The soil within your yard and garden is exposed to erosion from the wind, weather and irrigation, which can cause an impact on your local environment with soil loss and movement. However, as a property owner, there are methods you can apply to reduce and prevent many types of erosion. Here are some recommendations to help you control the erosion within your yard and its landscaping.
Add Vegetation
Vegetation in your garden and landscaping not only provides attractive foliage and creates a natural source of oxygen, but it helps control erosion. The root systems grow through the soil and together with one another to create stable protection against soil erosion loss. However, sometimes it can be difficult to get vegetation established in some areas of your property, either due to the soil's quality or because the terrain is steep. Simply planting new vegetation or loose seeds may not be successful, but you can use an erosion control fabric or spray application on the site.
Vegetation seeds can be sprayed over the soil with a mixture of water, wood fibre pulp and fertilizer, to help it coat the surface of the soil. Once the application layer dries, it forms a crust over the ground, protecting it immediately against wind erosion. Any moisture added onto the layer will be absorbed into the layer and help germinate the seeds. Once the seeds begin to germinate and take root, they are already building a good erosion control layer that will only increase with regular irrigation.
In addition to a spray-on layer mixture, you can use organic fabric to cover the soil. This fabric is made up of wood fibres woven with vegetation seeds and fertilizer, and it will act as a barrier until the vegetation sprouts and takes root. The nature of the woven fibres will slowly break down and decompose adding nutrients back into the soil.
Apply Mulch
Mulch in your landscaping can also give your soil protection against erosion when you apply it onto the soil surrounding existing trees, shrubbery, flowers and grasses. In addition to having an attractive look and giving your yard a maintained and healthy, rich appearance, mulch made of any variety of materials will protect against soil erosion as it creates a barrier between the soil and the elements. The mulch layer keeps and holds moisture in the soil to help the health of your existing vegetation.
You can find good mulch solutions with pine straw, coconut fibre, straw, sugar cane leaves, bark and wood chips. When you mow your lawn, you can sprinkle the lawn clippings over your soil to create a good organic mulch barrier for the soil.
For more erosion control tips, contact a local landscape contractor.
