When can I plant pachysandra?

Plant pachysandra in the early spring or early enough in the fall so it has a chance to establish itself before winter sets in (much like planting a tree or perennial flower in the fall).

Aim for three to four plants per square foot of growing area (roughly 6 to 12 inches apart). It takes pachysandra about three years to fill in a planting area. Spacing plants more closely together yields a quicker result, but can also lead to poor air circulation and diseases.

It requires only moist soil and a dash of organic matter to sustain it. Spring and fall are the optimal times to plant pachysandra because planting then gives it time to root before the cold of winter sets in.

Shade-loving plants like pachysandra can usually tolerate some direct sunlight each day, as long as the sun exposure is not prolonged. Burned leaves are the result of too much sun. The affected leaves will die sooner than unaffected leaves, but occasional sunscald does not usually kill vigorous plants like pachysandra.

Pachysandra should be planted in the early spring or early fall. It most commonly thrives in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 9, depending on the variety. Pachysandra prefers full shade and deepens in color when it’s out of the harsh sunlight.

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.

Fill in the space between pachysandra plants with 2 to 3 inches of mulch, such as bark or wood chips. Mulch shades the exposed soil, preventing many types of weeds from growing.

Do not use Miracle Grow. Miracle Grow is a high nitrogen, quick release fertilizer that has a lot of salts in it. Over time, the salts in Miracle Grow cause the pH of the soil to go down (become more acidic) which will eventually affect the growth of the plants. … Pachysandra does not like dry soil.

Flats for $50! 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.

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.

Pachysandra spreads by rhizomes (underground stems). To start a new plant, you must plant a portion of the rhizome. The easiest way I have found to obtain a section of rhizome is to gently tug on the above ground stem of the plant, pulling up a length (6-10 inches or more) of the rhizome.

Pachysandra makes a wonderful living mulch in a woodland garden or other shady area. It is evergreen, year-round, and doesn’t need to be otherwise refreshed or replaced. Pachysandra also provides wonderful weed control. … This plant certainly manages to choke out competing weeds once it becomes established.

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.

This foliage plant is best grown in partial to full shade, in an acidic soil enriched with compost, in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 to 8. … Dry shade provides one of the most challenging conditions for plants since it requires toleration on two fronts, and Japanese pachysandra is one of the plants up to this challenge.

Pachysandra terminalis species is native to Japan. It is considered an exotic invasive in some U.S. states. Find where this species is invasive in the United States.

The closer together you plant the Pachysandra, the faster it will fill in. I typically advise 3 to 4 plants per square foot.

The evergreen leaves of pachysandra commonly “burn” and turn brown when grown in sunny, exposed places during the winter. Pachysandra is a low and compact plant and almost foolproof when planted in the right location. It forms a solid mass of glossy foliage about 6″ – 8″ high.

Although pachysandra plants do produce tiny clusters of white flowers in late spring, their main ornamental feature remains the evergreen foliage. Therefore, any fertilizer product with a balanced formulation, such as 8-8-8 or 12-12-12, suffices.

Unroll the plastic landscape edging and insert the end of it at one end of the trench. The “V” side of the edging should face down and toward the pachysandra planting location. Continue unrolling the edging until you reach the end of the trench and cut off the excess with a utility knife.

If you have just planted the Pachysandra plants and they are not mature, you need to provide them water regularly. Mostly they require watering every 5 to 7 days as they need the soil to be moist. Mature plants also like moist soil, but they are also capable of surviving the drought conditions for the short term.

Fertilize your pachysandra beds annually with a balanced, granular fertilizer. Not only will this help promote good color, but it will help thinner areas to fill in. Plus, plants with nutrient deficiencies often are more susceptible to disease. Be sure to water your pachysandra during drought.

Spread a 2 to 4-inch layer of an attractive organic material like wood chips, chopped leaves, shredded bark or dried grass clippings, alone or combined with peat moss on the soil around newly planted pachysandra plants to control weeds until transplants grow together to form a groundcover carpet.

You can use a selective herbicide that kills grassy weeds such as crabgrass in ground cover beds, including Ortho Grass-B-Gon or Ornamec (fluazifop-P-butyl). They will not harm your pachysandra, but they will not control broadleaved weeds such as dandelions, either.

Seasonal interest: This evergreen provides a lush green ground cover all year round and flowers in early spring.

Pachysandra thrives in soil with an acidic PH of around 6.0., and peat moss, which is mildly acidic with a PH of 4.5, will assist in lowering the PH of the overall soil. Loosen the overall soil to a depth of 3-4 inches.

Though tolerant of many soil types, including clay, all pachysandra varieties will appreciate a moist but well-drained soil. … To raise the pH (make more alkaline) you can add pelletized limestone to the soil. To lower the pH (make more acid) you can apply Soil Sulfur, Aluminum Sulfate, or Chelated Iron.

The leaves may yellow if plants get too much sun or if soil nutrients are lacking. Solution: Move plants to a shadier location or provide shade. Have soil test run to determine nutrient and lime needs. Fertilize and lime as needed.

An established bed of pachysandra, ajuga or perennial candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) easily can host spring bulbs, as does perennial alyssum, even though the chrome-yellow flowers demand a quieter bulb color. … Bulbs tuck beautifully into small spaces, wiggling into bloom even from tiny spots.

Best grown in organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils in part shade to full shade. Foliage tends to bleach when grown in too much sun. Plants thrive in sun dappled shade under large trees. For use as a ground cover, set starter plants 6-12″ apart.

While grass is typically the best way to fill out empty space, sometimes low-growing plants are a better — and prettier — option. There are so many options to choose from, including old favorites like Pachysandra and Vinca, as well as small shrubs, perennials, and annuals.

Pachysandra is susceptible to spider mites and several types of scale insects, both pests that can decimate a planting by destroying new growth and mature leaves. If untreated, these pests can eventually kill entire plants.

Leaf blight can be a very destructive disease on pachysandra. The disease is caused by the fungus Volutella pachysandrae, and may be worse where plants are under stress. … Infected leaves and stems exhibit brown blotches on leaves and/or brown shriveled stems.

Pachysandra in Containers: Pachysandra will grow in any kind of traditional plant container such as a tub or large clay pot on a shaded porch or patio. … Be sure to fill containers with good quality soilless potting mix rather than garden soil. This mix is lighter than ones containing soil.

7. Check for roots in approximately two months. Gently tug the base of the cutting and feel for movement; if the cutting moves, it hasn’t rooted yet.

Sedum don’t require a lot of water and will develop their best colors if they get at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. They won’t grow well in heavy, mucky, or high clay soils.

Tulip and daffodil bulbs, for example, are able to poke up through groundcovers such as pachysandra, vinca, sweet woodruff, leadwort, hardy ginger and even ivy. … The bulbs are still going strong and have even expanded their clusters.

They can take sun to partial shade, although the foliage develops its best color in full sun. Easy to grow in almost any kind of soil, ajugas like a moist location that drains easily, but they can withstand short periods of drought.

Pachysandra grows best, and spreads best, in soils that are loose and rich in organic matter.

Ajuga is a great groundcover for creating color in moist shade. Ajuga, also known as “Carpet Bugleweed,” is a small, spreading evergreen plant that many gardeners love. … Best of all, Ajuga is deer resistant and low-maintenance, and can even be used for erosion control.