Groundcovers - Day 9: 21 Days of Garden Fatigue

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A garden without groundcovers is like a house without floor coverings. Apart from lawn they're the carpet of our garden beds, filling voids that other plants would too easily dominate or fail.

In my garden I have quite a few groundcovers; dichondra, Creeping Jenny, prostate lantana, chamomile and creeping thyme to name a few. The beauty of growing groundcovers is their willingness to fill spaces, keep weeds at bay and give another dimension to your garden.

However, like all plants they're susceptible to garden fatigue and need to be maintained. Read on for more info....

Consistent Climate as groundcovers have the ability to grow over larger areas than their vertical cousins they have the ability to spread from full-sun to shaded areas or vice versa. With some groundcovers this can cause burning or even rot. It's most probably related to the sun's movement in the sky during the different seasons and can only be rectified by removing the plant from the area it's struggling in. This will then give you the opportunity to grow something else that can tolerate the different micro-climate.
They Require More Fertiliser groundcovers have a more shallow root system than most plants and a greater number also. Therefore, they rely on the availability of fertilisers and will take nutrients from competing plants to the detriment of the other plant. Use liquid fertlisers which can be readily absorbed by the groundcover through its leaves and slow-release fertilisers for their close neighbours.
Pruning some groundcovers require pruning as they can be prone to becoming leggy. If this is the case, prune by about 1/3 after the flowering season or during their dormant period.

Posted by Stuart on January 11, 2006 6:12 AM | Permalink | Check to Subscribe to this Comment:

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