Ground Cover for Small Yard

WE installed a french drain for our standing water issue. We had to dig a trench from our back yard to the front. Put in the pipe, cover with gravel and rock and then cover back up with the dirt. We have neighbors that actually had to install a sump pump in their yard.

My experience with ground cover is that most need good drainage to do well.

A trick for the mosquitoes in the mean time....drop a bath bead in any standing water. The oil will help stop the mosquitoes. We dropped some in a neighbors yard who refused to do anything about the standing water, we got permission first. It helped cull the population.

There may be a lot of reasons for the standing water. It may be worth making an appointment with a landscaper to find out what can and needs to be done. You may find you can do quite a bit yourself. Hurry...with this crazy weather this season, those 100 degree days are right around the corner!

First, you need to scale your yard. If water is pooling, it's got to be very uneven. Rent a tiller (or hire a company,) till and level your yard. If your yard is on some kind of incline that causes pooling, you could install a french drain, or some other drainage system. Once your yard is level and can drain, mulch would actually be fine. BUT, you HAVE to have a level yard and drainage, otherwise the mulch with retain the water. You can buy it by the truck load at many landscaping places. We use a place in Denton, here's the link: http://www.cityofdenton.com/index.aspx?page=1127

(There is a formula at the bottom of the page, to figure how much mulch you would need.)

See if this is what your looking for.

http://www.rubberecycle.com/

Nice for the kids to play on.

:)

To avoid the pooling of water... I would think that you need to problem solve that, first. Meaning, thinking about some sort of drainage system.
Even if that means, creating a "swale" for the water to escape.
http://www.handymanhowto.com/2008/08/26/making-a-grassy-d...
That is what we have.
Or get a professional to do it.

Because, even if you lay down some wood chips there, or ground-cover, the water will STILL accumulate. And mosquitoes.

So, ultimately, you have to problem-solve the pooling of water, in your yard. Because, that is the problem.

Google search: "swale for drainage."

Then Google search: "ground cover for shady areas," or "hardy low maintenance ground covers."

After you have solved the problem of the pooling standing water in the yard, then you can solve what kind of ground covering to put in.

If cost isn't an issue, check into the fake grass. My neighbors have it in their front and back yard and it looks real and is basically NO maintenance. Good luck.

I second some of the other options - put a french drain in to solve the draining water problem. You will be AMAZED at the difference. Our backyard pooled water and we put the French drain in and it was a dream.

I also like the idea of the fake turf. I have no idea how much it costs, but they use it on HGTV all the time and it looks awesome (when installed properly).

Good luck,
L.