You will probably get better answers, but I'll be the first to suggest something. If it were my yard I would be afraid to plant anything big and heavy in sandy soil on a steep slope. I would put shrubs like forsythia and others who spread and root like that, my one shrub Forsythia is getting big so you won't need a bunch unless you have a huge area, just let it keep spreading and look into similar growing shrubs. I don't know many types, so can't suggest anything that's not really common, but if it's pretty shady Rhodedendron Maximum grows on slopes. Probably any rhodie will. Around here Crownvetch is used on almost verticle slopes for erosion control, but is only about 2 ft high and needs full sun to bloom well.If you have a good bit of room at the top I would pick something better than the norway maple and box elder that's there. I like oaks so I would pick an oak. You will get lots of other suggestions, more helpful if you can post pictures of the slope and area near the top in relation to your house etc.

Hi Poaky1, here are a few photos taken this morning - it finally stopped raining. Except for a maple and a couple of pines nearer the street, all the large trees are black locusts nearing their end-of-life.

Here is a link that might be useful: Picasa album

since there is no risk ... let nature.. be nature ...

i dont understand why you would go thru all that work.. or cost.. to FIX a problem.. that really doesnt exist ...

cleary define for me.. WHY IS THIS BOTHERING YOU????

is it just that you got a new chainsaw.. and need to cut things down??? ... lol .. been there.. done that .. lol.

i dont understand if the creek is your property line.. or the end of the grass .... regardless... see above .. because if its the grass.. the trees arent really yours ..

ken

Ken,

The creek is the property line, the trees are mine.

I am having old black walnut limbs which are overhanging the house, cut. Given the expense/effort involved, I am exploring what else could be done while they are here.

My goal is to minimize the maintenance requirement, while protecting the edge from erosion. I have arthritis in my spine; had one surgery a year ago, most likely more will be needed down the road.

The maples are a nuisance. The seedlings come up everywhere and need to be pulled. The trees that have established themselves are starting to block the view to the creek. The leaves are a mess to clean up in the fall. If I do nothing, the view will be gone, the edge will look even worse and the value of the property will decrease further.

I've only been here four years. The previous owner was 92 and the property was neglected for some time. I'm doing what I can to bring it up closer to the level of care of the nicer homes around it.

Judging from the size of the maples, they sprang up during the period of neglect, not before. The black locusts are probably original and intended to hold the top of the slope; same with the forsythia and the ground covers.

The bottom of the slope is a bog, full of willows and skunk cabbage. Nature can be nature all it wants down there... where I can't see it.

I'm thinking birches might work...

Yes, you can get rid of the existing maples. But then how do you get rid of next year's maples? And the year after that? The original seeds came from somewhere, and that somewhere is probably out of your control.

Mad,

Obviously perfect control is impossible. Sure, the birds etc may bring in random seeds, but at least there won't be a torrent every year if the onsite maples are gone.

Again, I believe the situation was under good control in the past, I'd like to bring it back to that point and improve on it.

Not necessarily. Maple seeds are spread by wind. That's why they have little wings, so they can fly farther. The original trees flew in from somewhere, so more can come by the same means. Those are the ones you have to worry about. If regular weeding is physically difficult for you, this is going to be an ongoing issue. Particularly since I haven't gotten the idea the on site maples are large enough to set seeds.

In non-lawn situations in my part of the world, maples are actually among the worst weeds out there. They are why lawn is a very good solution to a lot of problems. Not necessarily this problem, but many others.

so lets jump ahead.. all the trees are gone .... how are you going to utilize that space .. your arent ...

how about you sell and move into a highrise.. and get rid of all this messy nature ....

i am a cheap bat-turd.. i just dont get why you are investing in this project.... its useless slope ... it can take care of itself ....

whatever makes you happy is good with me.. i am just playing devils advocate.. and trying [and failing.. lol] to make you look outside the anal-retentive clean yard box you are sitting in ...

good luck

ken

I guess everyone has their opinion. No need to get nasty though.

You'll be hurting yourself, soon enough. Learn to be kind.

n757jh, what a neat opportunity.

I am attempting to diversify a line of walnuts a bit. Seems you have a somewhat similar situation.

Hmmmm, sandy, well drained, and with a creek down below...I don't know if we should be planting for water tolerance or sandy soil tolerance.

Dawn Redwood and Bald Cypress both grow quickly and have different foliage and shapes than you have. These two are pretty neat. Google can give you pictures. Open grown they are pyramidal, in forest type situations a bit thinner.

Nyssa Sylvatica is a slower growing more generic tree with decent water tolerance and EXCELLENT fall color.

I even like weeping willows where they have room.

Have fun, plant one of everything you want!

Let me suggest something else here. Black locust is often deliberately planted to stabilize the kind of steep, sandy soil you have. Felling large black locust trees will not eliminate them. Black locusts sucker from the roots more vigorously than almost any other tree species and it is the mass of roots and the ability of this species to utilize atmospheric nitrogen that makes it so valuable in land reclamation, erosion control and stabilization. (In addition, they are beutiful in bloom and an important nectar source for bees and other insects). In short, black locust will always be present barring massive root excavation or herbicide use and you are probably much better off with them than without them.

I would get rid of the Norway maples and box elders when they are small enough to deal with - both are invasive and weedy trees with little to recommend them.

Finally, I have no idea what state regulations are for you, but I'd certainly check before doing anything this close to a creek.

Toronado,

It is lovely to watch the seasons here...

Although it is wet down below, up top here it's just dry and sandy. When it rains the water seems to drain quickly.

Nyssa Sylvatica seems perfect! And available from the county soil conservation district in spring.

Mainegrower,

Agreed, the black locusts will stay until they fall over on their own, unless they threaten the house.

I did check, no restrictions here, the bog is a small one and not protected.

The slope looks different than I imagined. It actually looks appealing to me the way it is! I thought sandy soil, so probably bare looking etc, I guess Florida is sandy but lush in many places too. But anyway, If you aren't able to keep up with it, letting it go wild may be the best thing, maybe keep choking vines like wild grape and poison etc from taking over, but they seem to pop up so quick, I cut grass yesterday and it had been about 8 days between the last time I cut and I had virginia creeper and jagger bushes that started to take over from the last time I cut. I can understand you feel like it's yard you aren't using, but it may be hard to keep up if you do elaborate plantings and make it nice.

Poaky,

Thanks for your interest. I don't want to let it go, that's what the previous owner did, and the view is disappearing because of it, blocked by these maples. No vines yet, thank goodness, but plenty of poison ivy that I'm dealing with.

No need for anything elaborate here. Just keeping the weed trees in check so I can look out of my living room window and see the view to the creek is enough. I don't have the capacity to keep up with my neighbors - one of whom has a large pond with an island and a smaller slope, very nicely planted, and immaculate grass; the yard is his retirement project, keeps him fit, he works on it every day - I just want minimum maintenance and maximum view, with as little erosion as possible, to maintain the value. Sorry I don't have a photo of the view in winter to show you.

Thanks All for the suggestions. I can do some planning now for spring planting.