When investing money, time and efforts into your home’s landscape, the last thing you want is soil erosion. Soil erosion can be a major issue for landscapes and can even lead to hazardous situations if erosion develops around slopes or ridges. As each person’s property and yard has their own set of challenges, everyone will find they will need to combat erosion. Mickey’s LawnScapes would like to share more on erosion and erosion control.
What Causes Landscape Erosion
Erosion is most often due to the elements and more specifically, from water and wind. Wind can blow across your landscape blowing away mulch and soil. For climates with a lot of wind erosion, it can happen very quickly. Another major element is water. Either rain, snow and even the irrigation system can cause erosion. Water often plays a major role in some of the biggest disasters. Landslides are often due to major erosion by water. When water seeps into the ground, the soil becomes expanded and breaks away from each other. Water that flows across the surface of the landscape will wash the surface soil. It is important to find the perfect balance of watering your landscape but not contribute to soil erosion. However, the elements will still create an ongoing battle against erosion. Which is why you will want to find ways to prevent and control landscape erosion.
Can You Put Mulch Directly Over Soil?
As both wind and water causes erosion, you can slow down erosion with mulch. You will want to cover the top of your soil with 3 inches of mulch. Although wind and water can wash or blow away mulch, you can replace the mulch. Replacing mulch is much easier than replenishing your property’s soil. If you live on or have a 33 degree slope, mulch is highly recommended to help reduce erosion. Mulch doesn’t require you to water your entire landscape and is easily replenished and easy to work with.
Use Rip Rap on a Slope
For wet and rainy climates like New York, slopes will be prone to erosion. Many people will have some kind of drainage system that flows in a way to redirect the water away from their home. However, how do you prevent erosion when it rains a lot? A rip rap (or riprap) system uses rocks to recreate a ditch to funnel the water away from the home and to a proper drainage system. The rocks spread out between 6 to 8 feet which helps prevent soil erosion along the slopes.
Retaining Walls & Terraces
In erosion prone areas including slopes, retaining walls or terraces is another great way to control soil erosion. Both retaining walls and terraces have a great aesthetic appeal and create a unique landscape. Both retaining walls and terraces can also be used to control soil erosion.
Growing Plants & Turfgrass
Nature has its own ways of preventing erosion and that is plants. Plants help hold the soil together. Some plants have root systems that absorb moisture and aid in stabilizing the top soil. Another way to stabilize top soil is with trufgrass. Plants are a great way to prevent soil erosion and improve the beauty of any landscape.
Landscape Design & Construction, Lawn Maintenance & More in Amagansett, Aquebogue, Baiting Hollow, Calverton, Cutchogue, East Hampton, East Hampton North, Greenport, Jamesport, Laurel, Mattituck, Montauk, Nassau Point, Northville, Northwest Harbor, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southold, Springs, Wading River, Westhampton Beach in East End of Long Island, New York
If you need help combating soil erosion in your yard, Mickey’s LawnScapes provide erosion control and more. Contact Mickey’s LawnScapes for landscape design and more!
