Shade Groundcover That Can Be Mowed

Benefits Of Ground Covers

• Ground covers are an environmentally friendly alternative to grass because they do not require the high amounts of water or fertilizer that a typical lawn does in order to remain lush, nor do they require regular mowing. An occasional mowing keeps the plants compact and is the easiest way to deadhead, or cut off, the faded flowers. Ground covers help conserve moisture and prevent erosion. There are varieties that thrive in a wide array of shady growing conditions, including areas where grass and other plants refuse to thrive.

Caring For Ground Covers

• Water ground cover plants at least once a week until they are established. After that many groundcovers thrive on natural rainfall alone or an occasional watering during times of extreme drought. The amount of water they receive plays a row in how fast they grow and how often these shade ground cover plants need mowed. In areas where there is extreme drought, a drip irrigation system such as a soaker hose is recommended, but set your mower blade high enough when you do mow that you do not accidentally cut the hose.

Mowing Tips And Tricks

• Mowing ground cover plants in shady areas prevents them from growing too thickly and choking one another out. The best two times to mow is right before growth begins in the spring and right after they finish flowering. Mowing ground cover plants in late winter or early spring removes the old growth left from last season. It also encourages the plants to produce new growth. Mowing after the plants finish flowering prevents the flowers from dropping seeds and encourages ground covers that are repeat bloomers to flower a second time.

Recommended Ground Covers

• Some ground covers respond to mowing better than others, just like some tolerate shade better than others. Ground cover plants that perform well in shade include Ajuga or carpet bugle (Ajuga reptans), goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria), periwinkle (Vinca minor) and pachysandra (Pachysandra), winter creeper (Euonymus fortune), Confederate jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) and English ivy (Hedera helix), big leaf periwinkle (Vinca major). Some of these plants are invasive. An alternate option is to find out what ground covers are native in your area and plant those instead.