Slope – Landscaping

Q: My wife and I purchased a home on Lake Lanier. We have a steep red hill that we need to landscape.

I wanted to start with burlap ground cover, cut in plants and cover with mulch. I am concerned the mulch will slide off the slope.

A: Davie Biagi, a landscaper for the Ga. DOT, gave me this advice on landscaping a slope:

“It all depends on the incline. If it falls 1 foot for every 1 foot of run (a 1:1 slope), no mulch or plant can hold on. The slope must usually be terraced to make gentler inclines.

“On a 1:1 slope you could use large rocks to hold the soil in place, but rock isn’t very attractive and it gets weedy.

“If the slope falls 1 foot for every 2 feet of run, vigorous shrubs and vines can be used to hold the soil.

“If the slope falls 1 foot for every 3 feet of run, bermudagrass can keep the soil in place. ”

In my experience, mulch stays in place only on slopes that fall 1 foot for every 4 feet of run. Your job is to measure the fall and the run of the bank and decide which situation listed above applies to you.