Ground covers are a fine thing for gardeners: They promote good soil quality, are easy to care for and often a simple, unobtrusive ornament. Below you can find out which species are suitable for which purposes and when they should be planted.

Creeping spindle is one of the most popular ground covers

Ground cover - the advantages

Ground covers have - hence their name - the typical property of covering the ground generously. They enclose larger areas of earth with their leaves, branches and roots - and thus bring some positive effects with them. On the one hand, they loosen the soil, keep it moist and ensure humus-rich and vitalized soil. On the other hand, they protect the ground, especially the evergreen species, from overgrowth by weeds, from greater temperature fluctuations and from intense solar radiation.

The ground cover services at a glance:

  • loosen the soil
  • keep him wet
  • ensure humus-rich and living soil
  • shade the ground
  • keep weeds at bay

So why plant ground cover?

In principle, the planting of ground covers is a good idea wherever there should be no high, visible vegetation, but where there would otherwise be bare areas. They can also strengthen the soil in these places and protect it from severe weather conditions and soil erosion.

Ground covers are also a practical solution where you do not want to constantly weed, for example in the front yard or when planting graves.

A ground cover can also be used as a filling material in flower beds. Small, flat cushions between tall shrubs can have a varied and loosening effect.

Furthermore, ground covers can serve as underplanting for certain trees or shrubs that have a sensitive root system and do not like rough, manual tillage. A ground cover can keep weeds away in a gentle way, ensure growth-promoting soil life and often create a nice optical contrast to flowering stem trees.

Possible planting grounds for ground cover:

  • as a surface filler in areas that should remain unobstructed
  • as a floor fastener
  • as a convenient, natural weeder in the front yard
  • as a gap filler in flower beds
  • as root-protecting, weed-keeping and invigorating underplanting of stem trees

The best ground cover species for special planting grounds

For weed control

Evergreen ground covers are particularly suitable for keeping open areas in the front garden or on graves free of annoying weeds. Because only they form a closed carpet of plants in winter and prevent weeds from sprouting early in the year. Good weed inhibitors and their benefits are:

  • Evergreen - dense carpet of plants
  • Ysander - attractive leaf structure and frost hardy
  • Ivy - plain and hardy
  • Creeping Spindle - Thrives in sun and shade
  • Yellow Elf Flower - very tough root system, no chance for weeds

For decorative purposes

When groundcovers offer an attractive spectacle in addition to their practical purpose, two birds are killed with one stone.
Decorative types and their optical properties are:

  • Creeping spindle - with subtle, pink color accents in the foliage
  • Balkan Cranesbill - delicate, upright flowers
  • Carpet Goldberry - plump, shapely leaves, yolk-yellow flowers

As underplanting

Ground cover plants with a loose root system are particularly suitable for underplanting shrubs or trunks, which protect the ground under the tall plant without disturbing its roots.
Suitable varieties for this are:

  • Foamy flowers - dense, wide layer of leaves, but permeable root system - leaves enough space for rhododendrons, for example, to develop their roots
  • Spotted lungwort - sparse root system, covering the entire area, pretty contrasting ornament with spotted leaves

As a bed filling

Dense, robust cushion-forming ground covers are particularly suitable as gap fillers in beds. It is best to always plant them towards the front of the bed so that they are not covered by tall perennials. Also pay attention to a suitable structural change in the overall picture of the bed.
Good groundcover varieties for beds include:

  • Feather pads - can be totaled
  • Upholstery thyme - also relatively hard-wearing, scent blob in mainly odorless perennial beds

Planting ground cover - how and when

If you want to fill an area with a groundcover, how and when will depend on the location and what you intend to do with it.

If you just want to fill an otherwise bare area, you can buy easy-care varieties by the meter from specialist retailers. Depending on the growth rate of the variety, you need between 12 and 24 plants per square meter. If you want the plant cover to close quickly, it is better to calculate a little more than too little.

Point of time

It is best to plant ground cover in late summer. Because at this point in time, most of the weeds have exhausted themselves and are no longer growing as well. This makes it easier for you to settle the ground cover. At the same time, the ground cover still has enough time to establish itself in the soil before winter comes. Before planting, however, you should thoroughly remove all weeds and other plant debris. To make it easier for the ground cover to grow and thrive, you can add some mature compost to the substrate.

growth aids

Of course, while the ground cover is growing, it doesn’t have much to do against burgeoning weeds. However, hoeing in ground cover areas is generally taboo - it damages the densely branched root system, which is of course particularly sensitive in the young plant phase. A good solution to this problem is to cover the spaces between the plants with bark mulch. It keeps weeds away naturally and doesn't disturb the growth of the ground cover.

Category:

Vegetable garden