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squishkitsch

Plant Suggestions for a Large Slope

squishkitsch
14 years ago

I have a fairly long, fairly sharp slope in full, hot baking sun from sunrise to sunset. It was created when my road was paved and It's eroding the lawn!!! This is virgin, never-been-touched red clay and I don't really have the money to do heavy ammending at this time. I need suggestions for groundcovers, perennials, and/or shrubs that can tolerate the clay, long periods of wet and dry conditions and will hold the soil in place.

Hope that's not TOO much to ask?....Or is it? :-\

Comments (7)

  • ncdirtdigger
    14 years ago

    bluerug junipers
    daylillies
    cottoneaster repens
    butterfly bushes
    miscanthus grass
    muhly grass

  • User
    14 years ago

    The key is to plant some small trees, shrubs and grasses of different heights so that the water isnt beating on that hill when you get a heavy rain.
    They all work in unison at different heights to stop the water from touching the soil, thereby washing it away.
    You need fiberous roots on everything.
    Best trees are SUMAC, any sumac tree will do.
    Tiger Eyes sumac trees are gorgeous! look online.
    Smoke bushes and trees are sumac family.
    If you can find a wax myrtle, it might grow there.
    Magnolias are especially good for your errosion problem, and they are beautiful, love sun and evergreen.
    Then shrubs, which are smoke bush, butterfly bush, some boxwoods would do fine there,
    Then you must plant some gorgeous grasses!
    Grasses are the best thing for erosion.
    Morning light, zebra, all kinds of beautiful grasses, small and large, mix them in height.
    I think daylillies would look very good also.
    Good Luck to you! It will look beautiful!

  • mulears
    14 years ago

    I have a very long ditch bank that runs between my pasture fence and the road. Alot of weeds. What is best to rid the weeds and what is best to plant to keep the weeds choked out? I roundup the weeds every year, several times, but they come back again every year.

  • Iris GW
    14 years ago

    I roundup the weeds every year, several times, but they come back again every year.

    Two possible reasons: 1) seeds are germinating fresh every year, you are only killing out the current generation, try to eliminate them before they go to seed and you may have fewer to deal with; 2) these are woody weeds and the weed killer you are applying is not as effective on woody/brush weeds, allowing them to return after a brief set-back.

    Or a combination of both. Mowing frequently enough to prevent seed formation might help. Have you planted grass (e.g., fescue) there? That might encourage some competition against the weeds. I would not recommend junipers - in this area you are bound to just have the weeds pop up through them and create a mess.

    Without seeing a picture, my guess is that a long ditch between pasture and road is not an ideal area for landscaping, I would just work on keeping it neat and under control. You could use a germination inhibitor to keep some of the seeds from germinating.

  • mulears
    14 years ago

    Thank you esh ga. I cannot mow this ditch bank and it is really hard to weed eat since it is so long and steep. I'll try a brush killer and germination inhibiter. I'll then try planting fescue. Thank you for the advice.

  • User
    14 years ago

    mulears,
    After you round up it again, plant some creeping jenny.
    Alot of them. They will fill in, you won't have to mow it, and you won't have weeds anymore.
    And it turns red in winter, looks nice.
    you can get it at HD or Lowes, cheap.

  • mulears
    14 years ago

    Thank you butterfly4u. Creeping jenny sounds great. I like this idea much better than fescue.

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