You are here: Home > Organic Gardening > From Problem Slope To Organic Garden

From Problem Slope To Organic Garden

Organic Garden Tips – Gardening On a Slope, Part I

Slopes can be a real pain to deal with and an eyesore on your property. They are difficult to mow, and you don’t want to use a bunch of chemicals to kill poison ivy and other weeds that might make their home there. You can change all that however!

The slope can become a lovely organic garden. Where once it was a wasteland of weeds, flowers could bloom to cheer the landscape. Or you could try some vegetable gardening organic style. The rugged terrain can be tamed by turning the area can into a terraced garden.

Slope Taming Terraces

Terracing a slope can make for some lovely results, and broadens what can be planted in that area since you’ll have a level area to work with and can improve the soil in the terraced beds with rich loam, well rotted manure, peat or other great garden amendments. However, it’s also takes the most work of all slope solutions, and is usually the most expensive option.

The first consideration is what to use as building materials for the retaining walls. Railroad ties were once quite popular for flower beds and retaining walls for terraces. However, I can’t really recommend creosote treated lumber of any kind for organic gardens. First, there’s the problem of people coming into direct contact with the treated lumber. Additionally, the creosote will leach into the water and move into surrounding areas.

Then there’s the problem of the creosote used to treat the lumber leaching into the soil. The plants will take it up with water and minerals, and then what happens? If you’re growing vegetables, you’re going to eat whatever chemicals are in the plants. Not a good idea, so avoid creosote treated lumber.

Safe Wall Materials And Placement

For small projects where you’re just leveling out a gentle little slope, landscaping boards made out of recycled plastics are an option to consider. However, for steeper slopes, you’ll need to use something sturdier like bricks, concrete blocks, modular retaining wall blocks or stone. These masonry options require varying levels of expertise, so be sure you know how to build walls with the materials you opt to use.

Since the idea of terracing is to provide level beds, the steepness of the slope will dictate the height of the walls. Generally speaking, instead of a few really wide beds, it’s easier to have several smaller beds.

Start at the bottom of the slope when building your terraces. You’ll need to dig a trench for the first tier of the terrace. The width and depth of the trench varies depending on how tall the terrace will be and what building materials are used to build the walls.

Obviously, the higher the walls, the sturdier they need to be, and the deeper the bottom needs to be buried in the ground. Large terraces also should have proper drainage, and be anchored well into the sides of the slope at each end.

Research your particular building material to see how far it needs to be buried and how many tiers can be safely built. Remember, there’s going to be a lot of weight from the soil pushing on these retaining walls, and even more pressure after a rain. You want to be sure they’re sturdy or your nice walls could bow outwards or even collapse.

If you really want terraces but the project seems like too daunting a task, there are landscaping contractors that can do the work for you. Naturally, that will be more expensive since you’ll not only have to pay for the materials, but their labor.

Get Ready To Plant

Slopes often have poor soil due to erosion. Rich loam, well-rotted cow manure, peat or other soil amendments can be worked into the soil to make it a better growing medium.

Once you’ve got the soil in shape, choose your plants, whether flowers or vegetables. At the edge of the walls you can plant vines to trail over the sides, using vining vegetable plants of flowering or foliage type vines, depending on what use you’ve decided on for your terraced beds.

Terrace For Long Term Results

Creating terraces on a slope is a lot of work, and in some cases a lot of expense, but it’s a great way to eradicate an eyesore, improve your land, and provide another place for an organic garden full of flowers or vegetables.

And you can never have too many plants.