Tips For Preventing Soil Erosion In Your Yard

Most people desire a beautiful backyard where they can enjoy being outdoors. However, not all backyards are flat, so if you live on a lot with a sloped or hilly backyard, you will need to have a plan to prevent soil erosion. One of the biggest keys to preventing and managing soil erosion is to do everything possible to stabilize the soil in your yard. Stable soil will help prevent erosion, no matter what the topography of your yard is. If your lot is not flat, use the following tips to help prevent erosion and keep your yard looking great:

Make a Plan for Drainage

When a sloped or hilly yard does not have proper drainage, it is at much higher risk for soil erosion. Thus, when landscaping a yard on a challenging lot, it is essential to make a drainage plan before any landscaping occurs. The type of drainage needed will depend on how sloped your yard is. In some yards, creating a rain garden using rocks and boulders can be enough to divert the water to where you want it to go.Yards with steeper slopes may require more sophisticated drainage systems to help manage water runoff. 

Plant Ground Cover

A simple way to help stabilize the soil in your yard and prevent erosion is through the use of ground cover. Ground cover plants grow and spread out, and when they do so they develop a large root system that will help keep soil in place. In addition to stabilizing the soil, ground cover plants are also very beautiful and can add a lot of visual interest to your yard. Some ground cover plants are flowering, while others are not, so you will have a lot of options to choose from when it comes time to plant.

Consider Retaining Walls

Many people who have sloped yards and are worried about soil erosion opt to have retaining walls built to help keep soil in place. In some cases, one retaining wall may suffice, buy steeper yards may need several retaining walls built in a terrace to stabilize the soil. Retaining walls can be built in a wide variety of styles, so it is easy to select a retaining wall that compliments the vision for your backyard and the rest of your hardscaping. Well-built retaining walls will last for a long time and can go a long way towards preventing soil erosion. 

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