Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Thursday - July 09, 2015
From: Shiro, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Planting, Groundcovers, Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Groundcover Planting in Shiro TX
Answered by: Larry Larson
QUESTION:
I have been collecting seeds from White Avens and Texas Sedge to use as ground covers. What is the optimal time to plant these seeds? We have been experiencing heavy rains in our area lately, so I am also concerned about the seeds washing away.ANSWER:
Mr Smarty Plants works from the philosophy that native plant seeding should be done at pretty much the same time that the plants would seed themselves in the wild.
Geum canadense (White avens) is a good ground cover and is native to your area. You can find the Plant Record on that link and it shows the bloom period as April through June. That means that the plant itself will be distributing its seeds roughly May through July.
Carex texensis (Texas sedge) is also a good groundcover choice. The record shows that it blooms March through May, which makes an optimal seeding time as April through June.
For both, it appears that now is a pretty good time to seed and you wouldn’t want to wait too much later. I hear you about the rains we’ve been having but we really do need the moisture! It’s a good idea to scratch the soil gently and press the seeds lightly onto the surface. Mostly all you can do is hope that we’ll get a nice distribution of soakings and no floods until your groundcover is established.
From the Image Gallery
More Groundcovers Questions
Aggressive Frogfruit
September 17, 2009 - I have frogfruit voluntarily growing in my flower beds. I had intended to use it as a ground cover but am concerned that it is taking over. Will it kill (smother) my flowers that I have planted for bu...
view the full question and answer
Native ground cover for Fort Lauderdale, FL.
November 02, 2010 - I just moved into a duplex with a narrow back yard with dark sandy soil and no irrigation system. I travel and am looking for a hardy ground cover that can take heat, drought and limited sun between 1...
view the full question and answer
Low maintenance plants for crack in concrete
July 01, 2008 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
I would like to grow some very low maintenance weeds, mosses and flowers out of a crack in a slab of concrete. Can you recommend any species that would do well in this sort...
view the full question and answer
Groundcover or grass for Panama City, Florida
April 19, 2009 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants
I live in Panama City Florida and am having great difficulty growing a lawn. I would prefer no lawn as grass, it seems a pointless use of resources but my husband requires gr...
view the full question and answer
Plants for a sunny, sandy site in Central Texas
January 22, 2015 - I live between La Grange and Schulenburg, Texas. My soil is sandy. Full sun, no trees. I am a senior citizen with limited funds who is allergic to Rye and Bermuda grass. I tried planting a lawn of...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |