best succulent groundcover?
sjpoolowner
13 years ago
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ilikemud_2007
13 years agosjpoolowner
13 years agoRelated Discussions
What's the best groundcover for...
Comments (5)I lived in Atlanta for many years. Ivy is king of large scale evergreen groundcovers there. I had it in two yards... where the ivy portions were approx 1/4 acre each. I cannot say enough good about it and think that it is one of the best, most useful plants ever to come along. Used in the correct place and managed properly, it's a dream. Used in the wrong place or mismanaged, it's a nightmare. Also, you can't allow it to grow on a building structure so that's a consideration. Your small area is too small for ivy. Your larger area too small to borderline. (Not that you can't do it. Just that it will probably require more edging.) However, and there's not data on this so you'd have to experiment, I did see Ryan Gainey using florist type fancy-leaved ivy in small locations and getting away with it. It's diminutive and seems to be less aggressive. It was very good looking. But then, Ryan Gainey could make a dog turd look delicious. There are many variegated and curly-leaved ivies. (A person would want to use a matching variety throughout.) One more reason to like ivy is because it's basically free. It's so easy to root cuttings. (This is how I got my 2nd quarter acre of it!) Whether it was the heat and humidity I don't know, but early on while living in Atlanta I planted a slope behind my house (approx. 40' x 9' in medium shade) with Vinca minor. Even with good care, it languished and petered out. I replanted the whole area and got the same result again. The stems rotted at the crown so I believe the problem to be fungal. After two years of trying, I changed it to ivy and couldn't have been more satisfied with the results. Using a sharp flat spade (like a knife) ivy can be edged fairly quickly. I only had to hand trim (with hand pruners the 10' side where it abutted a building. About twice per summer so, I thought, much easier than cutting grass. If one gets lazy, the edge of ivy can be slowed greatly with Round-up. I you spray and then cut the following week, what grows back is much less vigorous. And this is true for all groundcovers, if one allows weeds to infest them, they will look like crap. Groundcovers must be maintained free of weeds. I've seen lots of English Ivy in my time and I've never seen it look ratty, except where weeds were allowed into it. But this is hardly the fault of the ivy. Ivy grows at uniform height and covers without bald spots. It takes sun or shade. However, in full sun, it will need additional nitrogen to insure that it doesn't develop a yellowish cast....See MoreWhat is the name of this succulent groundcover?
Comments (1)Yes it spreads very fast lol Sedum 'Sarmentosum'...See MoreBest groundcover?
Comments (2)Strawberries? Alpine strawberries? Mixed perennial herbs? - sage, thyme, prostrate rosemary, hyssop, chives, oregano, sorrel... Parsley isn't perennial so you'd have to resow every year....See MoreBest groundcover option
Comments (3)Clovers need sun. The lowest maintenance-type plants are evergreen - look at Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis), periwinkle (Vinca minor), dead nettle (Lamium maculatum) or many types of epimediums, referred to above....See MoreUser
13 years agodeep___roots
13 years agosjpoolowner
13 years agoparacelsus
13 years agosjpoolowner
13 years agobamarston_yahoo_com
12 years agohanzrobo
12 years agoBeachplants
12 years ago
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