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Wednesday - July 23, 2008
From: Pleasant Hill, MO
Region: Midwest
Topic: Erosion Control
Title: Groundcover for erosion control in Missouri
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Can you suggest a ground cover to stop erosion on a slight slope in my backyard? I live in Missouri - the soil is very poor in this area and has lots of rock underneath the soil. The yard drains into a creek bed at the back of my property.ANSWER:
Grasses do an excellent job of erosion control because their extensive fibrous root system holds the soil very well. You don't say whether your backyard is shaded or not, but I will suggest several attractive grasses and indicate what their light requirements are.Grasses These all are 1-3 ft tall.
Bouteloua curtipendula (sideoats grama) sun, part shade, shade and moist or dry soil
Bouteloua gracilis (blue grama) sun and dry soil
Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem) sun, part shade and dry soil
Chasmanthium latifolium (Inland sea oats) part shade, shade and moist or dry soil
Sedges These look very much like grass, but tend to be shorter. They also have fibrous root systems that hold soil.
Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge) sun, part shade, shade and dry to moist soils
Carex stipata (owlfruit sedge) sun and wet or moist soils
Ferns These are attractive for moist areas with shade. The Christmas fern will also grow in the sun.
Athyrium filix-femina (common ladyfern) part shade, shade and wet or moist soil
Osmunda cinnamomea (cinnamon fern) part shade and moist or wet soil
Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas fern) sun, part shade and moist or dry soil. This fern is evergreen.
More Erosion Control Questions
Plants to hold a slope in Northern New York
December 10, 2009 - I'm looking for native (South shore, Lake Ontario) plants to slow erosion on a steep, 20 foot bank. They don't have to be decorative (although flowering plants are always nice), but they should SPRE...
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Erosion control plantings in Washington state
September 06, 2007 - Hi,
I am trying to do an eagle project that involves putting vegetation onto a hill to prevent erosion. I live in Washington state where there is plenty of rain so erosion is a big problem. We are t...
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Native plants for erosion control in South Dakota
December 04, 2008 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants: I live in the Black Hills of South Dakota at about 5000 feet ASL. My house is on a steep hill. I had to clear a perimeter around my house of all the pine trees for fire supp...
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Groundcover plants for slope to prevent erosion
June 05, 2008 - Hi,
I have just made a 3/4 acre pond and the south facing slope is too steep to mow.Can you suggest any ground cover plants I could use to look nice and prevent erosion.
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Groundcover to prevent erosion in Florida
November 04, 2012 - I live on a hill and put in a new side driveway and now I am seeing erosion along the driveway and can see the bottom of my concrete. Grass won't grow because its all shaded. What would be the best g...
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