Weeds are usually controlled only after they have already spread. However, removal is a never-ending cycle. To nip the troublemakers in the bud (literally), you can take preventive measures - and plant decorative as well as bee-friendly ground covers.
Even though the name suggests that groundcovers are only planted at ground level, the natural weed fighters are versatile: whether in a perennial bed, along a stone wall, or between paving joints - the dense plant covers can grow anywhere. They will fill in bare spots, preventing wild weeds from sprouting in the first place. Best of all, groundcovers are not only practical, as many varieties are hardy and evergreen, but also beautiful to look at. Especially if you choose flowering perennials, shrubs, or climbers. Learn about plant carpets that are equally suitable for gardens and patios.
These groundcovers help keep weeds at bay:
Blue or Pink Carpet Phlox
The plants develop into a beautiful (often pink) carpet of blooms during the spring - right into June. After that, the natural weed killer remains evergreen, making it a beautiful sight all year round. It's also good to know that the ground cover is drought-resistant and hardy, making it a low-maintenance and undemanding plant. In addition, it prefers a sunny to semi-shady spot in order to achieve - literally meaning - its full bloom.
Hardy Ivy
Ivy is known for its tenacity - making it an ideal ground cover against weeds. The hardy and evergreen climbing plant is particularly easy to care for. So you don't have to do anything but watch the sturdy ivy develop into an impenetrable carpet of plants with its adhesive roots. The ground cover is also pretty uncomplicated when it comes to location: a shady spot will do. It is also good to know that after a few years, the ivy begins to form umbel-shaped flowers in late summer. These, in turn, serve as a source of food for bees and insects.
Ground Cover Thyme
Groundcover thyme - Thymus serpyllum - also called Sand Thyme is an evergreen, ground-covering semi-shrub with a growth height of 5 to 10 inches. The branches are heavily branched to form beautiful, dense cushions. The fragrance of the flowers & the evergreen leaves is impressive. The ground cover thyme is hardy. With its beautiful floral bloom, it is ideal as an underplanting for taller perennials, or as a groundcover in the rock garden & perennial bed. Thyme's fresh or dried leaves can also be used for cooking.
Small-leaved evergreen groundcover thyme blooms from June to August and loves a sunny location with well-drained soil in the garden. Hardy perennials, this groundcover is low maintenance and has low water requirements.
Goldmoss Stonecrop
Goldmoss Stonecrop - Sedum Acre - the name says it all: the small plant likes to grow on rocks, in joints, or on the dry stone wall. It is satisfied with few nutrients, prefers a sunny location, and is drought resistant. The tiny perennial grows just five to ten centimeters high and is also suitable as a ground cover. Wall pepper can be planted all year round and captivates from June to July with yellow flowers that are insect-friendly. The wall plant is hardy and evergreen - so it visually enhances the dry stone wall even in the cold season.
Basket of Gold
Basket of Gold - Alyssum saxatile - Early blooming begins in April and is both a treat for the eyes and for insects in search of food. Although the bloom is short-lived, the rockweed is evergreen and hardy. It can be planted all year round and reaches a height of about 20 centimeters. The fragrant plant thrives best in sunny locations. It is essential that you avoid waterlogging.
Planting ground cover - this is what you need to consider.
If you decide to use a ground cover against weeds, you should follow the following steps in advance: Root weeds have a bad habit of spreading rapidly in the soil, even if only tiny remnants of them are still in the soil. Therefore, it is advisable to sift the soil before planting. This way, you can be confident that you haven't missed any roots. To be on the safe side, you should cover the soil with some compost and wait for a while to see if the weeds start sprouting again. If it does, you can remove the remains before planting the ground cover.
If you want to create an impenetrable carpet of flowers in a short time, you should choose the smallest possible distances between individual plants. This is because the greater the spacing, the longer it will take for the ground cover to spread over the entire area - and thus for weeds to stop growing back. As long as this is not the case, the undesirable weeds will naturally continue to grow and must be weeded again regularly. However, it is important here that you adhere to the recommended number of pieces per square meter, which the appropriate nursery will give you.
When planting ground covers, keep in mind that it takes time for them to grow together into an area-wide carpet of flowers. By the time they do, pesky weeds have an easy time of it - accordingly, it may make sense to put the plants in the ground as early as fall. This gives them more time to spread their roots and cover all the areas where the unloved wild weeds normally spread by next spring. This head start is helpful, but not necessary.
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