I have an area that is currently coverd in a a mix of patchy grass and weeds which I'd like to replace with a alternate groundcovers. I'm thinking of using creeping thyme, corsican mint or maybe cottoneaster. Thing is, I don't want to clear the entire area and plant it, I'm hoping that I can add a few plants and let them slowly take over the area. I'm wondering if that can be done and if so, the best way to do it? The 3 options I can think of are (in order of ease): 1. Simply plant among the vegetation. 2. Kill the vegetation in an area and then plant. 3. Dig up an area and plant. If I do dig up an area, is it best to surround the plants with mulch (I'm thinking of bark mulch) or should I leave the plants surrounded with bare ground to take over? Thanks.
Grass will prevail through virtually any living groundcover I know. It may not thrive, but there will allways be long wispy blades arching over your groundcover. I would elect to go with the 'kill the vegetation' option. Digging up the area won't kill all the grass rhizomes which will then resprout and cause the same problem mentioned above.
I've heard of a method of making garden beds using thick layers of newspaper, overlapping like shingles, dampened thoroughly, and covered with good soil. Sometimes plants are simply put into the soil that's been spread over the newspapers. I think you could do that with groundcover plants. Your local garden centre will have lots of interesting groundcovers marketed as JeepersCreepers. Other advice calls for letting the bed overwinter and planting in the spring. I think that's for perennials and shrubs, which are to be planted in the soil below/through the newspapers.
I would remove any weeds that I could now. This is best done after a rain or watering to soften the soil. Then cover the area with 6 sheets of dampened black print newspaper. You should dampen the paper as you don't want the first breeze to have you chasing it all over the yard. Then either topdress with compost or shredded bark mulch. Plant the area you want to plant and add to the plantings as you go along. Newt
