Water wise gardens and erosion control

My biggest problem is managing water usage and preventing loss of topsoil during our infrequent but powerful cloudbursts. What's your solution?

Two concepts:

"Slow the water"
With strategically-placed stones where streams would otherwise form, in some cases. Remember that diverting water to a channel means that the channel and it's downstream area need to be tough enough to withstand all of that collected water. -Usually not the best idea. Most importantly, you want your healhty soil structure to be permeable enough on the surface that water can soak in. Mulch is the best way to do it. Some use gravel mulch, but decomposing wood mulches on top of well-amended soil will work wonders. Healty soil structure holds itself together to a great degree. Now, my absolute favorite way of controlling runoff situations is with living mulches: Groundcovers that root themselves. A nice speedwell, ice plant, sedum, English Ivy (in the right spot) ornamental thyme, et cetera. They are like a carpet that physically holds down the soil while letting water steep into it.
The key is making the surface of the soil like a sponge that absorbs water quickly, preventing pooling and stream-effects. Then the water can move away underground.

"Speed the water"
Now one needs to let it go. The soil will absorb what it needs and drain the rest out. Raised beds need soil that is very organic and free-draining so as to not become a raised-pond. Never amend clay soil with sand, no matter what any gardening magazine writer says. (topic of different threads). An absolutely critical but neglected practice is not stepping on your soil. It comapcts the soil, crushing hte pores so that water cannot penetrate (and other bad things) and the water ends up ganging up on the soil, running off with it. After you have tried it and seen the results, you will beceme a "don't step off the path" nazi.

Bottom line: slow the water down but let it go.
-Amend (compost, compost and more compost, most at first and every time you plant)
-Mulch (wood pulp/bark/gravel and most enjoyable: Groundcovers)
-Don't step on it.

Hope this helps,
Kenton

to add to Kenton's don't step policy: Place a large flat stone [large enuff for at least one of your feet] within an area that's hard to reach. Gives you a place to stand without compacting your beds. Hurrah. ;-)

We don't get rain. But we get winds that remove the soil at the same time as they are adding blow sand to any area that has green stuff growing.

I eventually gave up on a lawn because it was virtually buried in blow sand of inches in depth. The grass struggled to even look like a lawn, then the grubs moved in, then a skunk took care of the grubs and what was left of the lawn. LOL

I figure that should I ever desire a lawn again, after two failed attempts - I will get sod and roll one out. {The one in the backyard also went defunct, without the skunks help } did I mention we got CLOUDS this morning?
~Blooms

Blooms, how about native grass? Would that grow? Or don't you have any. lol

Thanks for the important but omitted detail, Blooms. How about Buffalo Grass?
When you have your new lawn, will you roll it back up during a sandstorm?

It's rather cloudy here, too. Strange. I'm looking in the sky for four horses.

Actually, was talking about Buffalo Grass with my son just this morning. We have this entire new lot next door to do things with. And a well that he is working on getting attached to a watering system [which does not exist yet] for plants I haven't chosen yet. LOL following any of this?

As for the roll out lawn... that's in case we ever want to put the place on the market. I won't waste precious time and water on one again for myself. Although I'd love a small patch to walk barefoot in. ~Blooms

Blooms, sounds like an experimental plot! I would think that if you had a watering system in your yard you could grow native grass. You could set it to water every day till established, then 3 times a week or less. You probably already know about this, but you might check out the native grasses at High Country Gardens at http://www.highcountrygardens.com/browse/nativeturfgrasses.html. I totally understand about the barefoot grass part!.

I had a steep and exposed (sunny) area that the road run off went down and washed every thing off. I used a rock collection sediment pond at the top to collect the run off and then have it travel down hill ever so slightly in a corrigaed open drain pipe. I laid the pipe across the top of the bed to disperse the run off to the plants. Then I got that bird screen netting and laid it down (loosely) with folds of netting going perpendicular to slope. Then I planted several Blue Carpet Junipers, Cotoneaster ground huggers, and then placed several large rocks strategically around the mesh. Then I covered the mesh with large bark mulch and now it is xeriscaped ground holding happy plants. Here is a picture of the area.

Cool! That's a great way to plant on a slope where normally you'd have strong runoff and erosion. I like the grass too.

This area is pit run soil ammended with lots of compost and wood chips. I now will hold water and keep the plants thriving. This is another way to deal with pitch. I had a steep hill and dug out the base and stacked rocks to eliminate the run off. This will be an area where I put a Alaskan Banya. It is a rock or log structure with a wood stove to heat up the enclosure with water being poured on the stove and making it a steam or hot sauna.

Great project! I take it it will be something like a sweat lodge without the ritual.

Well I plan on smudging with my dried sage. Then I will lay down and meditate and pray so I think it will be like a sweat lodge. I did that in Portland with a group of men about 20 years ago. It was the most healing weekend I ever experienced. Beat on drums, ran through the night forest tied to a log with 4 other guys. Then did a blindfold run in the cold rain up a creek and through the forest naked. It changed my life. We ended with a sweat lodge for about 2 hours to think about the weekend and what we were going to do to make the world a better place. Most of it I can't tell you.
OK back to the forum. Kenton I agree with you don't step on it but without a surface to direct the path it is inevitable. That is why I use stepping stones to direct my guests, dogs, and my self through any garden area. I also have a seat set in a "weeding claw" to set on when working. Then when I get up I just turn the seat and use the claw to break up the compacted area where I was sitting. These are the rocks I got up north 4 days ago for my new path through a new bed.

Brilliant stuff, Steve.
Tell me when you are selling stone chase-lounges and when your secret Banya society is admitting new membership.

(and I think that rock would be neater for the Alaskan Banya.)
Stepping: A thick layer of wood mulch can reduce compaction. It makes a nice path, too.
Kenton

When I was in college, long before we knew much about such things as sweat lodges, I did a 50 mile wilderness hike as a summer course. I went to a women's college, so it was all women on the hike. It absolutely changed my life. That and the raft trip that same summer where I nearly lost my life. These kinds of extreme events have a way of focusing your purpose.

Now, back to the topic at hand. Where was I??

Hey that is a great Idea. A sculped stone that fits my butt and have it close to the fire and have a cool stream of water falling on it to create a splash to the fire rocks and a cooling seat for anyone too hot . Wow Kenton I need to start looking for the perfect rock. No these Banyas are really neat up in Alaska. This would be a creative addition. I want mine made out of cord wood and mortar. They are unique and would highlight another unique area in my garden.

This message was edited Aug 5, 2006 10:37 PM

...Yea, and each inch on the bench coincides to a degree of temerature...

Is any of this helping, GreenJay?

Oops. Cloud bursts are not much of a problem here due to the high porosity of the soil. And our cells are not large so only an inch or two drop. What kind of bursts do you have Green jay as far as accumulation of fall?

Accumulation varies greatly. Last Oct. 10, we had a foot of snow fal BEFORE first frost; many of the trees had not even turned colors yet. This summer we have had 2 "monsoon seasons", and last Tuesday we had 2" of rain in one hour, causing a flash flood. But as several others have noted, a flash flood in Centennial could be a mere sprinkle a mile away.

The specific problem I am dealing with is INSANE grading and landscaping installed when the property was built out in 1971. I can't move entire buildings, but I can plant and do some minor regrading if necessary. I would like to find some way also to avoid channeling lots of water into the storm sewers. That really doesn't solve the problem, and is generally damaging to the watertable.

Collect the water in a low area and plant moist loving plants in deep layers of peat.
Then pull or dig out the plants and use the sediment to make the graders goof ups become a soil bonanza.

I don't get too many chances to study the routing of my water, but after years of drought, we had 1.9 inches of rain yesterday and 2.4 inches from 12:30 pm until 2:00. I found needle duff showing the directions the current had gone and for a while was actually able to see the water running. I have been working on catching water with rocks and mulch and plants for quite a while but hadn't thought of using wood mulch paths. I will have to give that a try. I certainly got to see where I need to channel the water today!
We have a bridge over a canyon here in town. The southbound lane was closed due to flooding!?! as well as the road which goes down the canyon side to cross the little stream at the bottom. And if you took the long way arounc and tried to cross at the bottom of the canyon you couldn't get through because of a traffic accident. Wow! We had 6 months worth of weather in 2 days!

Greenjay, I'm thinking terraces and green-mulches (groundcovers). Lots of groundcovers.

Isn't that the nature of our neck o' the woods, Pajarito? Blinck and miss the monsoon rain...

Yes, that is the nature of things in the Rocky Mountains. I have been building little terraces in my vacant lot for some time, but I have a long way to go. I also believe in plants or logs or anything to slow down the flow and to give it a chance to sink in. Otherwise all that beautiful water fails to sink in.
I have a large bare area. That is where I plant pumpkins and squashes which have big leaves and vines everywhere on the ground to help slow down water movement. It seems to help.
But you are right to worry. We have had 2 huge rains lately. The water poured off the lots and into the easment at the back of the property. The house at the end of the block had a nice arrangement for runoff. They had put down plastic then covered it with smooth river rock. It was quite lovely, but the water coming off the other peoples' lots swept about 10 ft. of smooth river rock including some that I would have a hard time moving out into the street leaving nothing but the plastic in place. So those of us uphill have more to do to retain and slow our own water, and I think the people with the river rock, would have been wiser to leave out the plastic and to plant some low creeping plant inbetween them instead.

Enough water to actually run off of something. Don't I wish. We get our 10-13 inches of percipitation a year in 1/4 to 1/8 inch increments and an inch or two of snow here and there. From the looks of this year, I'm inclined to think that some years there is no rain. Mostly the clouds just mean that sand will get blown around. BloomsWithAView, DH is putting in a 30 x 60' lawn in the back yard. I've been laughing at him because I have been envisioning exactly what you described - burried in sand, weakened and attached by some sort of grub, and then invaded by skunks. He says the fencing around the yard will keep out the sand. I'm not optimistic. There is sand in my bath tub and in my freshly made bed. I don't see why a little ol' 7 ft fence would keep sand out of the back yard! LOL!

BTW, only sort of on topic - the lizards have learned to come to the soaker hose to drink water, and the bird water bowl gets more visitors than the feeders, I sometimes think.

Ever seen the snowfences in Wyoming? I bet there is something to be observed from them pertaining to your sand blowing in...

When I was working in Billings MT they had the same thing. The topsoil of all the tilled land was blowing east into the town and on the western margins people had to hire landscapers to vaccum up the debris to keep from being buried. Sand drifts everywhere.

I looked up snow fences on line. Looks like something I might do for the chickens when we build their coop/yard. Sounds like it will provide some shade, too. Thanks for the idea!

I haven't found a ground cover that likes me besides tumbleweed, sage and winter fat, yet, so although they are mostly prickly plants, I'm continuing to let them multiply and be fruitful. I'd like something else in the front yard, but haven't really found anything. Be grateful for ideas/suggestions.

Sedum is a great groundcover for dry places. Chicks and hens mixed will provide interesting texture changes and definetly cacti is another xeriscape potential. You must provide the essential soil ammendment, IE compost to propagate such beautiful plants.

kmom, sagebrush can make a useful hedge. You can shape it too, if the mood moves you. Might help keep the sand out.

Sagebrush is pretty much all that holds down the sand around here. I had no idea you could shape it, though. It grows nearly as tall as me (5 ft) and makes a nice little wind break, too.

I don't know why, but I don't see any cactus around here. Of any type. Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen any in Reno or Carson City, either. I'll have to keep my eyes open and consciously look for such.

Hummm, hadn't thought of sedums as ground covers before - have only seen them as accent plants or in rock gardens... don't think they'd stand up to high traffic, energetic 100 lbs dogs, but maybe they could go in MY part of the backyard and maybe in some beds along the driveway (fenced off from maraudering canines)... the wheels start turning...

I think cactus needs more water, either in seasonal rainfall or proximity of underground sources. Do you really need a cactus? If you're looking for thorns, tumbleweeds have plenty!

Take a look at the native plants of the area. There are quite a few that can be useful in the landscaping. Sagebrush won't shape up as nicely as a conventional hedge plant like privet, but you can get a "manicured" look out of it if you want that. It's easier to trim the younger growth into shape. The older branches need some heavy duty pruning shears (training). I can't remember if Bitterbrush grows in Silver Springs. It pairs well with sage. Once you get them established they should be relatively low maintenance and will be a good sand, snow, tumbleweed break.

http://www.50states.com/flower/nevada.htm
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Artemisia+tridentata
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Atriplex+canescens
http://www.usask.ca/agriculture/plantsci/classes/range/purshia.html

Thanks for the link. In addition to tumbleweed for thorns, we have cat's claw and several as-yet unidentified pokey things. The east fence is currently decorated with dry & drying tumble weed that has tumble over from other parts of the property. The birds love to hide in it, but it is sort of an eyesore and a fire hazzard. I'm going to leave some of it against the fence in the way back, but the stuff closer to the house will be mashed down and added to the compost pile...

Call the Nevada Native Plant Society. They should be able to help identify the pokey thing.

http://heritage.nv.gov/nnps.htm

Thanks! On my list of things to do... but right now the getting ready for winter chores are starting to creap up, so I'm trying to get those things done now before the sun starts setting really early. With day temps still in the 90's, I feel bad starting to cut back on watering, even if just a bit, but I don't want the first cold snap to get here and find my trees not hardened off.

Kmom you need to do what I am doing and add things to the garden that are most interesting but do not grow. Therefore no water needed. I am planting large dead trees with lots of branching and anchoring them in the ground with concrete so I have an area of old trees that look like totems of the forest. Then I am building an area of large stumps that I can arrange in ways of archways, hedge rows, and tunnels to have a single vine grow and cover the wood art to make it only one plant root system that needs irrigating. I will use V Creeper, Clematis, Climbing roses, and other plants that seek and thrive in a woodland setting that require little moisture. It is hard to describe and will take a long time to develope but I think it will be unique and very low water needy. Of course I will be using lots of large rock works to highlight the garden area. I have over 6,000 sq ft of space to use.
Oh and as far as using a 22 caliber to drop the little ones harassing the garden I prefer to use a 410 shot gun and no concern with the neighbors being hit. 6 shot and low powder load (2 1/2 shell) works well and only will travel about 25 yards.

Funny you should mention dead trees... we have an old semi-dwarf apple of unknown heritage that DH rescued from an orchard being plowed under for houses. It took a several hundred mile trip in the back of a pickup from the central valley floor of near 100 degrees, up through the sierra nevada where it got down to about 30, and then down into our valley floor of 100 degrees - a 7ft diameter rootball of clay wrapped in a tarp surrounding it's lower end. It is now trying real hard to become a dead tree, and I've been thinking that if it does, I would just stop watering it after a good soaking one summer day, and the clay should turn to rock and anchor the thing forever. The dry heat would turn it to petrified wood, and I would have a lovely statue. I would chip and compost it, but the mocking bird has claimed it as his/her own, and I am no longer allowed near it execpt to water. Besides, it has a very nice open shape, and is an excellent tutorial on how to prune an apple and how to have lovely, wide angled branch crotches. Maybe Mr./Ms. Mocking Bird will set up housekeeping in it next spring... with my luck, it will barely survive, tugging on my heart strings, and I will have to spend inordinate amounts of time and water on it, only to have it finally die off, say, 5 years from now.

Good idea on the critter control. I don't know much about shotguns other than we own two, so I will discuss this with DH. He's got a bunch of reloading stuff, so I imagine he could set something like this up. Right now I only shoot towards the back where there are no neighbors, and I always know what my target is and what's behind it - but knowing the shot can only go about 25 yards would still be a good thing. Wouldn't have to be as accurate, too. I'm pretty good with the rabbits, but mostly just scare the chipmunks. I'm real good with the ground squirrels that they have in CA. Have to think like the ground squirrels. Haven't learned how to think like a chipmunk, yet, I guess. Plus they are way smaller. For really close range stuff I was using the air gun, but it wasn't killing them, just maiming, so I gave that up. Hate the buggers, but don't want them to suffer. Wish I had my old dog back - he's much better at the rabbit and chipmunk thing - supplemented his and our other dog's dinner quite regularly.

I went to Anchorage and Fairbanks last year with work. It was awesome. I'm pretty jaded because I get to cross the Sierra Nevada with some regularity, so I was thinking that I would be hard to impress. I was floored. Ate salmon at the Glacier Brew House (called something like that, I think) every night - each plate was well over what we were allowed to expense, but it was worth putting out some of our own money to eat like that. DH had been stationed in Adac (sp?) when in the USMC and was disinclined to go on the trip - said something about ODing on salmon and king crab. Impossible, from my point of view. I think he missed out. I doubt as a young man in his twenties in the Marines that he would have quite the same appreciation of the state as he would now :-)

Pajaritomt, that is scary about the water run off. We would have little flash floods when it rained when I lived in TX. Scary stuff. Good luck with your drainage plan!

Yes I get my fishing licence on Monday and then no DG time cause I will be catching Rock Cod, Ling Cod, King salmon and silvers. I have a buddy joining me wednesday for a short week of fishing. Gonna be fun after work every day.

Sofer, have a great trip! We'll miss you...

I'm already up here (Kodiak Island AK) working just waiting for the 1 week licence to start. I get to fish after 6pm (daylight until 10:30pm) and a 2 hour lunch so plenty of time to hook a few.

Sounds like my kinda job! When I was much younger, my uncle used to take us fishing and he would tell us to think like a drowning worm and that's how he jiggled his rod. Apparently he was good at thinking like a worm - we ate many a trout dinner from his pole! Fond memories. I know you will enjoy!