Using Ground Cover Plants Under Trees

Creeping Juniper makes a great groundcover

Trees make lovely focal points in any outdoor space, but the area around their trunks can sometimes be an issue. Grass can have a difficult time thriving around roots, and the shade a tree provides can deter even the hardiest of flowers. Don’t leave the area around your tree bare! Instead, put a gorgeous ground cover under your trees!

Border your trees with ground cover circles, and you’ll have a landscape that looks polished and professional.
 
Ground Cover Plants
Select your ground cover plants based on the tree type. Some trees, such as maple, have full coverage and give no sunlight beneath. Some have tiny leaves and thin branches, providing you with more choices to pick from. Find out how big each plant type will ultimately expand to decide how many you’ll need to cover the whole area surrounding the tree.

Some top picks for ground cover plants under trees are violets, periwinkles, and junipers.

Planting Ground Covers Tips
Like any other project, planting ground covers under a tree begins with prep work. You can plant ground coverage any time, any day of the year. However, it is recommended that you do it in late fall or early spring for the best results.

Put a circle around the grass at the tree trunk to denote the size of your planned bed. Put the garden hose on the ground to show the dimensions of the bed or stain the area with paint. Dig in the circle and remove all weeds and grass. 

With a trowel, dig holes for the ground cover plants. Vary digging the holes for the best coverage. Put some all-purpose fertilizer in every hole before putting the plants in place. Put plenty of room between each plant to let them grow in the space freely. You also want to put mulch between every plant to cover emerging roots and help retain moisture. Every week you want to water your plants until they start growing and taking root. At this point, the rain will provide all the water your plants require.

If you want more information on plant ground covers, call a Rochester stump removal business.

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