You may have heard of using wood chips or chopped rubber as a mulch in your yard to help keep the weeds down and reduce moisture evaporation in the summer. But have you considered using a “living” mulch?

A living mulch, or groundcover, is a way to use plants to help protect the areas around flowers, shrubs, trees, and in rock gardens. I prefer low growing plants that will not block the sunshine to the other landscape plants and ones that will not rob nutrients from their neighbors.

Sedums are a fantastic choice for a living mulch in gardens on the coast and throughout the Pacific Northwest. These hardy deer resistant succulents not only offer a splash of color and texture but also provide numerous practical benefits. Let’s take a look at why sedums make excellent groundcovers, and how to care for them.

Benefits of Using Sedums as Groundcover

Drought Tolerance: As succulents, sedums store water in their leaves, making them ideal for periods of drought. Once established, they require little supplemental watering—a perfect trait for sustainable gardening. They also protect other plants around them by reducing moisture evaporation from the soil.

Low Maintenance: Sedums thrive with minimal care. They need little fertilizer, are resistant to pests, and tolerate a range of soil types (provided drainage is good), making them an excellent option for busy gardeners. And because they are not heavy feeders, sedums will not steal many nutrients from neighboring plants.

Erosion and Weed Control: With their spreading, mat-forming habits, sedums help stabilize soil on slopes and in rock gardens, reducing erosion and protecting your landscape. They also crowd out weeds from sprouting, reducing your maintenance further.

Attracting Pollinators: In addition to their attractive foliage, many sedums produce clusters of star-shaped flowers that draw bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, contributing to a vibrant garden ecosystem.

Versatility: Available in a wide variety of colors, heights, and textures, sedums can be used in rock gardens, landscape beds, containers, and between pavers adding visual interest throughout the seasons. A few hardy low growing varieties are Sedum spurium, Sedum album, Sedum reflexum, Sedum acre, and Sedum rupestre.

How to Care for Sedum Groundcovers

Planting: Choose a location with full sun to partial shade. Sedums need at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight to flourish. Ensure your garden bed has excellent drainage. If your soil is heavy, or contains a lot of clay, consider amending it with sand or gravel. If you are like me and live where the soil is mostly sand, be sure to amend it with compost and/or topsoil.

New plants from the nursery can usually be planted about 12” apart and allow to fill-in by their natural spreading habit. Most sedums can be sensitive to foot traffic, so consider incorporating pavers or walking paths into your garden areas.

Watering: Sedums will need regular watering during the first growing season to help them develop a robust root system. Once established, sedums require minimal watering—even in the dry summer months. Overwatering can lead to root rot, especially in the damp winters of the Pacific Northwest…which is why good drainage is important.

Fertilizing: Sedums generally do not need additional fertilization. Over-fertilizing can result in leggy growth and reduce the plant’s natural resilience.

Maintenance: In early spring, remove any dead or overcrowded foliage. This not only maintains a tidy appearance but also encourages healthier, denser growth. Keep an eye on the plants for any signs of pest infestation or fungal issues, particularly after prolonged wet periods.

In conclusion, sedums offer a beautiful, low-maintenance living mulch option for Pacific Northwest gardens. Their drought tolerance, versatility, and minimal care requirements make them an excellent choice for both novice and experienced gardeners. Select varieties that will compliment your landscape and feel free to experiment a little to create a colorful and sustainable garden that thrives year-round!

For more information about this article or the community garden, contact us at info@gardenbytheseaoceanshores.org.