Hi guys:

I’ve got quite a bit of bare ground located on a slope I’d like a ground cover to mitigate erosion this winter. Here in SoCal, we can get really strong Santa Ana winds (30 to 60 mph gusts) and may get a fairly wet winter. What do you think - mulch, wood chips, decocrative gravel?

I am considering placing down some weed cloth, but I’ve noticed that dirt, etc. will slide off of it when placed on a slope.

Looking for ideas.
Thanks.

I had weed cloth on a flat area and regret putting it down. It just doesn’t want to stay put. Now I’d like to get rid of it and it stays put too well. How about a plant? I like Mazus or creeping Jenny.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Layout/2011/IMG_9970.JPG)

The Mazus is the dark green, the Creeping Jenny is the lighter green. Of course, I’m in Northern Virginia which might change everything. You might take a look at http://www.stepables.com/ - they have a lot of information on tough ground covers.

Bruce:
Beautiful stuff! I will probably plant some plugs of something, but I’ll still be left with a lot of bare ground before the plants start to spread. Maybe mulch around the plantings to keep the soil in place.

Put some mulch down around the plants. It’ll keep the ground moist and you won’t have water the plants as much.

For SoCal, I would recommend any of the many varieties of Ice Plant. See also Ice Plant in Wikipedia.

Lots of good info. These are great ground cover for your area, with lots of flowers. The stuff that we use further north might not work in SoCal.

Check with other garden railroads in your area, too, for what they use.

Try any of the stone crops. They can handle just about anything. Blue Star creeper is another great one. I just planted some this spring and really like it.

Shawn said:
Blue Star creeper is another great one. I just planted some this spring and really like it.

I wonder if you will still be saying that in a year or two. I have no direct experience but I've read that it can take over and become very hard to control.

I like Ice Plant too. Spreads quickly. It’s easy to control. Breaks off and pulls up easily. Ralph Not flowering a lot in this picture. The purple blooms close at night.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/sVl049cM.jpg)

Thanks for the recommendations. I need something to get me through the upcoming rainy season, before the plantings have time to get established. It might just be temporary for this season only. Frankly, I could probably lay down some plastic in unplanted areas, but I was thinking that mulch, chips or maybe erosion netting might be the way to go.

Joe,
I would think that any “ground cover” that you plant or plug in now will not have a root system established enough to do any erosion control for you this winter.
You may want to consider a cover crop for the winter like Red Clover that will spring up fast and form root mass that will hold the soil. You can spray it with Roundup next Spring then plant your “ground cover” plants and give them a few months to grow into their job of holding the soil before the next winter arrives. Rather than Roundup you could hoe it off and leave it on the ground then cover it with a mulch or bark as it is a very good source of nitrogen for the new plants.
Just a thought
Rick

PS
Beware Blue Star Creeper

Rick Marty said:
Joe, I would think that any "ground cover" that you plant or plug in now will not have a root system established enough to do any erosion control for you this winter. You may want to consider a cover crop for the winter like Red Clover that will spring up fast and form root mass that will hold the soil. You can spray it with Roundup next Spring then plant your "ground cover" plants and give them a few months to grow into their job of holding the soil before the next winter arrives. Rather than Roundup you could hoe it off and leave it on the ground then cover it with a mulch or bark as it is a very good source of nitrogen for the new plants. Just a thought Rick

PS
Beware Blue Star Creeper

LOL I guess Im one of the few who like ground covers to take over. I love my Blue star as well as my Stonecrop sedum. I thinks its Jerry who hates thats stuff but again I love it.

Shawn said:
LOL I guess Im one of the few who like ground covers to take over. I love my Blue star as well as my Stonecrop sedum. I thinks its Jerry who hates thats stuff but again I love it.

Define "take over". When it moves into your house and covers the couch will you still love it :D

“When it moves into your house and covers the couch will you still love it?”

Wouldn’t it then be called a brother-in-law?

Couldn’t resist,
David Meashey

Lots of Sedums don’t have much of a root system and require a lot less water.
I’ve planted several varieties just by scooping out a little divot with my hand and dropping them in.
Some are invasive, some take a long time to grow. It depends.
I also find starts from one species that was planted clear on the other side of the layout. How it got there, I’ll never know.

Got this from a local garden center email:

Why is it so much better to plant in the fall?

Plants adapt more quickly to their new homes because the air is cooler and the soil is still warm. 

Gardens are moist, especially this fall, so you do less watering. Most plants will not need frequent watering in the spring because they are already established.

Your plants will be larger and more pleasing in the upcoming spring. Spring is so busy getting the gardens looking good after winter. How nice to have flowers, trees and shrubs already growing.

Could be they’re just drummin up business, but my son is in the same line of work and he says the same thing…

With the rain we have had in the northeast this fall is an excellent time too plant …I have learned that and I’m nothing but a mekanik!

“I have learned that and I’m nothing but a mekanik!”

I’ve seen your modeling work, you’re a pretty qualified mek a nik.

I use weeds they grow everywhere. you don’t have to plant them.
All natural, good for the eco systewm.
And the price is right if the wind blws them over, nothing lost.

Joe Bussing said:
Hi guys:

I’ve got quite a bit of bare ground located on a slope I’d like a ground cover to mitigate erosion this winter. Here in SoCal, we can get really strong Santa Ana winds (30 to 60 mph gusts) and may get a fairly wet winter. What do you think - mulch, wood chips, decocrative gravel?

I am considering placing down some weed cloth, but I’ve noticed that dirt, etc. will slide off of it when placed on a slope.

Looking for ideas.
Thanks.

Two suggestions (if you haven’t had enough all ready):

1. ajuga (bugleweed) set it about a foot on centers, grows together, nice roots, grows most anywhere sun or shade, and has nice blue spike blooms in Spring.
2. Red apple. Grows like crazy and spreads fast, but nearly bullet proof. It’s like an ice plant, but smaller and has pretty red blooms.

Dick Friedman said:
Two suggestions (if you haven't had enough all ready): 1. ajuga (bugleweed) set it about a foot on centers, grows together, nice roots, grows most anywhere sun or shade, and has nice blue spike blooms in Spring. 2. Red apple. Grows like crazy and spreads fast, but nearly bullet proof. It's like an ice plant, but smaller and has pretty red blooms.

Ajuga I am familiar with, but what is "Red Apple?" Do you have a link?