How to Plant Vinca Ground Cover

There are roughly a dozen vinca species, but V. minor and V. major are the most commonly used as effective ground covers by home gardeners. These two perennials share many similarities, and both serve as stellar, minimal care ground covers. Vinca quickly fills problem areas in the landscape with stems that root readily when their nodes come into contact with the ground. V. major, the bigleaf periwinkle, and V. minor, or common periwinkle, both have pretty blue or violet-blue flowers and bloom prolifically in the spring. More sporadic flowering continues throughout the summer.

Compost or well-rotted manure
Gardening trowel
Bark chip mulch
All-purpose fertilizer
Mower or shears

Instructions

- 1
  Choose the vinca species that most closely suits your environmental conditions. V. major prefers warmer weather and performs best from USDA planting zones 7 through 9. V. minor is more cold hardy and thrives from zones 4 through 9. V. major likes full sun to partial shade, while V. minor prefers shady or partially shaded areas but has a tolerance for sunny spots. Opt for the bigger, faster-growing V. major with its trailing habit for coverage of very large areas, and V. minor for smaller spaces or spots where you need a more subdued, better behaved planting. V. minor also keeps a tidier appearance than V. major, and tends to provide more even coverage.
- 2
  Cultivate a well-draining location to a depth of about 6 inches for planting your vinca ground cover anytime during spring or summer. These plants will thrive in almost any soil type, but do have a preference for slightly acidic conditions. A pH range of 6.0 to 6.5 is ideal. Spread a 1-inch layer of compost or well-rotted manure over the planting site.
- 3
  Set your vinca ground cover plants out on an overcast day as they do tend to wilt quickly. Dig holes six to eight inches apart for V. minor, or 12 to 14 inches apart for V. major. Set the plants into the holes and plant them at the same depth that they occupied in the growing containers. Firm the soil well around each root ball.
- 4
  Water the planting site thoroughly. The area should be evenly moist, but not soggy. Avoid wetting the foliage. Don't allow the site to dry out completely for the first several months after planting. Once well established, you probably won't have to water anymore.
- 5
  Spread a 1-inch layer of bark chip mulch over the planting site. This will help to retain moisture and greatly reduce weed growth.
- 6
  Feed your vinca ground cover an all-purpose fertilizer for blooming plants monthly. Follow the package instructions carefully.
- 7
  Mow or shear vinca ground cover back to about 3 to 4 inches tall in late winter to keep it under control. These thick plants tend to become thatched with old dead stems, and annual trimming is a good way to eliminate that issue.

Flowers for Sloping Land

Tall Grass Plants

Landscaping Plants