cover crop as lawn alternative?

[mooman]

I have a large 2-3000sqft section at the bottom of my hill that was brush, but previous owners burned and scraped it. It's now ugly bare ground and wash from further up the hill. Its on a flood plain so soil should be fairly fertile. What could I plant besides grass (I have enough to mow already) that would also have some utilitarian purpose.

What exactly is straw made from? I need something I can plant, not have to weed, and leave standing all winter so no further erosion developes. Any Ideas? It's in the country so this would not look out of place.

I'll also ask this question. What is the best thing to plant on eroded hillsides (SC red clay). I just need something with roots that grows fast and doesn't require alot of prep (cheap also) I'm fighting years of neglect with this land and figure the way to start is to get something ANYTHING to grow on the washed out sections.

 

[patandchickens]

I have a large 2-3000sqft section at the bottom of my hill that was brush, but previous owners burned and scraped it. It's now ugly bare ground and wash from further up the hill. Its on a flood plain so soil should be fairly fertile.

You're sure that the topsoil isn't all gone and it's not just clay, right? Just checkin'

What exactly is straw made from? I need something I can plant, not have to weed, and leave standing all winter so no further erosion developes. Any Ideas?

Straw is just the mature stalks of pretty much any kind of grain. There's wheat straw, barley straw, rye straw, oat straw. All of those are annuals, btw. The mature stalks of softer grasses are basically hay; you can leave them standing over winter too, and many of the grasses are perennial so you get long-term cover and a better knitting together of the soil with roots.

If by 'useful' you mean you want to harvest it, you need to look at whether there is tractor access and whether the ground is dry enough in summer to support heavy machinery. Unless you want a LOT of exercise with a scythe, and to produce probably-poor-quality straw or hay until/unless you get real good at making proper haystacks

If this is a floodplain you will have an issue with finding something that will withstand flooding and wet, probably compacted (from immersion) soils. I would be going out on a limb a bit to recommend a plant for those conditions up here, I am not even going to guess for SC, go ask your extension agent.

Be aware, just in case it matters to you, that tall grass will become filled with ticks and chiggers, and will harbor mosquitos (the adults hang out down in tall grass during the day -- more tall grass near your house means more mosquitos near your house in the evenings). I am *not* trying to discourage you at all, just pointing out potential surprises

I'll also ask this question. What is the best thing to plant on eroded hillsides (SC red clay). I just need something with roots that grows fast and doesn't require alot of prep (cheap also) I'm fighting years of neglect with this land and figure the way to start is to get something ANYTHING to grow on the washed out sections.

Again, your extension agent will be able to give you the best region-specific advice. Offhand I would say crown vetch, but I don't know if it's become an invasive problem down there, it may well have. They can also advise on best preparation and establishment methods.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[mooman]

well, the neighbor has let me use his tractor to plow the site as well as the strip further up slope from this area. It was all compacted subsoil with patchy weeds. 1/4 acre total. I did the best i could to rake it out a little and have planted brown top millet, sunflowers and buckwheat. Eventually I will try to make it all wildflowers, but it was too late for that this year. The chickens, wild birds, and other assorted wildlife should appreciate it come fall.

 

[Beekissed]

Crown vetch so you won't ever have to mow and it will be uniform and pretty!

 

[ams3651]

The buck wheat is very good for your soil if you plow it under after it flowers. Clover is very good too and it will keep comming back.

 

[sht4luck]

depending on the site, what about a few usefull trees.

 

[mooman]

Just an update, I will be planting the wildflowers this year. The millet, sunflowers and buckwheat did well last year.

depending on the site, what about a few usefull trees.

I am in fact turning about 1/3 of the area into a small orchard. Mostly blueberries as they are supposed to be bulletproof around here.

 

[momofdrew]

good luck on your blueberries and wildflowers

 

[vfem]

Oh I could just imagine the image of wildflowers going almost 1/4 of an acre! GORGEOUS!!!! I know if I could be a couple of cleared acres I would love to go have a nice field of wildflower for the birds.

I have a cleared acre now... but I need it to feed us! LOL

:tools

 

[kees]

I have a large 2-3000sqft section at the bottom of my hill that was brush, but previous owners burned and scraped it. It's now ugly bare ground and wash from further up the hill. Its on a flood plain so soil should be fairly fertile.

You're sure that the topsoil isn't all gone and it's not just clay, right? Just checkin'

What exactly is straw made from? I need something I can plant, not have to weed, and leave standing all winter so no further erosion developes. Any Ideas?

Straw is just the mature stalks of pretty much any kind of grain. There's wheat straw, barley straw, rye straw, oat straw. All of those are annuals, btw. The mature stalks of softer grasses are basically hay; you can leave them standing over winter too, and many of the grasses are perennial so you get long-term cover and a better knitting together of the soil with roots.

If by 'useful' you mean you want to harvest it, you need to look at whether there is tractor a

ccess and whether the ground is dry enough in summer to support heavy machinery. Unless you want a LOT of exercise with a scythe, and to produce probably-poor-quality straw or hay until/unless you get real good at making proper haystacks

If this is a floodplain you will have an issue with finding something that will withstand flooding and wet, probably compacted (from immersion) soils. I would be going out on a limb a bit to recommend a plant for those conditions up here, I am not even going to guess for SC, go ask your extension agent.

Be aware, just in case it matters to you, that tall grass will become filled with ticks and chiggers, and will harbor mosquitos (the adults hang out down in tall grass during the day -- more tall grass near your house means more mosquitos near your house in the evenings). I am *not* trying to discourage you at all, just pointing out potential surprises

I'll also ask this question. What is the best thing to plant on eroded hillsides (SC red clay). I just need something with roots that grows fast and doesn't require alot of prep (cheap also) I'm fighting years of neglect with this land and figure the way to start is to get something ANYTHING to grow on the washed out sections.

Again, your extension agent will be able to give you the best region-specific advice. Offhand I would say crown vetch, but I don't know if it's become an invasive problem down there, it may well have. They can also advise on best preparation and establishment methods.

Good luck,

Pat

Thanks! I've just spent the past three hours looking for suggestions for ground cover, instead of grass, and ornamental grasses were frequently suggested. The only downside that I could think of was that rodents could hide in the grasses. But mosquitos, scratch that idea!

Suzy