Transplanting Liriope Lilyturf Groundcover

The April shower continued through May and now my low growing groundcover has become invasive and needs to be divided and transplanted.

I grow three groundcovers in my yard; Baltic ivy, Vinca flowering vine and Liriope  lilyturf which is a low growing grass like plant that flowers in the fall.  

Know that in late winter I did trim back the liriope but the spring rain made it grow in twice the size that it was before and now husband says we need to thin it out and shape it before it takes over the entire front yard.  I agreed and added this garden project to my list of things to do.

The best time to tackle this garden project would be on a cloudy day. Today was cloudy so I started to thin out the liriope with my spade. I selected large clumps and dug them up. Then dividing the clumps and transplanting to grow around my mature oak tree. (the photo you see above was taken in the fall when the flowers were blooming) 

I was able to remove six feet of the plants before calling it a day. The mosquitos were very bad, and my repellent did not seem to keep them away. Even the citronella fire torch did not keep the biting bugs away so I called it a day and went inside.

Know that my groundcover garden does not look thinned out but I think that when I remove several more plant clumps that it will look better.  I plan to get up early tomorrow morning and work on this project before it rains in the afternoon.

View this youtube.com video to learn more about dividing and transplanting liriope.

If you are interested in growing liriope in your garden then I would recommend that you ask your friends if they are transplanting and if they can spare to give you some plants.  Otherwise you can buy groundcover plants at any of the following online stores.

eBay.com

greenwoodnusrsery.com

gardenerdirect.com

ckassygroundcovers.com

Landscaping with Liriope Border Grass

Liriope, commonly known as lilyturf or border grass, is a low growing semi-evergreen perennial ground cover.  This ground cover is a fast-growing and a good choice for erosion control.  Liriope grass will add eye appealing color and movement to your landscape summer through winter.

Grassy foliage of the liriope border grass

I grow this plant throughout my yard as it is a good landscape ground cover.   I have planted as a border along my garden paths and around my oak and maple trees.  I have also added it to my hosta garden and as a border to my ornamental grass garden.   I like the grass-like foliage that grows upward from a clump, and the lavender flower that blooms in late summer make this plant a feature in my garden. 

The flower is long-lived, has no fragrance, and when it fades a cluster of blackish berries will appear. These berries are ornamental and will stay on the liriope during winter.

Here are some photographs of liriope gardens and landscape:

Growing Instructions for Liriope Ground Cover

Choosing a Garden Site

Plant this ground cover in a garden that has good drainage you will also need an area that has part sun to shade.   Liriope does not grow well in the intense afternoon sun, as the leaves, will become scorched, but it does grow well in the morning sun, part shade to shade in the heat of the day and part sun in the evening.

When to Plant

Buy nursery-grown plants or bare roots.  If you intend to do a mass planting then it is wise to buy bare roots as they cost less and they grow quickly. 

Plant in spring after the danger of frost has past or in fall.  Note you can plant liriope anytime during the growing season provided you water it daily until the roots establish.

Soak bare-root plants in tepid water before planting. The water will hydrate the roots and get them ready for planting.  If you plant the bare root in the early spring and fertilize with spray n' grow then it will bloom the first year.

Plant the liriope in a hole that is deep enough to accommodate the roots. Cover the roots with soil that is amended with compost or manure and water well. Space plants 18 inches apart.

Care for your Liriope

Maintain the soil that is evenly moist but not wet.  Apply two inches of mulch around the liriope to aid in maintaining moisture and to prevent weed growth.  Feed with an all-purpose fertilizer in the first week of August.  Cut back in March before new spring growth. Do this by setting your lawnmower blade on high and mow over the plant.

You can also cut back with a weed eater, trim the ground cover to 3 inches, this is a safe height as you do not want to cut too low and damage the crown.

Divide and transplant in spring as needed Fully-grown plants are fifteen inches in height and width.

Warning

Do not eat the ornamental berries.

Learn how to divide and transplant liriope border grass by viewing this YouTube.com video: