). If you're planting
into native soil or around a new house, you may wish to work manure
or other amendments into the bottom of the hole and the surrounding
soil.
Weeds
are the major enemy of ground covers. You can remove most large
weeds (and sod) as you dig, but disturbing the soil will activate
dormant seeds. If possible, wait several weeks and remove newly
germinated weed seedlings. Another method is to apply a nonspecific
herbicide, which will kill all plants it touches. If you want to
avoid toxic chemicals, you can smother weeds and turf by spreading
a layer of black plastic over the site for several weeks in the
heat of summer.
STARTING
FROM SEEDS:
A variety of ground covers can be purchased as plants from a nursery
or garden center, but where many plants are required, it can be
much less expensive to start them from seeds. Annuals are frequently
grown from seeds; many perennials, however,
must be purchased as plants, because seed-grown plants may not reproduce
the desired characteristics. Seeds are also impractical for growing
most shrubs.
Direct
seeding-
Numerous annual and some perennial ground covers can be sown outdoors
where they are to grow (some plants do best when direct sown). This
method is useful where many small plants are required to cover an
area. Seed packets are dependable sources of basic information on
planting-when, how deep, how long until germination.
Sow
the seeds evenly onto previously prepared soil, water them thoroughly,
and keep them moist until germination. A layer of straw or a covering
of light horticultural fabric can help conserve moisture. When the
plants are large enough to work with, thin to the recommended spacing
and continue to water regularly (do so even for drought-tolerant
plants) until growth is well established. For perennials, this extra
attention may be needed throughout the first season.
