The name “Green Carpet” is usually used in specialist retailers as a variety name for the small periwinkle (Vinca minor). In fact, this term is intended to indicate its possible use as a low ground cover and to help differentiate it from the taller growing large evergreen (Vinca major).
What is the Vinca minor Green Carpet and how to care for it?
The Green Carpet (Vinca minor) is a low-growing ground cover that feels particularly comfortable in shady garden corners and under tall trees. Plants are planted 25cm apart, with 5-12 plants per m². During the growth phase they need regular watering, later they get by with little care.
Select the location and prepare it properly
The periwinkle can be easily planted as a green carpet in a garden, but the plant is not always a substitute for lawns. Even if it is tempting that the periwinkle needs little or no cutting as a ground cover, it cannot really thrive in very sunny locations. On the other hand, the small evergreen usually feels very comfortable in garden corners under tall trees or with only a few hours of sunshine per day. The soil should retain moisture well enough so that the evergreen does not immediately collapse during dry periods. You should dig up very heavy and compacted soils before planting Vinca minor and enrich them with seasoned compost (€12.00 on Amazon). This ensures sufficient fertilization in the first year.
Get the right number of young plants
It can be a challenge to calculate the number of young plants needed for a green carpet of evergreens. For example, the following factors come into play:
- Location
- Soil condition and soil structure (slope or flat)
- Size/number of shoots of the young plants
- the exact variety
Basically, a plant distance of 25 cm between plants and quantities of 5 to 12 plants per m2 are assumed. Growing from seeds is relatively complicated and is rarely practiced.
Properly Care for a Small Periwinkle Evergreen Carpet
After planting a new Vinca minor, you should water more frequently so that the plants can grow well. Since the periwinkle later protects the soil from drying out as a closed green carpet, it requires very little watering and other care in normal weather conditions. If you want to cut the small periwinkle, be careful not to cut too deeply. Always leave enough branches near the ground and use the cuttings obtained during cutting for vegetative propagation.
Tip
Particularly attractive effects can be achieved during the flowering period in spring if you mix Vinca minor varieties with different colored and shaped flowers over a larger area in the garden. However, you also have to pay close attention to the care instructions for the individual varieties: after all, some cultivated varieties are significantly less winter hardy than the wild form of Vinca minor.
