When I had a garden with a very steep, high bank (about 30' high x 20'wide and steeper than 45 degrees) I made little planting holes for the plants that I wanted, only removing the nearest weeds til the wanted plants were established. Of course, the drainage fall is usually easy to arrange on slopes and the water gets away quickly. Steep hill ground cover can take the form of dense shrubs with deep roots for a forest look to fast-growing ground covers for a sunny hill. Ladder? Vigorous ground-hugging evergreens are extremely useful for long term slope cover. Think of pohutukawas framing blue ocean views. Can you walk on it? 10 plants that fight soil erosion and add color landscaping ideas: how to stabilize a steep slope home guides sf gate lessons from the hills: gardening on rocky slopes hudson valley chronogram magazine creeping juniper: care growing guide. Crawl on it? Plants that produce their own self-sown seedlings are a godsend when revegetating a large site. 10 Plants That Fight Soil Erosion and Add Color . display: none Dig the hole three times as wide as the plants root ball and plant so that the roots and trunk are vertical. Search the full article stories - it's takes longer, digging deeper and will likely find more articles than a "quick" search. width: 250px; a large area of bank (linear extent greater than three times average bank height) and is occurring at a rate in excess of one foot per year or a rate that is unacceptable for safety, environmental or economic reasons. Deep rooted plants help stabilize soil, trees add dimension and shade to prevent excess evaporation, and low growing ground covers cover up unsightly areas with ease of care. Plant native grasses to hold the soil in. Drainage is one of the most important factors where steep slopes of any kind and of any soil type, be it sand, clay or loam, are concerned. Drought-resistant plants with spreading, fibrous root systems work well. Tree Care Auckland was founded on the idea that trees require the utmost respect and care and are an asset that can enhance your property. Use plastic — padding: 5px 20px 5px 5px; Steep banks with slopes greater than 3 to 1 (3 feet of width for every foot in height) are almost certain to erode and undercut over time if they are not stabilized. Herbaceous and shrubby plants have shallower root systems while larger trees usually have spreading and deeper roots. Water runs down hill before it gets the chance to soak in, and soil that’s not covered goes down with it. Low spreaders. Whenever possible, choose species native to your region, as they require less irrigation and fertilizer, both of which contribute to harmful run-off. Plant through the matting. text-decoration: none; How to stabilize an eroding bank? For any large slope, the easiest long-term landscaping solution is to establish as quickly as possible a permanent cover of native plants. Grasses and Grass-like Plants Turf grass is the least effective type of grass for stabilizing a pond bank slope. u/robottadman. But be careful with the likes of succulents on clay soil; excess water must be able to drain away. left: 0px; Dry lovers rule. You can check this by looking at their website or by asking them what training they have and what safety standards they work to. Generally with retaining walls, a series of smaller ones is easier to install and usually looks more appealing than one big one. If a bank is high, logs can be “terraced” along the upper slope to prevent sand from continuously sliding down. position: relative Turf grass is often a choice but consider the maintenance difficulties. It stays low (under 6 inches) and spreads at a moderate pace. Can you run a wheelbarrow up it? 4 years ago. Apart from the obvious safety hazards, gardeners with slopes are faced with shallow erosion-prone soils. display: block; By selecting a range of suitable species you can a variety of sizes, colours and textures that is very pleasing to the eye. The roots can help to hold the soils together, the branches and leaves can be a barrier against surface erosion, and moisture levels in the soil can be regulated by the demands for water by the plants. 444 If your streambank or shoreline is severely eroded, you will need to stabilize the soil to promote plant growth. Seeders. It can be a bad idea to remove any hazardous trees in one go if this means the bank will be left bare before new plants can be established. You'll need at least a few weedings and waterings to establish the plants; how will that be accomplished? For more information about suitable plants for stabilising banks follow the following links: Follow our Facebook, Google Plus and Twitter pages to hear about our latest news and updates. Gardening on a gradient is tricky, but the results can be spectacular. We have developed innovative techniques (low impact, low profile, low maintenance and low cost) to re-establish PERFORMANCE OF stability, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT AND HABITAT. Plant roots are important soil binders on clay banks. I've just planted out a steep bank from where the land was excavated for an arena. Tip: When planting a tree or shrub on a slope, create a flat area (like a mini terrace) before digging your hole, either by cutting into the slope or building out using rocks or a post to hold the soil in. Place fieldstone along the base of the bank, a couple feet above the high water mark ; If a bank is low and the water is shallow, coir logs (made of coconut fibers) can be staked along the base of the bank. Plant grass — Planting grass does not stop erosion, and it’s been found that 30-75% of all rainfall on grass- covered slopes runs off. Plant trees and shrubs. The steeper the incline, the more desirable it is to establish planting that quickly looks after itself. When a lawn extends all the way to a pond’s shoreline, the presence of vegetation at the water’s edge gives a sense that it’s holding the soil in place. Like Forsythia suspensa, its branches root where contact is made with the soil. Add shadecloth or treeguards if possible to shade new tubestock from searing sun. Look for these products, tips and advice at a. Trees. It is very important to ensure the task of stabilising slopes and banks is completed if your house is located near a slope. Using native plants will encourage wildlife into your garden transforming what may have been a wildlife desert into an oasis. As a general rule it is best to have low growing plants with fibrous root systems. ©2020 New Zealand Plant Producers Incorporated. a.tip { When these start to establish, plant shrubs and trees. It is very important to ensure the task of stabilising slopes and banks is completed if your house is located near a slope. } Wind makes life even harder for plants, especially when it carries salt from the sea. Create a layered look: Arrange plants for a layered look, using largest in back, then balance the visual layout by randomly placing medium shrubs. } Cut the legs off old panty hose. Drains do not need to be elaborate or even deep. Mix it up. It faces East and gets full sun from reasonable soon after the sun comes up until early afternoon. margin: 10px; Tree Care Auckland Arborist company providing tree work, Our Tree Care company provides an all inclusive maintenance and management tree care service for you property. Once the challenges are overcome a successfully planted slope can be a thing of great beauty, enhancing the environment while requiring little in the way of maintenance. They were so careful and efficient, great to deal with – a pleasure to have them on site. Then I gradually removed the weeds as the groundcover plants grew outwards. With that in mind, we scoured the country looking for tree … Read More >>, I’d just like to say thanks for the fantastic job your team did. Planting a mixed palette will give a better chance of success and disguise any flaws. Safe Harbor uses natural systems to stabilize steep, very steep slopes and eroding coastal bluffs. Look for those that require little or nothing in the way of trimming while expanding their thickly clothed branches to protect the soil and block weeds. Alternatively, there are a range of sedums and sempervivens that you can plant and leave to smother a dry, sunny bank. It will likley find fewer articles than a "deep" search. Soil Type: The consistency of the soil also determines rate of erosion. – Jenny Maidment, Copyright © 2020 Pro Climb Limited T/a Tree Care Auckland, Stabilising characteristics of native plants, Naturally Native’s Online Plant Catalogue, Use of Plants for Ground Bioengineering and Erosion & Sediment Control in New Zealand, Arboricultural Consultants and Tree Care Contractors. You can also simultaneously plant suitable replacement species, to ensure constant vegetation coverage is maintained throughout the project. Generally, plants help to slow erosion of clay banks because: } Vegetation on slopes can play a large role in the stability of its structure. Rappel from the top? Staircase? Advice for Planting on a steep Bank (NZ) Hi landscapers and gardeners alike. If you have a slope with mature trees it can be a good idea to have an arboricultural consultant have a look to assess the tree. If it is too steep to walk, can you make cross paths? As the matting decays, stem-rooting plants should root-in to provide good consolidation. Beware of imposters! Book online or call 021 508 806 for a fast quote. Professional assistance is a wise investment when major earthworks are involved, but you can make your hillside accessible by turning it into a series of flat areas connected by zigzagging pathways and steps. Aloe polyphylla with carex "Frosted Curls" and Coprosma goundcovers at Larnach Castle. Nov 15, 2020 - Explore Dena Shaw Merrill's board "Landscaping a steep bank" on Pinterest. Archived. background: url(../images/status-info.png) #f0f0f0 no-repeat 100% 5%; A better solution may be to phase the transformation by performing staged removals or pruning. Also, seeding a bank with grass creates a weedy slope that is hard to stabilize and makes reestablishing plants much more difficult. If you are at all unsure it would be best to contact a geo-engineer for expert advice. 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