Low maint. plant with deep roots and little water?

[pitrack]

Hey guys I need help figuring out which plant I need. I will be planting this on a steep slope that is in the rear of a house in a wooded area. Washout is somewhat of a problem so I will need these plants to have a nice deep root but require little amounts of water. They also need to be able to handle a lot of sunlight. The area is rather large so it will be multiple plants and possible some grass if need be.
Here is a picture of the area before, it will be graded to a nice slope instead of the drop off.
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/pitrack/DSC_0356.jpg
Any suggestions?
Thanks, Pat.

[cudaclan]

Creeping juniper, Periwinkle, Myrtle & Blue Rug juniper.

[pitrack]

Creeping juniper, Periwinkle, Myrtle & Blue Rug juniper.


I'll look into them, thank you.

[turfcobob]

Sell them a nice stone wall...Or concrete paver wall. After you get something growing how are you going to maintain it. Goats? My father in law had a slope not quite that bad and we just put in a nice concrete paver retaining wall and flowers..works swell.

[Smallaxe]

.. , it will be graded to a nice slope instead of the drop off.
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/pitrack/DSC_0356.jpg
Any suggestions?
Thanks, Pat.

Drop off to where? what is the purpose of this "GRADING".

I think a good point was made... build a wall and be done with it.

Is there a reason not to???

[pitrack]

Drop off to where? what is the purpose of this "GRADING".

I think a good point was made... build a wall and be done with it.

Is there a reason not to???


As in "drop off" I mean the dirt that you see in the picture. Obviously it was not like that before, the ground sunk and took some dirt with it. I was thinking about presenting him with a retaining wall, but fear that the samething will happen to the wall as did the area that sunk. I am having mixed thoughts on a retaining wall. Part of me says if I start the wall deep enough underground with enough compaction and an effective drainage system, I will be fine. Then parts of me say well if the ground decides to sink again the whole wall could go down the hill.

[pitrack]

Sell them a nice stone wall...Or concrete paver wall. After you get something growing how are you going to maintain it. Goats? My father in law had a slope not quite that bad and we just put in a nice concrete paver retaining wall and flowers..works swell.

Really the "slope" isn't the problem, it is the gound sinking and dirt sliding down the hill that is the problem.

[White Gardens]

Really the "slope" isn't the problem, it is the gound sinking and dirt sliding down the hill that is the problem.

I don't think a wall will do it. That hill looks unstable, and on top of it the soil looks extremely erodible.

If anything, I would try to find some local fast growing weed trees to plant back in there. Something like a Mulberry tree.

Only other thing I can think of is about 10 tons or more of rip-rap, or recycled concrete.


Looking at the pics, did that whole hill slide down 5-10 feet ?????

[pitrack]

I don't think a wall will do it. That hill looks unstable, and on top of it the soil looks extremely erodible.

If anything, I would try to find some local fast growing weed trees to plant back in there. Something like a Mulberry tree.

Only other thing I can think of is about 10 tons or more of rip-rap, or recycled concrete.


Looking at the pics, did that whole hill slide down 5-10 feet ?????

No, see that is where I am somewhat confused. I don't even see where the dirt that slid even went. The dirt at the bottom of the slide is very stable and that is not what used to be level with the top of the "cliff"

[White Gardens]

No, see that is where I am somewhat confused. I don't even see where the dirt that slid even went. The dirt at the bottom of the slide is very stable and that is not what used to be level with the top of the "cliff"


OK, so a wall would probably work. I've seen sections like that before on hills in pastures where it is extrememly steep and the water runoff has eroded it away. It probably has taken a few years to make it look that way.

To me this is a classic case of clearing trees off of hill sides and making it unstable.

I would try to put trees back in there, but that's just me.

[cgaengineer]

You need a civil engineer and a retaining wall!

[pitrack]

OK, so a wall would probably work. I've seen sections like that before on hills in pastures where it is extrememly steep and the water runoff has eroded it away. It probably has taken a few years to make it look that way.

To me this is a classic case of clearing trees off of hill sides and making it unstable.

I would try to put trees back in there, but that's just me.

See that is what I was thinking. Build a wall, start deep enough under ground with a lot of compaction. And when the wall is done throw down a lot of plants with deep roots, above and below the wall.

You need a civil engineer and a retaining wall!

I have never done a wall big enough that required an engineer, how do I go about finding one?

[cgaengineer]

I have never done a wall big enough that required an engineer, how do I go about finding one?

Take a look at this website and you will find an engineer and a contractor.

http://www.thebluebook.com/


Others on this site maybe able to come up with a design that will not require an engineer, but from the looks of it that's gonna be a pretty good size wall holding back a large amount of earth.

[pitrack]

Take a look at this website and you will find an engineer and a contractor.

http://www.thebluebook.com/


Others on this site maybe able to come up with a design that will not require an engineer, but from the looks of it that's gonna be a pretty good size wall holding back a large amount of earth.

Thanks for the info, and of course there is no selection for Nebraska. Hm, I'll have to figure something else out. Thanks again