plants for a slope

[rickm]

I'm in the process of clearing off a rather untamed slope behind my house (we're on the upside of the slope). This area had lots of privet and even more wild grape. All of the privet is gone and I'm slowly removing the wild grape.

The area faces east, we're in zone 7 (asheville, nc). It gets light shade in the morning, no sun at high noon, then some sun in the afternoon until the house gets in the way and blocks it. The slope is roughly 45 degrees. On the top of the slope are a few walnut trees, on the bottom is my wife's shade garden. Some bamboo grass looking stuff has moved into one of the areas (hey, it's green!) but I'd like to cover this with something that will help to stabilize it.

I was considering ivy but I don't want anything to take over the trees. Something that spreads would be nice especially if it's not invasive. There is kudzu down the street, but I'm saving that for someone else's yard. :D

Thanks, Rick

[Jim Schott]

We have a garden on a slope (about 45 degrees) and it drove us crazy with the run-offs whenever it rained. Luckily, I found a "pro" gardener who suggested to work cocoa shell into the soil. Over time (about a year), the cocao mulch took hold. It's a great ground cover (no weeds) and it can rain all day without a bit of runofff.

The only problem is the cost: For us, we have a 30'x40' (1200 sq ft) garden and we need to mulch the entire garden twice a year. That costs about $40 each time, or $80 a year. But the stuff really works. You can grow anything on a slope by using this for your mulch. Only one cute problem: your garden will smell like a gigantic hershey candy bar until it rains once or twice!

[David J Bockman]

If you simply want a monoculture groundcover, tried and true traditional choices include Vinca, Pachysandra, Virginia Creeper, Sweet Woodruff, and Climbing Hydrangea (just guide the trunks along the ground rather than up trees and other structures.)

Dave

[rosie read and post]

david, do you have any suggestions for those of us with a much steeper slope?

[paghat]

For very steep slopes difficult to water:

Prostrate types of cotoneasters.

Cultivars of scotch broom (not, of course, invasive wild brooms).

Dwarf English ivies (not invasive regular ivy).

Boston ivy.

Algerian ivy.

Akebia.

Thornless caning berry cultivars.

Climbing roses.

Mexican evening primroses & shrub sages & succulent ice plant (if slope is in fullest sun).

-paghat the ratgirl

[Marcy Hege]

That benign looking bamboo grass that has started in the corner of your yard is the grass equivalent of kudzu, very invasive. Known as Japanese stilt grass, it's botanical name is microstegium. It can be pulled rather easily now but don't wait too long since it seeds in late August/September and seeds are viable for seven years. This article will give you lots of info:

for plants for the slope, you may have problems since many plants don't like to grown under/around roots of walnut trees.

[rickm]

That's the stuff. What's there has been there a while, I hit it with the weedeater once a month. It hasn't hit the lawn yet.

I think the remaining walnut trees will have to go. I hate those bloody crappers worse than I hate that nasty wild grape.

[The Watcher]

Boy, they must have really done something to make you mad. ;) Anyway, yucca seems to do well on slopes, and will colonize it eventually. It does put down deep roots, too.

[normantci]

Rick, You could do a Waterfall down to a small pond beside your wife's shade garden. Check out

or for other suggestions.

I hope this helps, Norman