Growing Emerald Falls Dichondra Garden Seeds
- Taxonomy: Dichondra repens
- Other Names: Kidney Weed, Mercury Bay Weed
- Seed Type: Perennial
- Sow Indoors or Outdoors: Dichondra is commonly sown outdoors after the frost, but can be started indoors 6 – 8 weeks prior for healthier, fuller starts. Emerald Falls dichondra will germinate in 7 – 14 days with full lighting and can be transplanted either outside or in any number of hanging baskets, planters, and indoor pots.
- Days to Maturity: 91 – 98 days
- Hardiness Zone: 9 – 11
- Planting Depth: Lightly press 1 pellet into soil without covering
- Plant Spacing: 24”
- Growth Habit: 2” tall creeping ground cover with a 24 – 36” spread of rounded trailing leaves
- Soil Preference: Average, evenly moist, well-drained
- Light Preference: Full sun – Partial Shade
- Diseases/Pests/Troubleshooting: Dichondra is known to be a very resilient and adaptable ground cover tolerant to many pests and diseases. Do not overwater, soggy soil will cause shallow roots and risk of being susceptible to diseases. Dichondra is so hardy that many homes, where it grows perennially, have torn up their traditional lawns and replaced it with what is simply known as a dichondra lawn.
- Color: Bright and uniform emerald green leaves
Dichondra is commonly sown outdoors after the frost, but can be started indoors 6 – 8 weeks prior for healthier starts. Emerald Falls dichondra will germinate in 7 – 14 days with full lighting and can be transplanted either outside or in any number of hanging baskets, planters, and pots. Lightly press 1 Emerald Falls dichondra seeded-pellet into the soil without covering 24” apart in average, evenly moist, and well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Dichondra is known to be a very tolerant and adaptable ground cover resilient to many pests and diseases. Do not overwater since soggy soil will cause shallow roots and risk of being susceptible to diseases. Emerald Falls dichondra seeds mature in 91 – 98 days as a 2” tall creeping ground cover with a 24 – 36” spread of rounded trailing emerald green leaves.
Dichondra repens is native to New Zealand, Tasmania, and Australia’s woodlands and prairies where it is commonly known as Kidney Weed and Mercury Bay Weed. Recently, homeowners in the warmer stretches of the United States have replaced their traditional lawn with a dichondra lawn. The dichondra is mowed and trimmed just like grass so that the small leaves will grow back at a specific height. The plant’s specific name repens is translated from Latin to mean “creeping”.