Are you tired of battling with grass that is overtaking your ground cover and ruining the look of your garden?
You’re not alone. Grass can be difficult to eradicate once it takes hold, but there are several methods you can try to get rid of it.
From pulling it out by hand to using selective herbicides, there are options for every gardener. But what about ground cover?
Does it have the power to kill grass and prevent it from coming back?
In this article, we’ll explore the relationship between ground cover and grass and whether or not ground cover can be an effective solution for keeping your garden weed-free.
Does Ground Cover Kill Grass
Ground cover can be a great way to keep weeds at bay and add some visual interest to your garden. But does it have the power to kill grass?
The short answer is no, ground cover alone cannot kill grass. However, it can help prevent grass from growing by creating a dense mat that shades the soil and makes it difficult for grass to take root.
That being said, if grass has already taken hold in your ground cover, you’ll need to take additional steps to get rid of it.
Understanding The Relationship Between Ground Cover And Grass
While ground cover and grass can coexist in a garden, it’s important to understand their relationship and how they can affect each other.
Grass is a popular choice for lawns and provides a uniform green carpet that is easy to maintain. However, grass can be difficult to grow in certain areas, such as on steep slopes, under trees or in areas with poor soil quality. This is where ground cover comes in. Ground cover plants are low-growing and spread quickly to create a dense cover that can help prevent soil erosion and weed growth.
When ground cover is planted in an area where grass is struggling to grow, it can actually help improve the health of the grass by providing shade and retaining moisture in the soil. This can lead to a healthier, more vibrant lawn. On the other hand, if ground cover is planted too close to an established lawn, it can compete with the grass for nutrients and water.
It’s also important to note that certain types of ground cover, such as creeping thyme or creeping phlox, can be invasive and may overtake an existing lawn if not properly managed. It’s important to choose non-invasive ground cover plants that are well-suited for the specific conditions of your garden.
Types Of Ground Cover That Can Help Control Grass Growth
There are several types of ground cover that can help control grass growth in your garden. One option is creeping thyme, which is a low-growing plant that forms a dense mat of foliage. This plant releases a fragrant aroma when stepped on and produces small pink, purple or white flowers in the summer.
Another option is creeping phlox, which is a hardy plant that produces a carpet of color in the spring. This plant has small, star-shaped flowers in shades of pink, purple, blue and white. It also has the added benefit of being deer-resistant.
Bugleweed is another ground cover plant that can help control grass growth. It produces runners that creep along the surface of the ground, creating a dense mat of foliage. This plant is low-maintenance and produces blue, purple or white flowers in the spring and summer.
Finally, sedum is a succulent ground cover that can help control grass growth. This plant has thick leaves and produces star-shaped flowers in shades of pink, red, yellow and white. It’s also drought-tolerant and requires very little maintenance.
How To Successfully Plant Ground Cover To Prevent Grass Overgrowth
If you want to prevent grass from overgrowing in your ground cover, there are a few steps you can take to ensure success.
First, water the ground cover planting thoroughly a day or two before addressing the unwanted grass. This will make the soil easier to work with, and herbicides are more effective on plants that are not under drought stress.
If you’re starting a new garden in a space with grass or other vegetation, there are two approaches to using solarization and occultation. The first is to till the soil first, and then add the tarp to suppress weed seeds brought to the surface through tillage as well as remaining grass. The second is to use the tarp to kill the grass. Mow the grass as short as possible before adding your tarp. Tilling prior to solarizing or using occultation will speed up the process and can have the added benefit of aerating soil that has been compacted.
Once you’ve prepared your soil, it’s time to add your ground cover. Use mulch (shredded leaves, brown cardboard, straw, or wood chips) to cover the soil around your plants. This covering blocks weed seeds from sunlight so they don’t germinate, inhibits growth underneath itself, and retains moisture. Mulch also provides needed nutrients as it decomposes over time, and moderates soil temperatures. Cover the soil between your plants and along rows with a layer of mulch to prevent weeds from growing. We recommend a layer that’s at least one inch thick.
Keep the mulch a few inches from the base of your plants to discourage insect invasions and prevent rot, too. While organic mulch such as straw is preferred, there are also inorganic mulches including black plastic and landscaping fabric that can be used.
If you’re looking for a grass replacement in lawns, green carpet rupturewort is sometimes used. It can handle heavy foot traffic and is quite drought tolerant once established. Most of the root system is centralized around a tap root. Its flowers are tiny and barely noticeable producing tiny seeds. This is how it spreads in the landscape and otherwise it’s easy to manage. Green carpet rupturewort may look quite similar to thyme, but it is more drought tolerant. However, it does not grow too quickly, so it takes hundreds of plants just to fill a small lawn area.
Finally, make sure to water your ground cover deeply and infrequently to prevent shallow roots and weed growth. Lawns need about 1 inch of water per week. Set an empty tuna can on the lawn to determine when you have applied 1 inch of water.
By following these steps, you can successfully plant ground cover to prevent grass overgrowth in your garden or lawn.
The Benefits And Drawbacks Of Using Ground Cover For Weed Control
Ground cover plants are an excellent option for weed control in your garden. These plants compete with weed seedlings for light, nutrients, and moisture, which benefits your landscape in many ways. Weeds that do manage to survive remain small and easy to remove. Additionally, ground cover beautifies your landscape, with many varieties offering pretty blooms throughout the year.
Ground cover plants can also be multi-functional, serving as a temporary cover crop. For example, planting crimson clover over winter keeps weeds from taking over the soil. Once spring arrives, tilling the crimson clover puts nutrient-rich organic matter back into the soil, which benefits future plant growth.
However, using ground cover for weed control does have some drawbacks. It takes a great deal of time and energy to remove all the weeds from a ground cover area if not kept tidy regularly. It takes a keen eye to spot the weeds and pull them immediately when they start. Once out of hand, it is hard to get them under control again, as there are not many chemicals that can be applied to help.
When the main culprit to the ground cover is grass, there are selective herbicides that can be applied. However, other preventative measures and chemicals will harm both the good and bad plantings. Ground covers like vinca minor, pachysandra, lamium, ajuga and liriope can be great additions to a landscape if given the right spot and attention.
Alternative Methods For Controlling Grass In Your Garden
If pulling out the grass by hand isn’t feasible, there are alternative methods for controlling grass in your garden. One option is to use a selective herbicide such as sethoxydim, fluazifop or clethodim labeled for post-emergent control of grasses. It’s important to apply this type of herbicide when grasses are actively growing and young or under about 6 inches tall. Multiple herbicide applications may be needed to achieve control.
Another natural way to kill grass is through lasagna gardening or sheet composting. This involves mowing or weed-wacking the area and then covering it with cardboard or several layers of newspaper. Water the area well and top it with a thick layer of compost and several inches of bark mulch. Over time, the paper layer will smother and kill the grass, while the mulch and compost will help break down the paper, adding nutrients to the soil.
Deep natural mulch material can also be used to kill grass. This includes leaves, wood chips, compost, leaf mold, bark, pine needles, and/or paper material. To effectively smother the grass, the mulch needs to be several inches deep. For best results, start by applying a thick layer of paper material over the grass first with mulch on top. Wet the area thoroughly and continue adding more mulch material on top. Damp conditions accelerate decomposition and prevent fluffy mulch material like leaves from blowing away in windy conditions. Fall is a great time to start this process, allowing the mulch to sit over winter. Over time, the grass will die and disintegrate below.
It’s important to note that using herbicides or natural methods like lasagna gardening or deep mulching can also harm desirable plants in your garden if not used carefully. Always read and follow all instructions on labels before using chemical products in your garden and test natural methods on a small section before applying them to your entire garden. With patience and persistence, you can successfully control grass in your ground cover and perennial beds.
