How to Replace Grass With Ground Cover

Overview

Replacing grass with ground covers can be a smart choice for steep hills and large areas that receive little to no foot traffic. Ground covers are nearly maintenance-free, requiring no mowing, and their strong, spreading roots help to prevent soil erosion on hills. Mowing grass on steep hills is dangerous, so replacing this grass with ground covers can eliminate safety issues in maintaining your landscape. Replacing grass with ground covers takes some initial physical work, but it should reduce the amount of ongoing work needed to care for that area of your yard.

Prepare the Area

Step 1

Remove all the grass sod from the area where you want to plant the ground cover. You can use a grub hoe for smaller or steep areas, or rent a sod cutter for larger areas.

Step 2

Turn the soil to loosen at least the top 6-inch layer. Use a pitchfork or stiff-tined rake for small areas or a rototiller for larger areas.

Step 3

Spread a 1-inch layer of peat moss on top of the loosened soil and work the peat into the soil using your pitchfork, rake or rototiller. Spread a granular low-nitrogen fertilizer on the soil, following the dosage instructions on the package.

Step 4

Rake a 2-inch layer of bark mulch onto the soil surface.

Plant the Ground Cover

Step 1

Select the appropriate variety of ground cover, based on the plant's sunlight requirements, growth habit, color or flowering habit and water requirements. For shaded areas, you can plant ground covers like pachysandra, ivies or winter creeper thyme. For sunny areas, you can plant varieties of junipers or wild trailing roses.

Step 2

Dig planting holes using a spade or garden trowel in the prepared area that are the same depth as and 1 ½ times the width of the planter container. Space the planting holes according to the requirements for the specific ground cover plant.

Step 3

Plant the ground cover in rows, staggering the plants and covering the entire prepared area. Ground covers are notoriously vigorous growers and spread quickly, so don't worry about the gaps between the plants.

Step 4

Water the plants to moisten the soil down to the roots right after planting. Water the ground cover thereafter according to the plants' specific water requirements. In general, you should water your newly-planted ground cover once or twice each week during the first growing season to help them become established.