The problem with loamy soils
There is a certain amount of clay in all garden soils. With the storage of water and nutrients, it also takes on an important task in the planting ground. In some places, however, the proportion of clay in the soil is excessively high, which leads to very low permeability - for the water as well as for nutrients and air. For plants, this means permanent moisture and a lack of root ventilation. Many people find it difficult to cope with this, but some varieties do.
also read
- Propagate ground cover - this is how it works
- Ground cover - the best varieties and the best time to plant
- Geraniums as ground cover - varieties for shade and sun
Apart from the limited range of plants with which a Clay soil when confronted by the gardener, it is difficult to work with due to its dense, caked consistency. Improvements by working in sand and compost is therefore a real drudgery and planting is of course more laborious than in loose soils.
The properties of clay soils at a glance:
- holds a lot of water
- stores nutrients
- reduces the air supply
- laborious to work and to plant
Clay soil compatible ground cover
If you want to plant a clayey area with a ground cover, the difficult processing factor is particularly important Weight - because in order to be able to fulfill their area-filling task, the low-growing plants have to be planted in a relatively large number of individual plants will. In order to avoid backbreaking work to improve the soil, it is therefore even more advisable to choose varieties that are compatible with loamy soil. And when it comes to ground cover, the choice is not that limited - at least when it comes to the visual variety.
Blooming deciduous ground cover
So you can look at delicately blooming classics like the Pillow aster or most cranesbills fall back. Even the yellow glowing one Golden nettle, the likable spotted lungwort and creeper Gunsel get along well with loamy soils. The common soap herb can also thrive on clay soil, as can the aromatic pineapple mint, which can be used as a herb, or the plain Knotweed. With all these varieties, however, sunny conditions should be guaranteed so that the clay soil does not stay too wet.
The robust alternative: dwarf trees
Another, perhaps a little more pragmatic, but also decorative option are creeping dwarf trees. Many of them are very undemanding in terms of soil technology, such as the evergreen, very robust and virtually maintenance-free Cotoneaster or also zerg conifers such as creeping juniper or yew species.
Vibrant mysticism: ferns
Ferns like dark, moist habitats and are also well suited as ground cover - with their swaying, filigree leaf structure, they also have something to offer visually.
