How to Divide Ground Covers

Ground covers are low-growing plants that spread to cover the ground. Ground covers provide an easy way to prevent soil erosion and fill in your garden without using mulch. If you have a large area of ground to cover, a cheap way to multiply your plants is to divide them and spread them around.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Garden spade
• Trowel

1. Identify the ground cover that will be divided. Contact your local County Extension office or search the Internet to determine the best time to divide the ground cover. Most ground covers can be divided in the spring.

2. Place the garden spade 1 to 2 inches from the edge of the ground cover. Place your foot on the top of the spade, dig diagonally under the ground cover and lift the clump up. Small clumps are the easiest to divide.

3. Locate the center of the clump and push aside the growth. Place the garden trowel in the center and push down. The clump should divide in half. If the roots are entangled and preventing the clump from dividing, pull both halves apart using your hands.

4. Plant the newly divided clumps 6 to 12 inches apart in a new area of your garden or landscape to be covered. Vigorous spreading ground covers can be spaced further apart.

5. Water the newly-planted clump every day for a week. After the first week, return to a regular weekly watering schedule until established. Most ground covers that are divided in the spring take about a month to begin spreading.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid using mulch around ground covers unless you want to slow down the rate of spread.
• Some ground covers are invasive and can quickly grow out of control. Some are hard to remove once established.