Creating A Gorgeous Garden

Landscaping Your Hillside: 4 Tips For Effective Soil Stabilization

21 September 2020 by Tiffany Gonzales

If you've got some big backyard landscaping plans, don't forget to stabilize the soil. Soil stabilization provides the right foundation for larger landscaping projects. Soil stabilization is especially important when you're landscaping hillsides. Without proper stabilization, you could be forced to deal with soil erosion. Here are some steps you can take to stabilize the soil for your backyard landscaping projects. 

Don't Disturb the Topsoil

Avoid tilling the topsoil in your yard. Tilling the soil can undo the natural stabilization. Over time, soil goes through a natural compaction process. Once you till the soil, it's prone to soil erosion from wind and water. This is especially worrisome where hillside landscaping is concerned. To reduce the risk of erosion caused by wind and rain, avoid disturbing the topsoil. 

Choose the Right Top Dressing

If you're going to be landscaping your hillside, you want to choose the right top dressing. Top dressing is used to hold the top layer of soil in place. This is especially beneficial for areas where you don't plan to introduce plants and shrubbery. Good choices for hillside top dressing include things like gravel, wood chips, mulch, and steer manure. As an added benefit, these top dressings also help to reduce the amount of runoff caused by heavy rains. 

Make Use of Natural Retaining Walls

If you plan to landscape your hillside, use retaining walls. Retaining walls help to keep the hillside soil in place. They're especially beneficial where steep hillsides are concerned. If you don't like the idea of using concrete or brick for your retaining walls, you can create natural retaining walls instead. Some natural retaining walls include the use of terraced gardens, straw baffles, and landscape timbers. One benefit of choosing terraced gardens is that you can make better use of the hillside space you have. 

Include Soil Strengthening Ground Cover

Finally, if you want to make sure that your hillside soil is stable and protected from erosion, include soil-strengthening ground covers. Some types of plants that are used for ground covers are rich in nitrogen and help stabilize and improve the soil. Those include clover, lupines, and fava beans. These plants enrich your soil while reducing the risk of erosion and weather damage. 

Don't take chances with your hillside landscaping project. Now that you plan to make use of your hillside, take steps to stabilize the soil. The use of proper stabilization methods will help to prevent soil erosion. To learn more about pre-construction soil stabilization, contact a local landscape company, like Kuesel Excavating Company Inc.

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