Controlling erosion is very important for homeowners; not only will you be unable to grow a lush, green lawn on soil that is dry and dusty, but also this type of soil may not be strong enough to hold up your home's foundation and your home may begin to settle. Dry and dusty soil can also mean dust that gets into your home and causes irritation to your breathing and sinuses, and makes your home's ductwork dirty and dusty. Note a few suggestions for erosion control on your property that you can manage on your own, without calling a landscaping engineer.
Barriers
Retainer walls are one common solution to erosion, but you don't need anything quite as large and cumbersome to slow down erosion on your property. Barriers to erosion can include logs or wood beams that are partially buried underground and set parallel to or horizontal along your lawn. These beams are very easy to install, and keeping them partially raised can ensure you always see them and don't hit them with a lawnmower.
Riprap is also a type of barrier you create—but with gravel or loose stone. You can add this in strips to your lawn, also horizontally, to slow down water flow. Riprap can also be added vertically down the slope of your property where water flow or erosion is the greatest. This can slow down that flow of water and keep it trapped on your property, where it will be absorbed by the surrounding soil.
You can even dress up your barriers by making them part of a landscaping feature. To do this, plant a row of flowers or shrubbery behind the beams or riprap, and they will look like a landscaping border. These plants can also hold moisture in the ground with their roots so they too work to control erosion on your property.
Burlap
Natural forms of burlap can be installed right under the top layer of your property's topsoil. It is then invisible, so it doesn't detract from the look of your lawn, but the burlap will absorb some moisture and keep it in place. You may need to replace the burlap regularly, perhaps every few years as it begins to decompose. However, installing it means simply pulling up a part of your lawn and putting down a section of the material, and then replacing the topsoil or lawn over it. Since it's biodegradable, it doesn't affect the lawn's health or the environment.
Share12 September 2016
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