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Low Maintenance Ground Cover

Low Maintenance Ground Cover

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Low Maintenance Ground Cover

An evergreen perennial, heuchera is known for its vibrant foliage, which ranges in color from silver to green to brown. The large, veined, heart-shaped leaves have a spread of 18-24 inches, and most varieties bloom in late spring with small pink flowers. When planted in groups, heuchera works well as a ground cover or along garden edging. The plant prefers partial shade or full sun and well-draining moist soil. What’s more, it requires relatively little maintenance, and it resists deer and other critters. Available at Burpee.com; $14.95 for one plant.As a gardener, there are a few ground cover plants that always make my back-to-school list. They go in and maintain themselves but are still pretty enough to be noticed. And they low maintenance too.

Plant

When you buy Centaurea montana 'Amethyst in Snow', you may be thinking of it as an upright perennial plant with attractive flowers. What plant labels typically fail to mention is that, under the right growing conditions, 'Amethyst in Snow' makes a flowering ground cover that will spread nicely. When grown as a ground cover, it is an easy-care plant that requires little maintenance.To make sure your ground covers get the job done (ya know, dressing up your landscape), follow the instructions on their plant care tag to give them the right conditions. FYI: Full sun means an area gets 6+ hours of direct sunlight per day, part sun is anywhere from 3 to 6 hours of direct sunlight, and full shade is up to 3 hours of sun.

If you're planting a shrub or perennial that you want to last from one year to the next, make sure it's suited according to your USDA Hardiness Zone (find yours here). And remember that although these ground cover plants are extremely tolerant, they still need to be watered during dry spells for the first year or two until their root systems are well-established.First, it is important to identify what sort of area you would like to cover because choosing the right plant for the right spot is key. Work out whether the area is mainly in sun or shade, and if the soil is damp or dry. Find out if your area has acid or alkaline soil, as in some cases, this can make the difference between a strong, healthy plant colonizing the space or a failing one that grows weakly and soon fizzles out. Once these few simple questions have been answered, it’s time to work out what will grow best with the least possible effort required. (Source: www.gardeningetc.com)

 

 

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