Planting ground cover starts with matching the right species to your site, preparing the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches, and spacing plants so they fill in within one to two growing seasons. The process is straightforward, but the details at each step determine whether you end up with a lush, low-maintenance carpet or a patchy mess full of weeds.
Pick the Right Plant for Your Site
Ground covers vary enormously in their needs for sun, moisture, and soil quality. Choosing a species that naturally thrives in your conditions saves you years of frustration. Start by observing the planting area at different times of day. Note how many hours of direct sunlight it gets and whether the soil stays damp after rain or dries out quickly.
For shady spots that tend to stay dry, wild ginger, partridgeberry, and creeping wintergreen are reliable choices. Wild ginger spreads slowly by underground stems and tolerates neglect well. Creeping wintergreen is evergreen but needs acidic soil to perform. Pennsylvania sedge works as a grass alternative in dry shade, staying low and semi-evergreen through winter.
Sunny, dry areas open up a different set of options. Bearberry is an evergreen ground hugger that does best in cooler climates. Sweetfern thrives in sandy, nitrogen-poor soil and spreads aggressively, making it a good pick for tough sites where little else grows. Purple lovegrass handles poor, rocky soil and fills in through a mix of underground spreading and self-seeding. Fragrant sumac (the compact ‘Gro-Low’ variety) spreads by suckering and works well on slopes.
If you need a ground cover that handles foot traffic, look for species specifically rated for walkability. Golden creeping Jenny and blue star creeper are among the fastest-spreading walkable options. Mazus is another quick spreader. These plants actually grow tougher with regular foot traffic, staying flat against the ground in pathways. When they hit the edge of a walkway or border, they’ll bump up and spill over, so plan for occasional trimming along boundaries.
Prepare the Soil Before You Plant
Good soil preparation is the single biggest factor in how fast your ground cover establishes. For a new planting bed, loosen the soil 6 to 8 inches deep. Flower and perennial beds benefit from working the soil even deeper, up to 12 inches, but 6 inches is adequate for most ground cover species that root shallowly.
Mix in compost as you work the soil. Look for compost with 40 to 60 percent organic matter by dry weight. Your goal is to bring the finished soil to about 4 to 5 percent organic matter overall, which improves drainage in clay soils and water retention in sandy ones. If you’re using composted manure, check the salt content before applying it. High-salt compost can burn young plants and stunt establishment. Ask the supplier for a specification sheet, or have a sample tested at a soil lab.
A basic soil test before planting tells you whether you need to adjust pH or add specific nutrients. Many ground cover species have preferences. Creeping wintergreen, for instance, needs acidic conditions. Testing removes the guesswork and prevents you from adding amendments you don’t actually need.
Spacing and Planting Pattern
Space most ground cover plants 12 to 18 inches apart. Closer spacing fills in faster but costs more. Wider spacing is easier on the budget but means more time waiting for full coverage and more weeding in the meantime. As a general rule, planting at the middle of a species’ recommended spacing range produces good fill within about two years. In northern climates with shorter growing seasons, expect it to take longer.
For a natural look, plant in groups of 3 to 5 rather than rigid rows. A staggered or triangular pattern avoids the “grid” appearance and helps plants knit together more evenly. To lay this out, place the first row, then offset the second row so each plant sits between two plants in the row above it. This creates a diamond pattern that distributes coverage more efficiently than straight lines.
When you’re ready to plant, dig each hole just deep enough to match the root ball. Set the plant so the top of the root ball sits level with the surrounding soil. Planting too deep buries the crown and invites rot. Firm the soil gently around each plant and water immediately to settle the roots and eliminate air pockets.
Watering During Establishment
New ground cover needs consistent moisture for the first several weeks while roots grow into the surrounding soil. A reliable schedule looks like this:
- Week 1: Water every day or every other day. The root ball is small and dries out fast, especially in warm weather.
- Weeks 2 to 3: Reduce to 2 to 3 times per week, adjusting based on temperature and rainfall.
- Week 4 and beyond: Continue watering 2 to 3 times per week in hot or dry conditions. When temperatures cool, water less frequently.
If you’re planting in summer, expect to water more aggressively, potentially every other day for the first two weeks, then once or twice a week after that. The goal during establishment is to keep the top few inches of soil consistently moist without leaving it waterlogged. Once the planting has been in the ground for two full growing seasons, most ground covers need only about an inch of water per week, including rainfall.
Weed Control While Plants Fill In
The gap between planting and full coverage is when weeds cause the most trouble. Bare soil between young plants is an open invitation. A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch between plants suppresses weed seeds and holds soil moisture. Use a fine-textured mulch like shredded bark or leaf compost that won’t smother low-growing ground covers. Keep mulch pulled back slightly from the base of each plant so the crown stays dry.
Hand-pull weeds while they’re small, before they compete for water and nutrients. This is tedious but critical during the first year. Once the ground cover fills in and shades the soil, weed pressure drops dramatically. That dense canopy is the whole point of ground cover, and it’s self-sustaining once established.
How Long Until Full Coverage
Most ground cover plantings take one to two full growing seasons to fill in completely. Fast spreaders like golden creeping Jenny or blue star creeper can cover open ground in a single season under good conditions. Slower species like wild ginger, partridgeberry, and creeping wintergreen may take three years or more, especially in cooler climates.
You can speed things up by planting at the tighter end of the spacing range, keeping up with watering through the first summer, and applying a light feeding of balanced fertilizer in early spring. Avoid heavy nitrogen fertilization, which can push leafy growth at the expense of root development. A ground cover with a strong root system fills in more reliably and handles stress better over the long term.