How Can Grass Seeds Help Prevent Soil Erosion?
One of the best ways to control erosion is with healthy, dense grasses. Planting erosion control seed on slopes and hills is a cost-effective and efficient method to prevent soil erosion and maximize growth, but how exactly does it work?
Most erosion-related seed and soil loss occurs when there is heavy rainfall before the grassroots can properly get established to hold the soil in place. Without these strong, deep roots, unanchored grass seeds can easily get washed away along with the surrounding soil. Erosion control grass seed solves this problem by establishing roots almost immediately, allowing the seeds to stay where planted.
You can establish grass on hills and slopes for erosion control by following these four simple steps.
Prepare Your Site and Plant Your Seed
The first step is always to prepare your soil just as you would for any other planting. You want to create optimal conditions for your seed to grow. After your site is prepared, spread the seed and apply the necessary fertilizer. This helps to promote vigorous and deep growth of the erosion control seed roots, preventing your grass seed from washing away when there is rainfall by providing them with an anchor in the soil. In turn, it will enhance the growth of your grass seed further down the line, establishing a rich and healthy site.
Use Mats
The use of mats will stabilize and protect your seed along with hillside erosion control products. They can be cut to size, so they fit precisely to your hill or slope. The mat can be secured using landscape staples, which are available at most garden and hardware stores. Place the staples every 5-7 inches along the mat that you have placed down. Seed starter mats can help prevent the growth of unwanted weeds, which removes competition for your erosion control seed, allowing it to grow easily and freely.
Water the Matted Area
Water your mat regularly, at least once a day. This keeps the soil moist to enable the seeds to germinate. The mat is designed to biodegrade naturally, so there’s no need to remove it manually as your grass starts to grow.
Maintaining Your Slopes or Hills
The erosion control grass seed will allow for the continued growth of your site, and you must, therefore, follow the best mowing practices to maintain a low grass height. The mat is not likely to interfere with your equipment. If mowing is not possible, you can skip this step and instead focus on having an erosion-free slope that is left in its natural growing state. To get your high-quality erosion control seed today or to learn more about the best practices to maintain growth on slopes and hillsides, contact Stover Seed.