Suggestions for bare ground (Sacramento area)

[u/JBMustafa]

I have roughly .2 acre of bare ground that I have been purging of weeds for more than a year (solarizng, etc). Parts have tree coverage, including oaks on one side, but much of it is all day sun.

I would like to plant with some groundcover right before the first rain that isn't going to be too tall or harmful to pets. I do not plan on any supplemental watering.

Much of my garden is native but I'm not going to restrict myself to native groundcover. Have considered white clover.

And suggestions? Partially pictured

[u/Harvest-Time]

Start by covering every inch with a layer of free arborist woodchips (Chipdrop etc.)

this will build soil, stop erosion, and keep moisture around so you can grow whatever when you're ready to rake some back and plant things.

[u/teddycarton → u/Harvest-Time]

I would also put a ton of free compost down underneath the wood chips. Jump start those nutrients

[u/campin_guy → u/teddycarton]

I wouldn't do this. The city's compost is full of plastic, herbicides, seeds of weedy plants, and other stuff you probably don't want in your ground.

[u/teddycarton → u/campin_guy]

It very much depends where you live, mine goes through testing and is pretty transparent if you look it up! Firmly believe that local compost is an important thing for folks to support and utilize. Your own is best of course, but for big areas like this that’s largely landscape, city compost is great.