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#1
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Steep slope - planting ideas to save back pain cutting the grass?
Hi,
Can anyone suggest alternative options than having grass on a steep slope I have. The slope is down my lane so not overly close to the house. Want a low maintenance way of covering the ground without the hassle of having to cut grass. Please help Thanks BK |
#2
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Steep slope - planting ideas to save back pain cutting the grass?
On 3/9/2012 10:14 AM, BrendanKearns wrote:
Hi, Can anyone suggest alternative options than having grass on a steep slope I have. The slope is down my lane so not overly close to the house. Want a low maintenance way of covering the ground without the hassle of having to cut grass. Please help Thanks BK Open google.com then insert the search terms 'ground cover plant' (without the quotes) and press the enter key. You will receive a huge number of suggestions. Pick something which suits your growing conditions and budget and go for it. Not knowing anything about your needs other than 'slope' it is impossible for anyone to suggest more -- a sunny fertile south-facing slope in Surrey will be different than a shaded rocky north-facing slope in Sutherland. Prices for ground cover varies all over the map. Buying a half-kilo of crown vetch seeds is cheap. Buying a thousand pre-started Vinca is expensive. Personally, I'm cursed by about 1/4 of an acre of English Ivy which is eating the strip of woods, bright sun to deep shade, between my house and the road and which has proven to be totally unkillable despite being totally free. I will gladly give it to you and will guarantee that it will grow virtually anywhere but you need to come and dig it up and transport it yourself. |
#3
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Steep slope - planting ideas to save back pain cutting the grass?
On 09/03/2012 15:45, John McGaw wrote:
Personally, I'm cursed by about 1/4 of an acre of English Ivy which is eating the strip of woods, bright sun to deep shade, between my house and the road and which has proven to be totally unkillable despite being totally free. I will gladly give it to you and will guarantee that it will grow virtually anywhere but you need to come and dig it up and transport it yourself. Any use? http://www.beavertonvalleytimes.com/...95768651679400 -- Jeff |
#4
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Steep slope - planting ideas to save back pain cutting the grass?
On 3/9/12 7:45 AM, John McGaw wrote:
On 3/9/2012 10:14 AM, BrendanKearns wrote: Hi, Can anyone suggest alternative options than having grass on a steep slope I have. The slope is down my lane so not overly close to the house. Want a low maintenance way of covering the ground without the hassle of having to cut grass. Please help Thanks BK Open google.com then insert the search terms 'ground cover plant' (without the quotes) and press the enter key. You will receive a huge number of suggestions. Pick something which suits your growing conditions and budget and go for it. Not knowing anything about your needs other than 'slope' it is impossible for anyone to suggest more -- a sunny fertile south-facing slope in Surrey will be different than a shaded rocky north-facing slope in Sutherland. Prices for ground cover varies all over the map. Buying a half-kilo of crown vetch seeds is cheap. Buying a thousand pre-started Vinca is expensive. Personally, I'm cursed by about 1/4 of an acre of English Ivy which is eating the strip of woods, bright sun to deep shade, between my house and the road and which has proven to be totally unkillable despite being totally free. I will gladly give it to you and will guarantee that it will grow virtually anywhere but you need to come and dig it up and transport it yourself. I have a south-facing slope in my back yard so steep that mowing grass on it would be impossible. The surface of the slope failed in a rain storm and cost a fortune to repair; my grandchildren will make the last payment on the disaster loan. When it was repaired, the county required that it be planted to prevent erosion. English ivy (Hedera helix) or African daisy (Osteospermum fruticosum) each by itself was not acceptable because both create mats of roots at a certain depth within the soil, and such mats can create a zone of weakness that leads to a future failure of the slope. However, combining the two was very acceptable because the roots of one go to a different depth than the roots of the other. Each can grow aggressively, trying to conquer the other; neither can succeed. The result is a dense ground cover. Right now, the African daisy is starting to bloom. (Of course, not knowing where in the UK you are, I don't know if African daisy is sufficiently hardy for your climate. Not knowing which way the slope faces, I don't know if this ground cover will receive sufficient sun to flower.) See http://www.rossde.com/garden/garden_back.html#hill. An alternative might be red fescue (Festuca rubra), which is suitable for most climates. This is an ornamental grass that grows about 6-10 inches tall and flops over. Sunset says: "Unmowed, all types of red fescue make attractive meadow on slopes too steep to mow." I have this as my lawn in back. I have a service come in a mow it to about 3 inches in October (Yes, only once a year) so that I can rake leaves. I have seen slopes planted with this that do indeed look like they have never been mowed while still looking nice. -- David E. Ross Climate: California Mediterranean, see http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary |
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