Problem slope

I have a shaded steep (about 45 degrees) south east slope that was torn up when geothermal heat pump lines were put in. Weeds grow abundantly but the vinca I have tried to get started has been slow at best to establish. The soil tends to clay but does have decent drainage. What kind of ground cover would you suggest for such a problem area?

Roger

Hi Roger:

It depends a lot on how big it is, and whether you merely want something to hold it up or whether you are looking for a particular aesthetic. And how much work you want to put into this project. A good place to peruse is www.classygroundcovers.com.

I have a long hill very much like yours that I've been working on for years, but I've been trying to turn it into a perennial border. Hostas and daylilies work well. But I find I have to dig it up a big at a time, amend the soil, plant it and them pray for no rain until the plants establish. (Several times I have had major storms come and completely wash out the hill after I planted it.) Then I move on to the new spot. A mulch can help hold things in place -- or you can even use landscape cloth -- be sure you get one that will rot in place. I also sometimes plant something like liriope at the top that is fast growing and will break the streams of rain.

The previous owners of our house had used Crown Vetch http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1312/ (invasive but effective), and cotoneaster -- probably this one: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/75522/. Both were very effective and actually handsome, but I didn't care for them much and slowly replaced them.

What about epimediums? They're awfully pretty, like shade and some varieties are evergreen.

Good ideas!

At this point I mulched it fairly deeply with a hardwood shred and it looks OK sort of... But it isn't what I wanted.

I didn't think of hostas as suitable for a slope but why not. Gilbert Wild sells unnamed hostas by the cartload for not that much from time to time and it would be pretty easy on everything but my back to plug them in. Daylillies would make a nice contrast but the sunlight is pretty limited, still, worth a try. That could make the sow's ear a bit more attractive. I thought about lariope but I really don't care for it that much. I am reticent to go with anything too invasive since the cure can end up being as bad or worse than the disease. The former owner planted a bed of obedient plant towards the front of the property that has taken gallons of roundup plus repeated rototilling to be finally rid of it.

Roger

I agree with your reticence about invasive plants. I have a lot of nice hostas. But I also have a lot of hostas that self-seeded from my mom's garden, and they make a wonderful ground cover -- nothing splashy, but they make an impenitrable weed barrier. Only problem is your slope would be bare half the year.

How about strawberries? I have a considerable hill myself which at least currently has grass on it. We are trying to work our way out of mowing though, and hopefully get something to eat along the way as well.