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Polite erosion control

16 years ago

What can I sow to help me with the following?

I just installed a berm on my property line to direct the neighbor's run off into the creek instead of my back yard.

The soil is fabulous. It came from the top 10 inches of a former river bottom and is rich and black, a nice mix of sand, silt, clay and organic material.

The location is under a tree canopy. While it will probably get full morning sun, midday it will get slightly filtered sun and by afternoon it will be shady.

The obvious choice around here is vinca, but I object because of how aggressively it spreads. I'd rather sow 500 polite plants, if necessary.

I looked at the shade perennial FAQ, but I don't know which of those would be good for erosion control. I've considered ornamental grasses, but don't know how they would do in shade?

Thanks for your suggestions.

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Comments (8)

vera_eastern_wa
16 years ago
I would contact a native seed/plant nursery in Ok and find out what they suggest for erosion control. Purple Prairie Clover comes to mind...roots can go VERY deep; somewhere in the neighborhood of 15' deep plus. It's a beautiful plant and it will fix nitrogen into the soil; it's also native to Oklahoma :D

Here is a link that might be useful: Purple Prairie Clover~Prairie Moon Nursery
morz8 - Washington Coast
16 years ago
Seedmama, Japanese Forest Grass (Hakone Grass) would do great in morning sun (Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' is gorgeous!). So would many of the carex, and luzula (woodrush).

I think a variety of plants with different root sytems is thought to provide better erosion control than a monoculture, so don't limit yourself to just one thing...you can make a real eye popper of your berm, depending on the budget of course. Take pics for us :)
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A bit more context... I put the wall in a year ago, didn't like the look of it, and removed it. The only thing it's cost me is my time, I DIY 90% of my projects -- you can probably tell :) I'm in central California. To @mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)'s point, we terraced this and regretted it as it created more work for us and didn't really achieve the look we hoped for. It was much nicer when it looked natural. I don't want to build more walls, I'd like to create a natural-looking hillside that's stable, plants are my preference, but I recognize I likely will need to amend or stabilize in other ways in the short term. Thanks for digging up some posts, @beesneeds -- I meant to include a photo and additional details. Doing that now. A completely reasonable option here is to just grade the dirt forward into the flat area and effectively remove the terracing here, but wanted to see if there was anything the required less dirt-moving as we're going to plant this hillside regardless.
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vera_eastern_wa
16 years ago
You might check this place out in Enid, OK :D

Here is a link that might be useful: Johnston Seed Company, Enid, OK
greengardener07
16 years ago
Ferns and Hostas do well in shade. Also, what about iris?

Check out the bog garden forum, they might have some info there.
tiffy_z5_6_can
16 years ago
With the full sun progressing to shade as the say goes, you can plant a POOP LOAD of plants!!! I have to agree with morz that this is an opportunity waiting to happen. Something like this would be so exciting!

Some plants that would do well in such soil and sun conditions are...

Ligularia
Phlox Paniculata
Astilbes
Aquilegia (Columbines)
Ferns
Hydrangeas
Aconitum (Monkshood)
Cimicifuga (Bugbane)
Perennial Geraniums
Lynchnis Viscaria Splendens (German Catchfly)
Eupatoriums both Chocolate and Rugosa
HOSTAS!
Thalictrums
Digitalis (Foxgloves)
Filipendula (Meadowsweet)
Aruncus Doicus (False Astilbe)
Veronicastum Viginicum (Culvert's Root ??)
Daylilies

All of these are grown in sun to shade conditions that you mention in our gardens. I have discovered that these areas are often underutilized for their WOW factor. I know there is more. Do some research on shrubs too and incorporate them into the picture, maybe a couple of False Cypress evergreens. As I said, what an opportunity! Keep us posted!

This is not the best photo, but it is one with such sun to shade as you describe.

{{gwi:346669}}
ptp813
16 years ago
I recently had someone share with me how great daylilies were at helping with erosion control. I have some ditch type areas in my yard that get the similar sun situations you discribed and I plan to make it into a daylily area to reduce the weed eating work.

:-) Pam
greengardener07
16 years ago
Pam,

Plant as many small individual ones as you can. They spread really well and very full. At mom's house about five to seven years ago, I planted individual purchased plants (about 7-8 of them). Spaced out evenly and wide. Now you would have trouble walking through there. I would say there is over 150 of them now!
seedmama
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Two separate deaths in my family late last week delayed my prompt thank yous.

Vera, I had never noticed purple prairie clover before, but while attending a funeral in Madill, Oklahoma this weekend I spotted a large spread of it in the median. It was quite attractive. Johnston Seed is a great suggestion. I sold a kidney and bought some of their Riviera bermuda grass seed when we put in our lawn. It has worked out quite well.

GG, I have access to ferns and hostas on the cheap. Great idea!

morz, I love OGs but have very limited knowlege. You've given me a great place to start my research.

Tiffy, what a great way to look at my situation. If planting things on your list will make my garden look like yours, I'm in!

Pam, I hadn't even considered daylilies. Those are great pass along plants, so I should be able to secure them with ease.

Thanks again to all
Seedmama

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