Guide

When joints rhyme with greenery: nature reclaims its rights

23.5.2018

Translation: machine translated

Are your paths or terrace paved? Are the joints overgrown with weeds? There are a few tricks you can use to remedy the situation.

No-one likes to see their flowers rubbing shoulders with weeds. And when it creeps insidiously between the paving stones and flagstones, it's a nightmare. You have to get down on your hands and knees to pull them out one after the other, and every fortnight at that, if you hope to get rid of them. A garden needs maintenance, I grant you. But there's no need to prune everything. You can just plant between the gaps in the flagstones. And the chore becomes ancient history.

Get to work!

You'll need to bend down one last time to remove the weeds using a grater. Before replanting anything, the joints must be spotless. To do this, you can use a high-pressure cleaner, a great asset when you have one to hand, which you'll need to hold in an upright position. Next, fill the joints with a permeable, sand-rich potting soil, which can usually be found under the name "potting soil for tubs and terraces".

No lawns allowed

For aesthetic joints, you shouldn't choose just any plant; not all will flourish there. Some will wilt, others will grow too tall. Sedum, also known as thorn grass, is used to difficult conditions. Most species can be walked on, as they are flat. Other plants that can do the trick? Evergreen sago grass is perfect for joints and is not afraid to be walked on. Creeping thyme has small lilac flowers that will add a touch of cheer to your grey flagstones. Isotoma, acaena and lysimachia - also known as shield grass - are also very easy to plant.

Whatever the variety, sedum will flourish on the joints.

Always verdant, sago grass withstands our strides. — Whatever the variety, sedum will flourish on the joints.

Beautiful plants

There are two variations to choose from. For narrow joints, I recommend using seedlings of the desired plants. To do this, you need to mix it with the potting soil and spread it between the joints, without filling them, and leaving about 1 to 2 cm of play so that nothing flies away. All that's left is to water regularly.

If the joints are wider than 3 cm, you can also use perennials. Although this option is much more expensive and requires more maintenance, the joints are already planted. From an aesthetic point of view, this is an advantage. Before planting, water the roots thoroughly.

A tickling carpet of greenery

Once your planted joints are flowering, you'll have almost nothing left to do. Regularly trampled, these plants will automatically stay low. Areas that are less frequented will require a few strokes of the pruning shears and passes of the lawnmower on your part. In the event of prolonged dry spells - in Switzerland, rainfall is sufficient - you'll need to water the planted joints, which doesn't require much effort, especially as they look good, at least in my eyes. If you like walking barefoot, you'll be in heaven, with the empty spaces and weeds giving way here to a veritable carpet of plants that will tickle the soles of your feet.

Green spaghetti between your flagstones.
Source: deavita.com

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Carolin Teufelberger

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carolin.teufelberger@digitecgalaxus.ch

My life in a nutshell? On a quest to broaden my horizon. I love discovering and learning new skills and I see a chance to experience something new in everything – be it travelling, reading, cooking, movies or DIY.

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When joints rhyme with greenery: nature reclaims its rights

Get to work!

No lawns allowed

Beautiful plants

A tickling carpet of greenery

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