Gardening with Gary

Gardening Advice from an Expert

Ground Covers

Q. I am looking for an inexpensive ground cover for under my deck. I live in Northern Virginia and the soil is mostly clay.

A. I have had a similar problem as you describe and here are the three ground covers I have used at different times of my gardening life:

Myrtle or vinca minor. It grows readily in poor light and clay soil. It even adds a wonderful pale blue flower in the late spring. It is very hard to kill and spreads rapidly plus you can take cuttings and root them easily!

Pachysandra. A taller cover but very easy to grow. Deals fine with heavy soil, as I had in Toledo's backyard. Is evergreen as the myrtle above.

Mint: spearmint or peppermint. Place it anywhere and it will take off, sending underground shoots all over the area. Be aware that it is very much a weed, and, if not controlled, will grow everywhere it wishes! Great for summertime drinks and garnish for fruit bowls and desserts. Wash well before use to rid of dirt and any spray you may have used. It does not get insects, but neither do the above two. Perfect eh?

Some ivies will do well, too, and stay green throughout. They are a bit slower in growth, but are quite attractive and even come in a nice variegated variety.

Liriope muscari ranges from 12 to 24 inches in height. When not called monkey grass, it's also known as lily turf or simply Liriope. 'Big Blue' is the most popular and available selection. The leaves are 1/2 to 3/4 inches wide. Liriope is usually dark green in color, but some selections, such as 'Silvery Sunproof' and 'John Burch,' have striped white or yellow leaves. Those selections tend to do better in sunny locations. 'Evergreen Giant' grows tall, usually 2 to 3 feet in height. It makes a nice foundation planting against the house under low windows. It isn't as cold tolerant as other selections and is best suited for the Coastal and Tropical South.

Liriope spicata, sometimes called creeping Liriope, has soft narrow foliage. Because its foliage is not stiff, it forms a loose mound. It isn't recommended as an edging plant because it spreads aggressively and will quickly grow into turf areas and flowerbeds. It works well in large beds as a ground cover, where weeds have a hard time competing with it.

Liriope thrives in a moist, fertile, well-drained soil and will take sun or shade. Roots, known as stolons, move underground, allowing the plants to spread. More popular for its foliage, Liriope does have attractive summer flowers. 'Majestic' has the showiest, producing spikes of purple that fan out at the top of plants. Liriope blooms are usually violet in color, but 'Monroe's White' has cream-colored flowers.

http://www.southernliving.com/garden/monkey_grass_lily.asp

Monkey Grass:

Q. I have what I think is called Monkey Grass ground cover. Do you know anything about it? Does it stay short?

A. There are three distinct types which I will describe here. Dwarf Mondo, Mondo and Liriope.

Mondo Grass [Monkey Grass]

Dwarf Mondo, tucked in between these rocks, softens the hard edges, It grows only 2 to 3 inches tall and won't trip up pedestrians.

Ophiopogon japonicus, commonly referred to as mondo grass or mondo, is very similar to Liriope but much smaller, growing 6 to 12 inches tall with 1/4-inch-wide leaves. Its fine texture makes it a good ground cover in tight spots.

Mondo grass is not recommended for full sun locations because of leaf burn. A little shade allows it to retain a deep blue-green color. 'Silver Mist' is a variegated form with green-and-white leaf blades. There is also black mondo grass (O. japonicus 'Nigrescens') which has very dark foliage. This selection
is more of a specimen plant and is slow to establish itself. Dwarf mondo (there are several dwarf selections) is tiny, growing only 3 inches tall. Many times dwarf mondo is used in cracks and crevices of walkways. Its low
profile keeps it from interfering with your footing.

http://www.southernliving.com/garden/monkey_grass_mondo.asp

Both Mondo Grass and Liriope have been used for years to edge driveways, sidewalks, and flowerbeds. Because they spread and are almost impossible to kill, they are often given away as pass-along plants. Many people refer to both plants as monkey grass.

Caring for Your Ground Cover:
Mondo Grass and Liriope can both suffer from cold damage during bad winters; foliage can turn brown and look rough. You can run a lawnmower set on its highest setting or a string trimmer over them in late February to remove discolored foliage before new growth appears. When trimming, don't cut too close to the crowns of the plants or you may hurt new foliage. Even when cold damage isn't a problem, it helps to cut these plants back every few years to rejuvenate tattered foliage and promote new growth.

These ground covers are good for more than just edging. They make a nice sweep of green in the landscape and can be used as a low-maintenance lawn substitute. They excel under trees where many turf grasses struggle. Planted on steep banks, they help hold the soil and prevent erosion. Drought tolerant
and rarely bothered by pests, they also look good in pots, either planted alone or in a mix.

Assembled with partial help from: http://www.southernliving.com/garden/monkey_grass.asp

Q. I found this book on ground covers, and it has something called "Euonymus fortunei", which has several varieties, including some very low, evergreen ones. What do you think of this plant?

A. I have grown euonymus for years in Ohio [it still flourishes there from 1963 on!] but ours was not a ground cover as it grew up to a height of about 2-3 feet. Sounds like there are dwarf varieties which just may work well for you. Read on:

Wintercreeper Euonymus
(Euonymus fortunei `Green and Gold')

Summary:
Foliage: Evergreen broadleaf
Height: 4 inches as a ground cover 20 feet as a vine
Shape: Spreading
Form, foliage size and color vary depending on cultivar. Usually considered either a ground cover or vine, some cultivars are shrubs.

Plant Needs:
Zone: 4 to 9
Light: Partial shade to full sun
Moisture: Moist
Soil Type: Sandy, loam, or clay
pH Range: 3.7 to 7.0

Functions:
Suggested uses for this plant include ground cover and climbing vine.

Planting Notes:
Transplants readily.
Tolerates wide ranges of soil conditions, except extremely wet conditions.
When using as a ground cover, space plants 18 to 24 inches apart in the spring.

Care:
Easy to maintain, as long as scale insects are controlled.
Some pruning of upright shoots keeps the ground cover more compact.

Problems:
Euonymus scale, a white-covered scale insect, is the most serious pest. A severe infestation will make the underside of leaves and the entire stem white. Unless controlled, this pest will eventually kill the plant.

Alternatives:
Consult local sources, including historic or public gardens and arboreta, regarding cultivars and related species that grow well in your area.

Cultivars:
`Emerald and Gold', shown, is a low growing ground cover which has green leaves with gold margins. (1 to 2 feet high).
`Sarcoxie' is an upright form (up to 4 feet high) that makes an excellent, broad-leaved, erect evergreen shrub.

Related species:
fortunei var. coloratus (Purpleleaf Wintercreeper) is an excellent evergreen vine for covering large areas, banks, slopes, and shaded areas under trees. Foliage turns purplish-red in early fall and remains this color throughout the winter.

Comments:
Wintercreeper is useful for training against walls, for climbing over low walls and on tree trunks, and for ground covers. The vine may be allowed to completely cover a wall or may be thinned out to give a tailored effect.

This material was developed by Carol Ness as part of the Interactive Design and Development Project funded by the Kellogg Foundation. Copyright 1989