Vinca major or minor

Greenjob

Hi there 

I have some banking and after a little bit of landscaping I was thinking of covering with Vinca. Which would be best minor or major? I am looking for complete coverage and only maybe a couple of pear trees on shelves on the slope. All the info on vinca major is negative and this bank will have walls separating it from other parts of the garden. Any opinions greatly appreciated. 

Cheers 

robairdmacraignil

Both types of vinca stretch out from where they are planted and I think the major may be a bit more vigorous but you will likely need to control whichever one you plant. I would pick major just because I like the look of the leaves more and it seems to be in flower for longer than the minor version I have. I have a white flowered cultivar as well that is not vigorous at all and would not make a good option for ground cover.

Greenjob

Thanks for the advice, think I would be happy to spend more time keeping major in check if its in flower longer.

Greenjob

Also does anyone know where you can buy seeds, struggling to find any online?

Silver surfer

I fear that unless you kill all the grass weeds Vinca will not thrive.
We struggled to get it to establish.
Once it got going it was rather too happy!

Pic below compares leaves of Major and minor.
Major on top...hairy edges
Minor below...smooth edges

Try e bay ..good value  plants.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=vinca+plants&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_sop=2

Greenjob

Thanks Silver Surfer for the link, I've never thought of using eBay for plants.

Will be digging over as best I can and want plenty of plants ready to get planted straight away so cheaper the better. 

dappledshade

Is there any way you could lay weed membrane over the whole area, killing off what’s there, for a few weeks, then dig over and improve any soil that needs it, before starting to plant? Would make it easier for new plants to establish.
A wildflower bank would look fantastic there too 😁

Greenjob

dappledshade said:

Is there any way you could lay weed membrane over the whole area, killing off what’s there, for a few weeks, then dig over and improve any soil that needs it, before starting to plant? Would make it easier for new plants to establish.
A wildflower bank would look fantastic there too 😁

Was seriously considering wildflowers but was wanting something I wouldn't have to cut. Hopefully get a little wildflower patch on the other side. 

lydiaann

Hopefully, you do not have any borders adjoining this bank.  I spent 20 years trying to eradicate vinca minor which had 'escaped' from the next door garden (and the new owners of that house had the same problem).  And contrary to Silver Surfer's belief, I can assure you that 'my' vinca invaded the lawns, given any chance whatsoever.  I do agree, it's a marvellous ground cover that looks lovely...and if the bank is 'isolated', it will be great, especially when in full flower and viewed from a short distance.  

Loxley

I would go with minor, it seems a bit denser and more trailing than major, which can be a bit upright in habit. V. major often looks like this:


Which is less good for groundcover than minor, which usually grows like this - more mat forming:

Silver surfer

lydiaann said:

Hopefully, you do not have any borders adjoining this bank.  I spent 20 years trying to eradicate vinca minor which had 'escaped' from the next door garden (and the new owners of that house had the same problem).  And contrary to Silver Surfer's belief, I can assure you that 'my' vinca invaded the lawns, given any chance whatsoever.  I do agree, it's a marvellous ground cover that looks lovely...and if the bank is 'isolated', it will be great, especially when in full flower and viewed from a short distance.  

That was my point..it was not easy to establish...but once it was, it was a pest!

lydiaann You had problems with an established plant invading from next door.
Had you deliberately planted it in your lawn it might have been very different....
it would maybe have died, or been slow to get going.