How to Care for Pachysandra: Weeding

Remove all weeds from the planting area in preparation for the pachysandra plants. Apply an herbicide to kill grass and perennial weeds. Alternately, spread thick black plastic over the area, anchored by heavy rocks, and leave it in place for at least two months.

Turn over the planting area with a shovel or tiller, digging to a depth of 8 to 10 inches. Rake up dead plant material left on the surface and discard it. Leave the bed undisturbed for at least six week to allow weed seeds and rhizomes that have been disturbed by the cultivation to sprout and grow. Dampen the soil and pull the newly emerged weeds by hand or apply herbicide and allow one week before planting the pachysandra.

Spread a 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch over the ground surrounding the young pachysandra immediately after planting to suppress weed growth. Replenish the mulch layer at least once each season or when it becomes tamped down from watering and being walked on while weeding.

Pull any weeds that emerge in the pachysandra bed when they reach sufficient height to grasp and pull them out by hand. Use a garden trowel to loosen the roots in areas between the plants. For weeds growing up through the plants' foliage, use a sharp-end forked weeding tool to reduce damage to the pachysandra roots.