What is the best ground cover to choke out weeds?

Author: Leila Von  |  Last update: Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Whether it's Wooly, Red, or Lemon, thyme (Thymus) is an amazing ground cover for suppressing weeds. It grows densely, like a thick mat, crowding out unwanted weeds as it spreads. It's beautiful, too! The foliage comes in a variety of textures and colors, plus, it's fragrant to the touch.

What kind of ground cover chokes out weeds?

Bugleweed. Bugleweed (Ajuga) forms a dense mat that makes it difficult for weeds to push through. "This evergreen ground cover will draw in all the pollinators with lavender flower spikes that contrast against rich, dark foliage," says Wilson.

What is the best ground cover to suppress weeds?

Walkable Ground Covers That Are Easy to Control:
  • Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)
  • Elfin Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)
  • Irish Moss (Sagina subulata)
  • Green Carpet Rupturewort (Herniaria glabra)
  • Sedum Stonecrop.
  • Leptinella, Brass Buttons.
  • Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)
  • Periwinkle (Vinca minor)

What is the fastest spreading ground cover?

10 Fast-Growing Ground Cover Plants
  • Ajuga (Ajuga reptans) ...
  • Clover (Trifolium repens) ...
  • Creeping Phlox (Phlox stolonifera) ...
  • Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) ...
  • Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) ...
  • Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) ...
  • Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) ...
  • Asiatic Jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum)

What is the best cover crop to choke out weeds?

Direct seeding cover crops like buckwheat and crimson clover is the simplest way full in gaps and reduce weed pressure. These easy to grow cover crops won't disappoint and can be grown in any sunny landscape of garden.

Top 5 Ground Cover Plants for Weed Suppression

How do you smother a large area of weeds?

Apply a thick layer of mulch or organic mulch (such as straw or wood chips) to smother weeds and prevent sunlight from reaching them. This will also help retain soil moisture. Mulch Regularly reapply mulch as needed, especially after heavy rain or if the mulch has decomposed.

What kind of grass will smother out weeds?

Zoysia is an extremely aggressive spreading grass that can literally choke out weeds. Zoysia is pleasant on the eyes and feet. It tends to have a soft, fine texture and is naturally low-growing. The Bad: While zoysia grass boasts a few attributes, there are many downsides.

What is the strongest ground cover?

Ivy is one of the toughest, hardiest groundcovers available. Adaptable to almost any condition but dry full sun, it has saved many an “unplantable” area. It can become invasive, especially when seeds are dispersed far and wide by birds.

What is the cheapest way for ground cover?

Wood chips are an excellent ground cover option that adds a natural and rustic touch to your backyard. They are one of the cheapest ways to cover large areas, providing an attractive solution for flower beds, around trees, or even as a base for outdoor furniture.

What are the pros and cons of sedum?

Pros of sedum include the fact that it is low maintenance, very heat and drought tolerant, relatively inexpensive, and is resistant to pests and disease. Cons include the inability to handle heavy foot traffic (the small stems are fragile and the shallow root systems can easily be broken by birds and rodents).

What is the best landscape to avoid weeds?

The obvious choices are stone, mulch and attractive ground cover plants that tolerate the conditions grass can't handle. Kill any weeds with a nonselective herbicide (re-treat survivors after 10 days). The herbicide will break down within two weeks and the ground will be safe for new plants.

Will creeping phlox choke out other plants?

#1.

Creeping phlox is a fast-spreading and hardy ground cover that has been used by gardeners to naturally suppress weeds in their garden or landscape. The secret is in the soil. It's a carpet of flowers chokes out weeds by stretching underground through the soil.

What is the easiest ground cover to maintain?

Hostas. Easy-to-grow hostas spring up in hundreds of varieties. "Just group a bunch of hostas together, and you never have to weed," says McGinnis. "They are probably the easiest ground cover to maintain."

How to permanently get rid of weeds?

The best ways to kill weeds permanently include:
  1. Apply a chemical herbicide.
  2. Apply an organic herbicide.
  3. Use a pre-emergent herbicide as a preventative.
  4. Pull weeds by hand.
  5. Get a weed burner.
  6. Smother weeds to stop growth.
  7. Use vinegar to dry weeds out.
  8. Pour boiling water on the weeds.

How do you choke out weeds?

Water Deeply and Infrequently. Irrigating your lawn as needed promotes deeper roots and healthier grass. Abundant, vigorous grass overpowers weeds and denies them the nutrients they need to grow. Not only will proper watering choke out existing weeds, but it will also prevent weeds from growing in the future.

What is the most invasive ground cover?

8 invasive ground cover plants to think twice about planting in your yard
  1. Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) ...
  2. 2. Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) ...
  3. Yellow Archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon) ...
  4. Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) ...
  5. Common Periwinkle (Vinca minor) ...
  6. Myrtle Spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites)

What is the cheapest ground cover?

Cheap Natural Perennial Ground Cover Options
  • Creeping Periwinkle - $1.07 per plant.
  • Walk-on-Me Thyme - $3.99 per plant.
  • Moss Phlox - $4.59 per plant.
  • Violets and Pansies – Seeds range from $0.95 to $2.95.
  • Early Snow Glories – $2.40 per plant.

What are the disadvantages of ground cover?

However, this can lead to root girdling because of how groundcover plants cover up the root flare of the tree. Root girdling can lead to poor tree health and even tree death. Additionally, groundcover plants might also contribute to tree rot caused by the build up of moisture, debris, and plant material underneath.

What is the best ground cover to prevent weeds?

Whether it's Wooly, Red, or Lemon, thyme (Thymus) is an amazing ground cover for suppressing weeds. It grows densely, like a thick mat, crowding out unwanted weeds as it spreads. It's beautiful, too! The foliage comes in a variety of textures and colors, plus, it's fragrant to the touch.

What is the fastest growing ground cover you can walk on?

Thyme Leaf Speedwell (Veronica oltensis) is quick growing, durable, and easily a garden favorite when it comes to groundcovers you can step on.

Will creeping thyme choke out weeds?

Not only will this groundcover help choke out weeds, but it will also provide colorful interest and a delectable fragrance to your garden. Creeping thyme comes in two varieties: the first is prostate, which looks a bit like dense moss.

What is the best ground cover to replace grass?

Best Ground Covers as Grass Alternatives
  • Sun-loving perennials.
  • Shade-loving perennials.
  • Fragrant ground covers. Chamomile lawn. Creeping thyme. Corsican mint.
  • Ornamental grass.
  • Clover.
  • Moss.

Is there a grass that chokes out weeds?

Zoysia grass creates a thick, soft surface that chokes out weeds and produces stolons that creep along the surface of the soil and expand horizontally.

How do you cover ground so weeds don't grow?

Mulch does 3 things:
  1. Prevents weeds. Mulch does the job of covering the soil, so weeds are not needed.
  2. Retains moisture. Mulch helps hold in water and keeps the soil from drying out, so you can water less often and conserve resources.
  3. Fertilizes the plants and improves soil structure.

How do you treat a lawn full of weeds?

Killing lawn weeds starts with pre-emergent herbicides to prevent weed seeds from sprouting. Apply these products in early spring before weeds begin to grow. Post-emergent herbicides kill existing weeds and work best when applied directly to actively growing plants.

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