By BJ Jarvis
The summer of 2011 has been brutal to area landscapes. High heat alternating with downpours has made it hard to keep up with lawn mowing. Quick-growing lawns need to be cut every 4-5 days, but life’s schedule only allows for once-per-week mowing.
One way to reduce this chore is to minimize turf areas down to what is practical for the occasional game of tag or crochet. Once established, groundcovers require little-to-no additional fertilizer and are typically drought tolerant. Weeds have a very hard time competing when groundcovers connect. Groundcovers cover a lot of territory with a minimum of plants, so select hardy ones to minimize the number that need to be replaced from year to year.
Perennial peanut is a colorful favorite. Grown by farmers as a forage crop, homeowners will enjoy the bright yellow flowers. Quite adaptable in a large bed with little organic matter, hot afternoon sun and no supplemental irrigation, perennial peanut will out-compete turf. Perennial peanut are somewhat aggressive and are best grown in beds that are bounded by a hardscape such as a sidewalk.
There is a stand of perennial peanut along US 301 in downtown Dade City. This ever-blooming display will cause any good gardener to want to locate the nearest retail source.
Powderpuff mimosa is another adaptable groundcover. In addition to being a Florida native, mimosa will completely cover an area in short order. Pink puffball flowers sit atop the foliage in a showy display from summer through fall. While winter may nip it back a bit, mimosa comes on strong when temperatures warm in the spring.
You can’t beat ajuga in partial sun sites. Once established, this purple-leaved groundcover is very drought tolerant and will produce a nice small blue/purple flower held above the foliage. Although landscapes irrigated with reclaimed water will want to make another selection due to low salt tolerance.
For those living in a deed-restricted community that specifies the amount of traditional lawn you must maintain, check with your rules to assure compliance or learn of an appeals process.
Replacing a portion of the lawn will save time from maintenance and will add interest to most any landscape. Consider the many attractive low maintenance ground covers that will continue to add curb appeal while reducing the lawn-mowing burden.
BJ Jarvis is Horticulture Agent and Director for Pasco Cooperative Extension, a partnership between the County and the University of Florida / IFAS. For more information about groundcovers or other gardening questions, visit: pasco.ifas.ufl.edu/gardening or email at .
