By: Jacob Maslow

If the land on your property is sloped, you may already be seeing signs of erosion. The rich soil visible in low patches may appear tan or chalky on the top of hills. If you have streams, creeks, or riverbanks on your property, you may notice that the water is silty or brown after snow melts and spring rains come.

1. Roots Can Get Started

Fall is a good time to sow seeds and start plants that build a hearty root mat. Trees that love water can produce a hearty root system along rivers and streams. Matting plants, such as vinca and creeping phlox, can get a start in the fall and generate a hearty root system over the winter. In the spring, you may see a great expansion in vining plants.

Consider putting down flat rocks or paving stones in areas where you want to stabilize the soil. A vining plant, given the support of a paving stone, can settle in and build a stout root system around the stone, ultimately binding the stone in place. Even heavy rains will move down into a stream without washing away over time.

2. Heavy Soil Clumps in Cool Weather

Soil tends to lose moisture in high temperatures. If you’re planting atop bare hills, leave the soil alone until after the first freeze or a number of cold mornings. Moisture can be allowed to build up in the soil, even if the soil atop your hills has grown sandy or loose.

Again, this is the time and place to plant something that will cling. If you plan to disc, plow, or turn over the soil in any way, avoid patterns that create troughs for run-off. Break the soil crust lightly and put in plants or seeds that will create a thick mat of greenery. Any dew you can gather will stay on the plants and be shaded from the sun and protected from wind. A nitrogen-fixing plant, such as clover or soybeans, can stabilize and enrich poor soil.

3. Dropped Leaves Give You Mulch Material

If your land features a variety of deciduous trees, be prepared to gather leaves from areas you want to clear. It is true that wildlife needs leaf and shrub cover. However, there will be patches on your property where you may want to thin or remove trees.

Clear those leaves and add to your stock of mulch. Gather and grind dead branches, mix that wood waste and those leaves to mulch plants on hillsides or near standing water.

4. Contouring Land Before Snow Can Reduce Spring Run-Off

If you live in a cold country and struggle to start plants before snow, consider adding landscaping textiles to sloped areas. Many landscaping textiles are biodegradable. Consider pairing a layer of mulch with biodegradable textiles to create heartier soil for spring planting.

Topsoil is actually quite fragile. Once it’s washed away, your land will be poorer and your waterways will be dirtier. Controlling erosion can help you build heartier ground. Whether you plan to grow crops or just want a healthy ground cover, the tips above may help your soil.

Published by: Josh Tatunay