Need drought-resistant big drinkers for bottom of hill

19 years ago

Hallo all,

Our home is on a plateau dug out of a hill. A swale along the bottom of the hill directs the surface water to a run-off ditch. There seems to be a lot of deep water, though, and the pressure is threatening our basement wall. We're going to repair the wall but I'd like to take some preventive measures on the outside. We already have a huge maple that sucks water but I'd like to plant a row of deep-root somethings along the swale line that'll suck up the deep water yet is resistant to drought. Any ideas?

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Comments (6)

gardenlen
19 years ago
g'day frugalfarmer,

we pushed out a plateau/building site out of the slope of a hill to build our place, now having said that we don't have a basement, but then we don't have any water backing or building up either.

now the way i see it as you said it you have a channel (for me swales don't direct water they hold it so it soaks in) that runs into a ditch (to me that is something like a hole in the ground or such).

now having said that the wall that we created when we pushed up our building site is around 3 meters high, so if i had a channel and a ditch it could in no way interfere with the foundations or if i had one a cellar or basement.

to me it would seem you have water coming from another source, and the builder should have planned in a french type drain along the outside of your basement walls (underground i would guess) and this drain should have been designed to take any water away that may want to builds up on the outside of your basement wall.

so to me the only real long term almost permanent solution is dig down along the wall to the depth of the foundations and put in the french drainage system so that it feeds that water away from your house foundations and your basement wall.

len

mail len

lens garden page
BelgianPupWA
19 years ago
Try contacting your local Cooperative Extension Service (usually in the white pages of your phone book) and ask what would be good. Some fast-growing trees suitable to your area might be best.

'Pup
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The shrubs growing on the slope look that they have been there quite a while and seem to be growing straight up. (Sometimes, if there is a bend like an old-fashioned walking stick handle in the stem near to the ground, that bend can indicate that the land is slumping.) About the tree roots showing: there's not a great deal of topsoil from what I could see so the roots have probably spread out to forage for food and water. A number of tree species have suface roots - some quite gnarled and obvious. Think swamp cypress for a start. Unless the trees are very tall and your local prevailing winds are fierce or unpredictable you aren't likely to get windthrow. On a slope such as yours I'd be looking for grooves cut by runoff from the top as the precursor to shallow gullying - and that didn't seem to be happening. Personally, I wouldn't spend on 'posh plants' for such a slope. I'd ask for 'pioneer-type' shrubs - preferably native to your area. If you have a native plants nursery near you - pick their brains. Grasses, creepers, low-nutrient environment shrubs and sub-shrubs. That soil is obviously not rich - it hasn't been colonised by much at all. If you need clues and there are cuttings at the sides of your roads check there for what will establish and thrive and stay seemly. (No one needs a slope covered in fire risk weeds!) When you visit with the plant place/s ask for SPECIFIC guidance on how to plant up a steep slope. If it has a high clay content - let them know because it will change what they will advise. If there is any better soil available on your lot, and you can spare some - mix it in with the slope soil when planting but don't bother putting in fine compost. All that happens is the plants grow out to the limits of the top grade environment and then either sulk or die. Think about buying your reveg plants in 'root trainer' tubes rather than big cans or baggies. They'll be younger and better equipped to strike out, rootwise. Hear you when you say you're budget-constrained. See if you can legally collect native seedlings of suitable plants, grow them on, then plant out. Sometimes a neighbour can be a good source. Under the bird feeder, in a garden, can be another - but expect a lot of berry-producing plants ;-) And, as the slope is a bit of a challenge - could you devise a ladder to get you upslope for planting? Or a scaffoldiong arrangement. Something with wide enough treads so you don't end up with anguished feet!
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I definitely wouldn't want to capture *ALL* the rainwater falling on the property, as I understand about the need for replenishing not only our groundwater tables but also for the immediate watering of my big, mature trees. I'm just thinking that with a 10,000 sq ft property, there's a lot of space to put a few additional barrels. I have this big, basically unused area behind my garage where X number of barrels could sit and do their thing without being an eyesore for me or the neighbors. BTW, and this is purely a guess, but I think about 2/3 of the property is earth vs some man-made material. Also, my patio and the walkway from it to the driveway slope at, I believe, 9 degrees toward the driveway. The driveway slopes down to the street naturally, following the slope of the property. I could theoretically reroute the runoff from the patio somehow to save it, although it doesn't really get much water of its own during a rain, because it's covered and its cover is also fully guttered.
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joel_bc
19 years ago
Hi. Len's advice may be the most appropriate, but since I'm not there to look at your situation, I can't offer much opinion on that.

I'm in zone 6, and again I'm not certain about your zone-5 situation as regards appropriate plants. But I'll mention the willow family as fast growing, water-loving and water-absorbing. As you probably know, there are many varieties of willow. I planted a weeping willow, and it will one day be very large -- so one has to take this into consideration with w.w. But, around here, there are also wild varieties growing in low-lying, semi-boggy fields. They are shrub varieties with many, many stems per plant. Most are growing four to seven feet in height -- they do not become grand and towering like w.w. All willows that I know of are relatively easily transplanted (when they are small) and easy to grow, and are noted for fast development.

Joel
alexander3_gw
19 years ago
Bald Cypress is tolerant of drought and flooding. They are tough, fast growing, good looking trees.

Alex
christeen
19 years ago
Willow trees drink lots of water, plant some away from the foundation and watch them go
joepyeweed
19 years ago
i know exactly what you are looking for and it is is Prairie Cord Grass (spartina pectinata) its a beautiful tall (6' to 9') native grass that likes to have its feet weet. It has huge root system, massive fibrous roots that go down 10' or more - it extensive root system absorbs water enabling it to withstand drought if necessary. it is adapted to the prairie and is native to iowa.

when planting prairie grasses its usually recommended to mix the grasses for better resistance and diversity - so i would mix in Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) and Fowl Manna Grass (Glyceria striata) - these grasses are deep rooted and drought tolerant but do like moist soils...

you may want to contact Ion Exchange nursery - its in Harpers Ferry, Iowa

Here is a link that might be useful: Ion Exchange Native Plant Nursery

Need drought-resistant big drinkers for bottom of hill

Comments (6)

gardenlen

BelgianPupWA

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