Growing Pachysandra Plants - How To Plant Pachysandra Ground Cover

To plant, dig a trench 3 inches deep and up to 4 feet long. If planting under trees, use a sharp hoe to grub out tree surface roots, add pachysandra cuttings and cover with fresh potting soil. Alternately you could lay 3 inches of soil over tree roots and plant the pachysandra into that.

Does pachysandra spread quickly?

Pachysandra is a low-maintenance, evergreen ground cover that spreads quickly. Its leaves are a lighter shade of green than most evergreens, and it blooms with sweet, subtle white flowers in early spring. It is deer and rabbit resistant and can survive a drought.

What is the best time to plant pachysandra?

Spring and fall are the best times to add pachysandra to your garden. It spreads horizontally and needs room to roam. Prepare the plot by weeding out intruders and stones and adding a 5-10-15 organic fertilizer to the soil. Most pachysandra come in flats, with each plant measuring 3 to 4 inches.

Does pachysandra like sun or shade?

Pachysandra loves full shade, and when these ideal conditions are met, it will grow up to heights of ten inches. When grown in partial shade and partial sun, you can expect your plant to not perform as well, more likely growing to around six inches in height.

Should I plant pachysandra?

Pachysandra is a favorite ground cover plant in hard-to-plant areas such as under trees, or in shady areas with poor or acidic soil. Unlike other plants, pachysandra ground cover does not mind competing for its nutrients, and growing pachysandra plants is easy if you have an abundance of shade in your landscape.

Should you rake leaves out of pachysandra?

In areas where the pachysandra appears to be thin, try raking off the leaf cover to reveal the spaghetti-like root system underneath. This uncovering may be all that is needed to free the pachysandra and encourage it to grow. The raked-off leaves should not be considered garden waste either.

Should you cut back pachysandra?

Once pachysandra is established it requires virtually no assistance, but an occasional pruning can keep it looking its healthy best. Revitalize pachysandra every four to six years by clipping it with a lawn mower. This will prevent the plant from becoming too stringy, and will encourage it to fill in any sparse areas.

How do you encourage pachysandra to spread?

The plant actually spreads by underground runners, and it is true that a light shearing or pinching in early spring can encourage the plants to send up more runners and thus thicken the planting faster. This can be done by hand or in some cases with a lawn mower.

What grows well with pachysandra?

The most natural plant pairing for pachysandra is a tree — deciduous (such as maple, beech, oak) or evergreen (pine, spruce, fir, for example). High-limbed trees that cast light, sun-dappled shade provide an ideal environment for pachysandra to thrive.

What is the best fertilizer for pachysandra?

When established, Pachysandra aren't heavy feeders but young plants will appreciate an annual feeding in early spring with a slow-release shrub & tree type fertilizer or an organic plant food. Because Pachysandra likes an acid soil, choose a fertilizer that contains iron and/or sulfur for deep greening.

Is pachysandra an invasive plant?

Pachysandra is an invasive perennial ground cover that spreads throughout the garden by means of underground stems and roots. Once it gets a foothold in the garden, it is very difficult to control. Pachysandra plants can overrun your garden and escape into wild areas where it displaces native plants.

What is the fastest growing ground cover plant?

16 Options for Fast Growing Ground Cover Plants

Wild Thyme(Thymus serpyllum) ...
Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata) ...
Trailing Periwinkle(Vinca minor) ...
Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) ...
Variegated Snow on the Mountain(Aegopodium podagraria) ...
Aubrieta (Aubrieta deltoidea) ...
Firecracker Sedum (Sedum) ...
Dragon's Blood Sedum (Sedum)

Can pachysandra tolerate full sun?

Pachysandra, sometimes known as Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis), hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9, is a low-growing evergreen groundcover. ... The plants work best in part to full shade and can suffer leaf burn or sun scald if they are exposed to too much light.

Should you mulch pachysandra?

Pachysandra prefers soil that is moist but well-drained, shaded, and well amended with organic matter. Newly planted Pachysandra needs some mulch to retain moisture, but mulch is not necessary once the plant is established. ... Once the Pachysandra spreads and fills in, no more mulch should be needed.

Does pachysandra stay green in winter?

I'm not talking about pachysandra and myrtle, though these two common groundcovers do stay green throughout the winter. ... This fully evergreen groundcover is very hardy and comes in a broad range of foliage colors and textures.

Why is my pachysandra turning yellow and dying?

Pachysandra is a shade-tolerant ground cover that will develop an overall yellow cast in too much sun. There can also be some burning at the leaf edges, but the plants will typically not wither completely away.

Are coffee grounds good for pachysandra?

Coffee grounds can be a real helper for your garden. First of all, the grounds attract earthworms, which help aerate the soil. ... Roses, hydrangeas, zinnias, rhododendrons, azaleas, pachysandra, iris and other acid-loving plants need acid in the soil to stay healthy and colorful.

What will kill pachysandra?

Kill pachysandra with a nonselective herbicide, such as glyphosate. Spray the foliage with the herbicide on a dry, calm day. Wear protective clothing and goggles and adhere to the application procedures on the label. Reapply the herbicide in about four weeks if some of the pachysandra is still alive.

Will leaves break down over winter?

Yes, leaves will decompose over winter, because they biodegrade, but, whole leaves left over winter can kill your grass. If you don't break them down into small pieces by mowing them with a good lawn mower, they will interfere with photosynthesis and can damage your grass horribly.

What animals eat pachysandra?

Rabbits, Voles, Woodchucks, Deer, Chipmunks, Squirrels. All eat leaves or fruits of plants in vegetable gardens. Symptoms include: Large parts of the plant are chewed off.

Will deer eat pachysandra?

There are two pachysandras to consider when deciding on ground covers for deer control. Japanese pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis) and its American relative, Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens), both grow to about 1-foot by 1-foot. ... But these two pachysandras are equally effective in deer control.