Ground covers are among the easiest plants to care for. Once established, a dense planting prevents most weed seeds from growing. Aside from mowing once a year (for some ground covers), all they require is regular water and fertilizer.
New plantings, however, need careful attention until they cover the ground—sometimes as long as two or three years. During this period they are susceptible to weed invasion, and are harder to keep weed-free than many other types of plantings. Also, like all immature plants, newly-planted ground covers are delicate and need more frequent watering and more protection from the elements than established plantings.