Ask EcoBeneficial!

Helpful answers to readers' questions. Go ahead - just ask EcoBeneficial

Kim Eierman

Kim Eierman

Founder of EcoBeneficial!

Available for virtual and in-person landscape consulting, talks and classes.

Buy a copy of
The Pollinator Victory Garden!

Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.
Ruellia humilis

Can You Suggest “Living Mulch” for a Garden in Illinois?

Question:
I have a couple beds of Ninebarks and Viburnums and they’ve been there about two or three years. So I’m thinking it’s time to create a living mulch around them. Can you recommend a few plants for ground cover that have ecological benefits, and will fill in around these shrubs? 
I live in south central Illinois.

Answer:
You are a step ahead of many gardeners by contemplating living mulch ground covers instead of an endless expanse of shredded bark or wood chips.  Wood-based mulches are tremendously overused and seem to have become more prominent in plant beds than the plants they are surrounding!  Wood mulches are best used as place holders that help retain moisture and suppress weeds while other plants fill in.  Eventually wood-based mulches will break down and contribute some organic matter into the soil.  Better yet – boost the ecology of your garden by using live mulch as ground covers, attracting bees, butterflies and natural enemies!

Contrary to traditional thinking, ground covers don’t have to be really short, nor do they have to have a strictly spreading habit.  A robust reseeding plant can be just as effective as a spreading plant as live mulch.

Based on the plants you already have planted, I suspect that the conditions are pretty sunny.  Depending on your soil type, soil pH and moisture level, here are some Illinois native ground covers to consider:

Antennaria neglecta
Antennaria plantaginifolia
Blephilia ciliata
Coreopsis lanceolata
Fragaria virginiana
Oenothera macrocarpa
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Ruellia humilis
Teucrium canadense

Happy planting! From Kim Eierman at EcoBeneficial!

Photo: Ruellis humilis (Wild Petunia)
Photo credit: Flickr_Leonora Enking

 

More from Ask EcoBeneficial!

How Can I Attract Lady Beetles to Help Control Aphids?

Question: What can I do so attract lady beetles to help control aphids? How about buying them? Answer: Most species of lady beetles, also known as lady bugs, are predators both in their larval and adult stages.  They can be effective and voracious predators on aphids, eating up to 5,000 aphids…

Read More

How Should I Deal With Stinging Caterpillars?

Question: I just found five small spiky caterpillars on a tree sapling and checked online that they are poisonous. Should I get rid of them and if so, how? Answer: There are some caterpillars that sting as a defensive mechanism against predators. An example is the fantastical Saddleback Caterpillar that…

Read More

Pollinator Plants for Cape Cod?

Question: I live on Cape Cod and am looking for pollinator attracting plants. My soil is very acidic with a pH of 5.2. The planting area gets 8-10 hours of sun daily, is dry, and next to the road. Answer: Those are pretty tough conditions that you have!  The soil…

Read More