Ground covers are considered an easy-care greening solution for the lazy. A more targeted use of the creeping plant carpets can, however, require a little care work - not excluding occasional fertilizing.
Ground covers usually do not need fertilizer
When to fertilize ground covers
The ground covers are generally particularly popular for their uncomplicated nature. Most varieties require little care due to their vigor and robustness. In addition, they are voluntary weed killers on larger areas, improve the soil quality through continuous moisture and nutrient supply with their flat root system and harmonize the garden image with their even plant cover.
Basically, the following applies to ground cover:
- need little maintenance
- thrive largely self-sufficient
- also regulate their immediate vegetative environment
All these properties actually speak against fertilization. On the contrary, excessive stimulation of growth can lead to faster but structurally weak development and also to damage.
The more demanding groundcover culture
The cultivation of a ground cover behaves somewhat differently if it is used specifically for ornamental purposes. For example in carefully arranged beds with alternating tall and low plants, in decorative rock gardens or in artistic pattern plantings on graves. Here, ground covers have to look neat and should be cared for accordingly.
Moderate fertilization with a lot of pruning
Especially if you place small, precisely delimited cushions of ground cover between other plants as deliberate structural elements, you should regularly compact them and keep them in shape by trimming the surface and edges. Depending on how fine the contours should be in order to fit into the overall picture of the garden, this can be done about four times a year.
In this case, however, you should give the ground cover a little help with fertilizer. Because constant cutting can weaken it. Nevertheless, the fertilizer application should be done in moderation and only the main vegetation phase should last from summer to mid-autumn. In order to avoid over-fertilization, it is advisable to give the ground cover a permanent fertilizer in early spring, preferably in the form of organic fertilizer such as compost or horn shavings.(32.93€)
But you should also refrain from artificial fertilizers when fertilizing during the growth phase. They aim too much for rapid growth, which can well burn the groundcover. In addition, the effect of artificial fertilizers lasts only briefly. If the ground cover is a little badly damaged by excessive cutting, you can also give it a moderate amount of universal liquid fertilizer.