How to stabilize eroding steep slope?

Question

I bought a new house in Vermont a month ago. My problem is a very steep slope up to my neighbor's property. At the worst part, it is about seven feet high and as close to vertical as it could be - probably at least 75 degrees. Most of the slope is covered with growth - mostly grassy plants. There are a couple of big spots where it is steepest and highest where it has partly washed out, exposing rocky soil. How can I keep it from eroding further? I'd like to avoid the trouble and expense of getting a retaining wall built. My neighbor's driveway is near the top of the slope, and I don't want it damaged, even though I hase been told legally it would not be my problem. What kind of plants would hold the dirt, and would grow easily in steep rocky soil in Vermont?

Answer 1

Go to your local plant store and ask to look at their "ground covers". Ivy would probably work well, and look nice, once it's filled in. Ivy grows anywhere, as it has "air roots". Those are what makes the plant cling to and climb trees and other structures.

Answer 2

Basically, try to stabilize soil, divert & capture runoff in depressions (to help recharge groundwater supply), revegetate areas, & improve drainage. Try using some kind of mesh, wire or stones & wood wedges to keep the soil from eroding. A series of small terrace walls helps as long as you put some material along the inside of the path to slow the water and stop erosion. Put a 8-10 foot terrace every fifty feet.
Here's one wildflower solution for steep slopes:
http://www.edgehill.net/Steep-Slopes.htm

It's best to use a variety of native plants indigenious to your area. A mixture of plants... layers of vegetation... reduces the impact of water on the soil & helps mitigate erosion. Check with the agricultural extension office in your area. Incorporate structural diversity in plant selections (trees/shrubs with ground covers) and use a mix of species.

Here's another site with simple erosion control solutions for a hillside or garden slope & a detailed lists of flowers for erosion control:
http://www.laspilitas.com/garden/howto/slope.html *
"Generally the bigger the plant grows to, the deeper the roots. There are exceptions; pines and some manzanitas have shallow roots; you can use them within the planting but not as the total solution. Some of the pines (Pinus spp.) and manzanitas (Arctostaphylos spp.) can grow on one foot of soil. If you only have a foot of soil on the slope this is VERY useful. If the soil is deeper, a mix of deep roots are needed to tie the top soil(s) to the bottom rock, but the top 1-2 feet of soil needs to be tied tightly together. The shallow rooted plants like monkey flowers (Diplacus spp.), Penstemons (Penstemon spp.), Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), sages (Salvia spp.) or some manzanitas do this well.

Native grassy-type "plants" are good, but be careful using grass: "Erosion studies have consistently shown that slopes that were seeded with grass have GREATER EROSION than anything other than bare ground. (Even dead sticks beat grass!)."*

Good luck! Hope this is helpful.

Answer 3

durable creeping vines are the best way to hold a steep slope, hands down.