The best time to plant ground cover is early spring or early fall. Soil temps should sit between 55°F and 65°F (13°C and 18°C) for best results. These two windows give your plants warm soil to grow roots. Summer heat and winter frost won't threaten them before they settle in.
I've planted ground cover in every season at this point, and the difference between good timing and bad timing is huge. My spring-planted creeping thyme went into the ground in mid-April and filled in its entire bed by August. A batch I planted in July during a heat wave lost half its plants within two weeks despite daily watering. When to plant ground cover matters more than most people think. Get the window right and you won't waste money on dead plants.
The science behind timing comes down to what roots need to grab hold of the soil. New plants push roots out fastest when the ground stays warm but not hot, and when rain or irrigation keeps the soil moist without drowning anything. Spring gives you rising temperatures and regular rain in most areas. Fall offers cooling temps and shorter days that reduce stress on leaves while roots keep growing underground. Both seasons work because roots can establish for 6 to 8 weeks before the extreme weather of summer or winter arrives.
Penn State Extension adds an important step most people skip. They advise leaving your planting area bare for 2 to 3 weeks before putting ground cover in. This waiting period lets you spot and pull perennial weeds that would compete with your new plants for water and nutrients. Clear the weeds first, then plant during the right ground cover planting season for your region.
Cool climate gardeners in zones 3 through 5 should plant in spring after the last frost passes. Your plants get the full season to spread before winter hits. Warm climate gardeners in zones 8 through 10 get better results with fall planting. The cool rainy season gives roots months of gentle growth. Zone 6 and 7 gardeners can go either way based on how dry their summers run.
My fall-planted sedum did something that surprised me. It looked dormant all winter and I figured half of it had died. Then spring came and every single plant pushed out new growth and spread twice as fast as my spring-planted batch the year before. Those months of quiet root growth underground gave the fall plants a head start that showed up big once warm weather returned.
Pick your planting window based on your hardiness zone and stick to it. Water new plants every 2 to 3 days for the first month no matter which season you choose. The right timing gives your ground cover the best chance to take hold, spread fast, and save you from buying replacement plants next year.
Read the full article: 10 Best Ground Cover Plants for Any Yard
