advisability of having ground cover over certain plants

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manya9 Rome, PA Aug 24, 2011

I have a number of low growing (2") ground cover plants such as succulents and creeping thyme that have established themselves in my garden and want to scramble over everything including Bearded Iris tubers. They are colonizing all the bare spots in the perennial garden and do not look objectionable, but is this detrimental to the health of the other plants they are surrounding and sometimes growing into?.
Thanks, I would appreciate hearing opinions on this.

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flowers_delight Leicester, NC(Zone 8a) Aug 27, 2011

manya9 , I too often wondered the same thing. According to this link it just depends on what ground cover you choose. I try to keep it pulled away from shrubs and plants as much as I can thinking it may take the nutrients meant for them. Hope this helps until someone else comes along and knows more. http://www.greenknees.net/articles/covering-some-facts-about-ground-covers.html

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WeeNel Ayrshire Scotland, United Kingdom Sep 01, 2011

OK, here's what I would try to assess: are these plants robbing your plants/shrubs of moisture in summer, if not, leave them. Are they attracting pests or diseases that spread to your other plant, if no, leave them Alone. Are they attractive to look at, leave alone, Do they help prevent weeds from germinating in the soil, if yes, leave alone.

Next, do you want to separate the plants and re-plant in another area, if yes, dig them up at end of growing season (cooler weather)
Do you have friends who would like ground cover that as you know, grows well in your area, pot them up.
is there a bring and buy sale or club trying to get funds, then again pot them up and hand them in.
Do remember if your still in hot summer, when you lift plants even into pot's, they take more looking after.
So all these points are the best way to rethink what you want, there is no rights or wrongs to what you grow so long as all the plants are happy, most every plant eventually outgrows it's place and needs splitting up after several years, I know my Herbaceous borders where I grow perennials plants have to be separated every 3/4 years but this gives you a good chance to replenish the soil and change the whole planting scheme by using the same plants or adding others.
Gardening is ever changing in likes / dislikes, corrections and great ideas once you hit on them, ha, ha, ha, just enjoy.
WeeNel.

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