groundcover for steep, very rocky slope?
GoodMachine
18 years ago
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Teri Mastroianni
18 years agoIna Plassa_travis
18 years agoRelated Discussions
Steep slope in backyard
Comments (4)jpc, Blue rug junipers would grow great on that hill. Your going to have to slow the flow of water down with something tho. Rocks, terraces, some kind of obstruction. Even daylillies would work. If you can put some obstructions so that the plants would get some water, you can grow junipers, (the kind that is a ground cover), daylillies, ornamental grasses, some shrubs, really anything. It would look nice. Check the soil though. See if it is good soil or not. If not, you may want to add some composted manure when you go to plant your plants....See MorePlant Selection for a Steep Slope
Comments (12)Hakone Grass (japanese grasses or ornamental grasses) Ferns (Japanese varieties and woodland types) Heuchera (plenty of colors that will brighten that spot), Heucharella, and tiarella Hostas... there are so many beyond the commonly thought of green ones and the green and white ones. There are a great variety leaf textures and sizes some are large XL, med or small. Mostly grown for the lush leaves but they do flower once a season. They flower on tall stems/scapes humming birds like them mid summer to late summer depending on the variety. Some have flowers that do not open at all....( I do not know that ID of those hostas off hand- but folks on the hosta forum would know) The scapes can easily be snipped off to prevent flowering and thus leading to a more leafy plant (it is said the plant saves its energy). They are perennial and good-winter hardy, but they go dormant- for your growing zone (they can be grown as far north as zone 3). There are ground cover versions of hostas (that are low growing and spread) or the specimen type ones that clump/mound. They need well drained soil -so the rocky slope would seem like a great fit. They thrive in the sunlight conditions you mentioned (many people think they can only grow in shade- but it's that they tolerate shade better than most- but they do very well in partial sunlight, too. ) Check out the hosta forum on gardenweb for a sampling. :) Good Luck!...See MoreAmending soil on steep, rocky slope - Zone 10/SoCal
Comments (4)Without going into excessive detail, it is never a good idea to amend individual planting holes. If you do need to amend, do so over the entire area before planting. Personally, I would add a bunch of compost or other organic matter to that slope to lighten that heavy, rocky soil and to help with aeration and water retention. Then plant with a single species of groundcover.........combining more than a single variety is seldom successful as one will always be more vigorous than the others and overwhelm and outcompete the less vigorously spreading types. Make sure it is woody based, evergreen (no herbaceous selections), low growing and drought tolerant once established. Local nurseries (not the box stores) will have multiple selections available if you are not familiar with CA plants. If in full sun, I'd consider Point Reyes ceanothus, a CA native. And I would recommend mulching after planting. It will help to keep the weeds down while the groundcovers establish and will help to hold moisture in the soil. The smaller or finer the particle size, the less likely it will be to slough off or wash away down the slope with rain or irrigation.........look for shredded bark rather than bark chunks....See MoreHelp landscaping out steep, rocky hill?
Comments (5)Wow. I struggle to capture steepness in photographing my slopes, but yours looks nearly vertical. Either you're a great photographer or you do have a real challenge there. If the sage has roots that hold the soil, why not increase it asap? Start cuttings and see if what you have can be divided. Add a grass that can also be easily propagated. I think the book Gardening in a Post Wild World would be helpful to you....See MoreGoodMachine
18 years agowhip1 Zone 5 NE Ohio
18 years agojerseyrose
18 years agojerseyrose
18 years agoEvelynNC
18 years ago
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