Best Plants to Cover Tree Stumps Naturally | Easy Ideas

Do you have an old tree stump in your yard? Instead of digging it out, you can hide it with beautiful plants. Using plants to cover tree stumps is a great, earth friendly way to make your yard look even prettier. It turns an old spot into a lovely new garden feature.

Why Cover a Tree Stump with Plants?

Covering a tree stump with plants is a smart choice for many reasons. It saves you the hard work and cost of removing the stump. Instead of an eyesore, you get a beautiful mini-garden. As the stump slowly breaks down, it feeds the soil and helps your new plants grow. This method of stump landscaping is natural and helps wildlife, too. It’s a simple way to add more green to your space and explore new tree stump garden ideas.

Best Plants to Cover Tree Stumps

When you wonder what to plant on a tree stump, many wonderful options exist. The best choice depends on how much sun the spot gets. Here are some of the best decorative plants for tree stumps.

• Creeping Jenny (Moneywort): This is a fast-growing ground cover with bright, lime-green leaves. It loves to trail over edges, making it perfect for draping down the sides of a stump.
• Sedum (Stonecrop): Sedums are tough plants that don’t need much water. They are great low maintenance stump cover plants for sunny spots. You can find them in many colors and shapes. Many varieties are perfect as Stepables for Sun.
• Hostas: If your stump is in the shade, hostas are a fantastic choice. These shade-loving ground covers have big, beautiful leaves in greens, blues, and yellows.
• Vinca Minor (Periwinkle): This plant has pretty, glossy leaves and small blue or purple flowers. It’s one of the best creeping plants for tree stumps because it spreads quickly to create a dense mat.
• Ajuga (Bugleweed): Ajuga forms a thick carpet of dark leaves, often in shades of purple or bronze. It sends up small spikes of blue flowers in the spring, adding a splash of color.
• Irish Moss: This plant isn’t really moss, but it looks like it! It creates a soft, green cushion over the ground and stump. It is perfect for growing between stepping stones or over a stump in a partially shaded area.
• Creeping Thyme: Not only does thyme look great, but it also smells wonderful. This hardy plant can handle some foot traffic and thrives in full sun, making it a useful and pretty ground cover.

Comparison of Plants for Tree Stumps

Tips for Planting Around a Tree Stump

Knowing how to hide tree stumps with plants is easy with a few tips.

• Prepare the Stump: You can plant directly on top of older, rotting stumps. For newer stumps, it’s best to plant around the base. Carve out some pockets on top of the stump and fill them with soil to create planting holes.
• Add Good Soil: Tree stumps don’t have many nutrients. Add a thick layer of fresh potting soil or compost on and around the stump to give your plants a healthy start.
• Choose the Right Plants: Pick plants that suit the sunlight in that part of your yard. Use the table above to help you choose.
• Water Well: New plants need plenty of water to get started. Water them every few days for the first few weeks until they look strong and settled.

For more inspiration, you can look at different Neighborhood Entrance Landscaping Ideas to see how professionals mix plants of various heights and textures.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When creating your stump garden, try to avoid these simple mistakes.

• Forgetting to Add Soil: Planting directly into the wood of a stump won’t work well. Plants need soil for nutrients and moisture.
• Planting in the Wrong Spot: A plant that needs shade will not survive in bright sun. Always check the plant’s light needs. Good sources like gardeningknowhow.com offer great advice on plant care.
• Not Watering Enough: A tree stump can be a dry place, especially at first. Make sure your new plants get enough water to grow strong roots.
• Ignoring a Sprouting Stump: If you see new tree sprouts growing from the stump or its roots, pull them out. If you let them grow, they will compete with your new decorative plants.

If you are dealing with unwanted grasses around your stump, our Slender Veldt Grass Landscaping Guide might offer some useful control tips.

Final Thoughts

Turning an old tree stump into a garden is a fun and rewarding project. With the right ground cover plants for stumps, you can easily create a beautiful feature that adds life to your yard. This project is a perfect example of how you can work with nature to make your outdoor space better.

At Outdoor Project Lab, we believe in simple, creative solutions for your yard. You can find more helpful guides and ideas for projects just like this one. With a little soil and a few plants, that ugly stump will become your favorite new garden spot. For even more ideas on what to grow, resources like bhg.com/gardening/ provide endless inspiration for gardens of all types.