Using Sedum as Ground Cover

If you have an area that is usually hot and dry and is just too narrow or small to have grass - let alone drag a lawn mower through, try some low growing sedum.



In my case, I have a boardwalk that goes beside my window well on the south side of my house. The span is only 10 inches and not wide enough to grow grass, but it is large enough for weeds to attempt to grow. Rather than allowing that scenario, I decided to rip the grass out and put in sedums. When they were first planted they did look a bit scraggly, so I also filled in the space with cedar mulch (about 1.5 inches).



As with everything, I added some zeolite to the soil, to help as a soil conditioner which holds moisture, gives the plants a better rooting medium and breaks down the clay. Over the years I have found that the weeds (if they do come) are much easier to pull out.

I like to mix several varieties of ground cover to add interest to the area. You will find that different varieties have different colors and blooming times. I also added some thyme to the mix.



Here are some more pictures of the results.