No matter how diligently you weed, after a few days weeds will appear again between the joints of the stone path. Then there’s only one thing left – plant the paving joints. We explain how you can do this.
Green paving joints: Tough ground cover plants displace weeds between the stones
Pulling weeds is a complex job. There are home remedies that quickly and successfully combat wild plants, but they must not be used on sidewalks and paved areas. There are also home remedies that permanently destroy weeds, but you should repeat the treatments patiently and consistently.
If you want to save yourself the trouble, use an environmentally friendly and reliable method and plant your paving joints. Fast-growing ground cover plants form a dense carpet and prevent weed seeds from germinating. They can also successfully crowd out the larger plants.
Which ground coverWhether you are eligible depends on several factors. For example, the width of the joint is important.
Permanently remove weeds between paving stones: Sedum species for narrow joints
Various types of Sedum are particularly suitable for narrow joints. These are an easy-care and inexpensive option for permanent greenery. The Sedum species are extremely easy to care for, very sturdy and can cope with heat and drought. They also look great: they bloom in attractive colors (yellow, white, pink...) and are also attractive foliage plants afterwards. The following varieties, which can be found commercially as seeds and sprouts, are well suited:
- Mild and hot stonecrop
- Small white stonecrop
- Rich flowering sedum
- Kamchatka stonecrop
- Rock sedum
The seeds are sown in the joints and the sprouts are cut parts of the plant that will re-root with proper care.
Planting is extremely simple: you clean the joints and fill nutrient-poor soil into the joints (if necessary). The soil should be about 6 cm below the garden path so that the plants have enough space to grow. This ensures that the ground cover is always below the stone edge and is not walked on directly.
Incidentally, all of the species listed above are also winter-hardy, and several are also wintergreen. They can easily withstand frost, wind and snow.
Tough ground cover against weeds: species for sunny and semi-shady locations
For sun:Mild, hot and small white stonecrop prefer a location in full sun, but can also thrive in shady places in the garden.
For partial shade:The three types of sedum: rich-flowering, Kamchatka and rock sedum are real adaptation artists and feel comfortable in both the sun and partial shade.
Plant wide paving joints with greenery
First of all: Plants that are described as walkable or hard-wearing are not suitable for heavily trafficked areas. They will thrive along a garden path without any problems, but are less suitable for the heavily used area around the barbecue or outdoor dining area.
Shade-loving plants against moss and weeds
Most ground cover plants prefer a location in the sun. Fortunately, there are also plants that grow well in the shade and fill the gaps. These include, for example, the Bubiköpfchen and the Sternmoss.
The plants that grow in partial shade also tolerate shady locations and also feel quite comfortable in the sun. They are the perfect choice for garden paths and patios that are in the shade in the morning or evening, but then in full sun. So they are considered true adaptation artists.
- Corsican mint – partial shade
- Polei mint – partial shade
- Roman chamomile – partial shade
- Feather pads – partial shade
- Pennywort – partial shade
- Bubikopfchen – shadow
- Star moss – shade while the soil is dry.
These plants for joints in sunny locations
There is also a large selection of walk-in plants that fill the gaps tightly and prevent wild plants from spreading. The majority of them prefer sunny locations. The herbs and perennials are hardy and can easily tolerate sub-zero temperatures.
- Broken herb – sun
- Braunelle – sun
- Common Yarrow – Sun
- Rapunzel bluebell – sun
- Medicinal thyme – sun
- Carpet Thyme – Sun
- Scented Lawn Chamomile – Full Sun
- Field pansies – sun
They are also drought-resistant and can cope without water or fertilizer. However, the width of the joints is important so that the plants feel comfortable. They should be at least 6 cm wide so that they can grow. Of course, you can also combine different plants to ultimately create a colorful and easy-care path or terrace. You can plant the same ground cover plants directly around the pavers to create a seamless transition between the different garden elements.
Another cool idea would be to create a rock garden right next to the garden path. Then you have plants with similar location and soil requirements right next to each other.
Weeds cannot only be controlled with chemicals or home remedies. A natural way to combat wild plants is to cover the joints with greenery. In this way, the spread of the weeds is initially inhibited. Individual plants are displaced and the result is an easy-care garden.
