How can we make our back of home-hillside manageable?
by
Cathi Book
+19
We have a large expanse of hillside behind our home where nothing will grow & it is extremely costly to cover with mulch. (It is bordered by large Pine Trees) The mulch tends to slide off the hillside especially when it rains and then weeds creep in. It is very frustrating. How can we make this area manageable and less costly to maintain?
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What have you tried to grow in that area?
I have grown creeping jenny all over my hill. It keeps out all the weeds and looks very pretty.
What is Creeping Jenny? Will it grow in the cold weather?
Maybe it needs landscaped in stepped down sections using railroad ties. I would be very tempted to put in a waterfalls cascading down into a pond with lily pads. Good luck.
I would terrace the hillside. ***** https://www.google.com/search?q=terraced+hillside+landscaping&biw=1016&bih=642&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwinib7f__HRAhVBKiYKHd0eCwkQsAQIGQ
I've never done it myself but I found a similar discussion with really helpful insight http://www.hometalk.com/diy/outdoor/garden/q-planting-a-hillside-11232804
Planting a hillside
Retaining walls will be the best option,however very costly Been there done that as I have slopey property.My advice is to find a ground cover based on your zone that will evergreen and will fill the hill in (hence) no more mulch.Unless you want to invest the money in the landscaping.
I did that with tires. The tires are free, but the labor is intensive. Lots of gravel for the tires. I planted these individually.
How about terracing it? Plant creeping junipers &/or other creeping plants, & then plant perennials in drifts.
I would plant crown vetch, It has pretty purple flowers on it, and when it spreads it will choke out all other plants and does not need mowing. It looks a lot like purple clover when it blooms and is sweet smelling.
That was our first thought. It has not worked out so far, but maybe we terraced incorrectly........drainage is also a big problem due to clay & shale & Pennsylvania Blue Stone!
We tried that with very little luck, but thanks!
We also lived in an area that had an extreme hillside, and several of the neighbors covered it with riprap (Large rocks, to prevent weeds, and erosion), you could try that.
Thanks for the suggestion!