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Landscape Design New England Gardening Groundcovers

Ground cover for marginal area

9 months ago

I bought a house on several acres of land and have several big semi-wooded tracts that have been neglected for years. I'm trying to figure out a long term plan with these areas which are basically divided into:

-Areas of more or less bare dirt/forest matter (first pic below)

-Areas with ground cover (vinca). In most of these, by July the ground cover is almost invisible because it's completely grown through with a wide variety of weeds (second photo below). Virginia creeper being one

-Areas completely overgrowth with weeds with no ground cover

I am totally lost on a plan to get this under some degree of control but I figure the easiest way to manage this will be to try to establish some ground cover that will compete more successfully with the weeds. At least if I can do this in the more bare areas (like the first pic) I can prevent weeds from getting established there. I could really use some advice on how to approach this, priorities, etc.

Featured Answer

simplynatural

9 months ago

Virginia creeper is native; vinca minor is a European import that has taken over natural areas and excluded native vegetation. Maybe let the creeper BE the ground cover if it wants and remove the vinca? Then encourage other native woodland plants to return (ferns, Canadian wild ginger, mayapple, Solomon's seal, sedges, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Canada anemone, blue cohosh, etc, if you're eastern, or others if you're elsewhere). The native North American forests are magical places, living and distinctive layered communities that need all of their members to thrive. You have a great opportunity to restore something exquisitely beautiful.

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Comments (7)

laceyvail 6A, WV
9 months ago
Take it in sections over several years. You'll have to weed out undesirables from pretty much anything you establish.
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Will S
Original Author
9 months ago
Thanks for the comments.

In some of the truly overgrown areas the weeds are 4' high or so and some of the overgrowth are more woody type plants that don't hand pull easily. They are also so dense in some areas that I don't think I could possibly hand pull. I'm not sure what to do with those areas...maybe get some goats in there to get rid of everything? Brush hog? Scrape with an excavator and start fresh?

For the shaded areas that are more bare (like in the first picture), I could definitely plant some ferns and other native ground cover. What kind of density should I be looking at for that stuff? Do I want to densely plant a small area?
Sigrid
9 months ago
Some of your weeds may be a native aster. Fall blooming, lavender flowers.
Marie Tulin
9 months ago
Any combination of geranium macrorhizomes: spessart , max frei, the species, and others i forget. they will keep weeds down, easily divided to make many from a few, easily removed when you want somthing else there. really versitile workhorse for the part shade, bright shade garden.
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
9 months ago
What are the look and the usage that you are tr,ying for? Native wooded landscapes have a tree layer, a shrub layer, and a low herbaceous layer. Do you want that or just trees and groundcover? Do you know what the woody volunteers are and if they will add to the attractiveness of your yard if some are allowed to grow? As simplynatural mentioned above, Virginia creeper is a native that makes a good groundcover in areas where you won’t be walking a lot. You can mow and then mulch paths if that is something that fits with the way you will use the property.

For unwanted woody plants that haven’t gotten huge, use a pair of large adjustable pliers, grab the base of the plant and pull steadily. Many will pop out.
Christopher CNC
9 months ago
last modified: 9 months ago
The easiest thing to do on several acres of woodlands is not more groundcover to compete with the weeds. The easiest thing to do is to mow whatever comes up in the areas you find weedy and neglected.

Just mow whatever comes up for now to give yourself time to observe the land. If you are in New England that mowing could be as little as twice a year. Your mowing routine and distinct location and site conditions will determine what kind of 'lawn' you get. It will be completely naturalized and specific to you. It can even be full of flowers. No fertilizer, no chemicals, no water needed. Nature will cover the ground. Toss in some seeds for the bare areas if you like after you ponder what kind seeds they should be?

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