We live on a pretty steep slope that is basically sand covered with some rich top soil (except this area, which is more sand since the soil has been covered or worn away). We'd like to proactively plant this exposed area (last year a bunch of invasive weeds took it over). Obviously there are issues with this retaining wall as well, but that is the neighbor's responsibility.
I'm thinking of putting in Virginia creeper, fragrant sumac, or black locust in this area; do you think that would help in erosion control? I've seen a few examples from Oklahoma of black locust being used in gully management, which would seem to be a similar application (i.e., steep sand slopes). I'd plan to top it periodically to encourage it to grow more 'thicket-like'.
We already have many black locust trees growing on the hill, so its invasiveness isn't a concern since it's already here. However, I feel like a ground cover/shrub solution (fragrant sumac / Virginia creeper) may be a better fit given how steep / exposed this area is right now and how I'd like to get it covered somewhat quickly. We have a lot of English ivy on the hill already as well, so I'd be stoked to get a more native plant in there to compete as well, and it seems like a creeping vine is doing well already, hopefully meaning good things for the Virginia creeper.
Long-term, there's a lot of tree of heaven, japanese knotweed, bamboo, etc that I'm working to replace with natives on the slope; so I'd appreciate any other recommendations for good erosion control plants native to the northeast as well! Thank you for any past experiences trying to stabilize sandy slopes and what worked for you as well!
by brownoarsman
6 Comments
Ditch the black locust idea. Trying to top a tree into a thicket right next to your deck is a maintenance nightmare and will not give you the dense ground coverage you need. That steep bare sand is going to wash out from under those structures long before any roots actually take hold. You need horizontal holding power immediately. Buy a heavy jute erosion control blanket, lay it over that entire exposed area, and pin it down tight. You will cut holes straight through the jute to put your plants in the ground.
Fragrant sumac is the absolute winner here. You want the Gro Low variety and you need to plant it in a tight sweeping mass across that entire bank. Do not just scatter a few plants around like polka dots. Plant them close together so they merge into a single structural layer. They will root deep, spread wide, and lock that loose sand together permanently. Virginia creeper is fine to weave through the bottom as a fast temporary cover, but it lacks the heavy woody root system required to hold a hillside that steep by itself. Rely on the sumac for the actual heavy lifting.
Tackling knotweed and Tree of Heaven on a loose slope is a brutal war. If you try pulling them out by the roots you will completely destabilize the hill and cause a landslide. You have to cut those invasives down to the ground and paint the fresh stumps with a strong brush killer. Once the sumac takes over the top section it will create a beautiful dense structural wave that chokes out the weeds and keeps the hillside exactly where it belongs.
Looks like a disaster waiting to happen. Those walls won’t last long.
I have no advice, but I wish you luck as someone dealing with a similar issue in a different terrain/ecosystem.
My issue was on clay soil, so I planted blue rug juniper, mixed in with boulders. That was seven years ago, and it looks really cool as the juniper sweeps between the boulders. I’m glad I don’t have sandy soil!
Is that pool above your house?
Neighbor’s pool, but yes, elevation wise. Pretty confident that wall they build was not engineered to take that surcharge load …
Can’t comment more for … reasons but am dealing with it.