Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
Laying Ground Cover
Landscape designers and gardeners use ground cover for a variety of reasons. It's planted as a backdrop for perennials and annuals in a flower bed and as a low-maintenance cover along walkways and under trees. These ever-growing plants provide a lush carpet of color for problem areas like sloping lots and in shaded areas where grasses won't grow. Most popular species spread easily, providing a continuous covering that discourages the growth of weeds.

To plant 200 square feet of Pachysandra, a hardy variety of ground cover that's available in most parts of the country, a landscaper charges about $215. The job involves turning over the soil, fertilizing it with nutrients and planting 100 plants on one-foot centers in a 10-foot-by-20-foot area. Pro vs DIY Cost and TimeA first-time gardener can buy the Pachysandra and fertilizer for $100 and plant it, saving more than 50 percent.

You need a garden fork, shovel and cultivating tools to work the soil and prepare it for planting. It's a good day's work in the garden and something you'll enjoy for years to come.

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