Keep Crabgrass Out Of Your Flower Beds With An Easy-To-Grow Ornamental Grass

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Crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) is one of the worst weeds in home lawns and flower beds. It spreads fast, looks ugly, and crowds out other plants. So, when it appears in your yard or garden, it is important to take it seriously. Now, if you are like most people, you are probably thinking of using herbicides. But what if there was a way you could keep out crabgrass while also improving the look of your flower beds? Meet Carex EverColor 'Everglow' (Carex oshimensis 'Everglow'). It is a perennial sedge, native to Japan, known for its beautiful white-green variegated foliage. The plant is easy to grow and look after.

It grows to about 18 inches tall and 14 inches wide and forms cascading dense clumps on the ground. And it is exactly this dense growth habit of 'Everglow' Carex that helps it keep weeds out of the yard. Plus, thanks to its vibrant colors, it looks beautiful planted next to flowers. Even better? It is deer-resistant and does not spread. You can easily grow it as a ground cover to fill those empty spaces and keep the weeds out.

Just keep in mind that 'Everglow' Carex is only hardy in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9. If you live outside these zones, you will have to look for other ornamental grasses to add to your landscape. And if crabgrass has already grown in your flower beds or yard, take measures immediately to kill crabgrass in your lawn.

You can easily purchase 'Everglow' Carex from your local nursery or online. Etsy and The Sill are two good choices if you are looking for places to find the most affordable houseplants online. Once you have the plants, find a place with partial sun or dappled shade. These plants need to be protected from harsh sunlight. Other than that, make sure that the soil is moist but not waterlogged. This is important as the 'Everglow' Carex does not like too much water in the soil. Also, keep the pH of the soil between 5.5 and 6.5.

There are many home-based soil testing kits, like the Luster Leaf's Rapitest Soil Test Kit, that you can easily use to test the pH of your flower bed soil. Once the soil is ready, transplant the plants to the ground. Keep in mind that if your aim is to suppress crabgrass using 'Everglow' Carex, grow them in groups with a spacing of 10 inches between the plants. This will help create a dense ground cover that won't give any space to crabgrass.

Nevertheless, once planted, keep them watered well, especially when you first plant them. This is important as it helps the plants successfully develop a robust root system. Once established, however, the 'Everglow' Carex does not need much care. All you need to do is prune the dead leaves from time to time and keep the soil moist, but you can additionally apply a fertilizer in spring. It will help the plants grow new leaves. Just make sure that when you use a fertilizer, you follow the instructions on the label.