Ground cover for soil stabilization

[Wayne02]

What type of ground cover can I plant on this little bank (red line) to help stabilize the soil? I'd like to stay away from things like Ivy as it tends to grow up into the trees.

Maybe just some sort of grass variety?

Ever see the hydro-seed that is sprayed on embankments and hillsides along the highways? It looks like it sticks pretty good and I'm wondering if there is a homeowners version available that is applied with a pump up garden sprayer or one of those sprayer thingies that go on the end of a garden hose to spray stuff?

Thanks

[Bearfootfarm]

I'd be amazed if you can get anything to grow there

How much Sun does it get?

[taylorlambert]

You may need to cut the slop back a bit to make a better seed bed. Ive not had great luck on a steep cut slope like that. At the landfill I work at dad taught me tons of starting a ground cover. We use wild bird seed in a 50 pound bag mixed with some rye grass and bermuda for fall and spring cover. If you want to keep the steep slope mulch it with an inch layer of hay. Feed oats also work for a cover to. just give it a good dose of fertilizer and water also roll the seed in some way to make it germinate faster.

[CrashTestRanch]

Originally Posted by Wayne02

Ever see the hydro-seed that is sprayed on embankments and hillsides along the highways? It looks like it sticks pretty good and I'm wondering if there is a homeowners version available that is applied with a pump up garden sprayer or one of those sprayer thingies that go on the end of a garden hose to spray stuff?

I'd love to find something a little larger, maybe a tow behind small trailer size, that we could use on larger acreage's?

[Wolf mom]

CTR: I think FarmTec catalog has what you are looking for. Can't find my catalog - purged a bunch recently - or I'd check for you.

[taylorlambert]

Hydromulch is too thick to come out of a sprayer. In hydro seeding and mulching the emulsifier is a mixture of a fertilizer seed and newspaper fiber. The tank is a 500 to 5000 gallon tank that has an agitator that mixes the emulsifier for the pump to pick it up and spray it. Years ago dad was working in a Furniture store that he worked in the winter. The state had built a new entrance ramp to onther road. Dad was watching the mulching crews using the new hydro seeders. The store he worked in had a seed section in it. Dad took and bought 3 pounds of mustard and turnip seed and dumped it in the agitator. Folks told me the whole town picked off the slopes.


Something else you might could do is use Geo Jute. Its jute fibers woven into rolls and sheets. you can roll it out and weight it ddown a seed into it. works good. You can get some biodegradble staples to anchor it.

[CrashTestRanch]

Originally Posted by Wolf mom

CTR: I think FarmTec catalog has what you are looking for. Can't find my catalog - purged a bunch recently - or I'd check for you.

Thanks Wolf mom, you rock, again

[Ramblin Wreck]

For that application, rip rap might be a good solution. It's what we use around here around streams/ditches here.

[10kids]

Wayne02 - my husband's job is affiliated with hydro-seeding hillsides like you're talking about. I'll ask him tonight and post his suggestions.

[Wayne02]

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

I'd be amazed if you can get anything to grow there

How much Sun does it get?

Very little, as evidenced by the heavy tree cover on both sides. Maybe an hour per day of sun at best if I had to guess.

[Wanderer0101]

Purple winter creeper would probably work but it might get into your trees.

[Dexter]

Lupins. You can collect seeds right now if you know of any thickets of it.
There are also good grass seed mixes that can handle dry/tough conditions.

[Navotifarm]

I have bought different ground cover mixes from southern states, some recommened by my local forester but the best and most effective mix was deer patch seed I got at wal mart. It had a lot of rape seed (turnip), chicory, clover and other things. I note it seems to not reseed itself but it did great the first year. It's too hot now to be planting. You want to wait for the cool nights. The loggers use fescue. It does take hold and makes a solid root. I hate it. It gets in my garden!
Johnny's Selected Seeds has good cover crops and advice, too.