Q.Lirope
Some of my lirope which we use as ground cover instead of grass has not filled in yet. I have lots of leaves around the lirope which fell this Fall. Should I leave the leaves to use as mulch to keep the weeds out or do I need to clear them out and then mulch?Or is pine straw better? I have a serious weed problem . I may have misspelled liriope…monkey grass. Thanks.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
You should definitely get all of the leaves off. You might even want to fertilize once per year in spring to get them started each year. Cutting them back several inches can also force them to spread. As far as mulching... You will want to do this after you cut them back. I don't prefer to use pine straw, but a good black mulch will be very good for them.
Here is an article for more information on Liriope: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/groundcover/monkey-grass/monkey-grass-a-spectacular-groundcover-for-the-lawn.htm
