Problem area

I don't see a forum dedicated to helping people garden in those troublesome spots where getting anything to grow well is difficult.

I'd like suggestions for the slope shown in this photo. We are in zone 6B, in the mountains of western North Carolina, with acidic mineral soil. It is a steep slope which was created when the land was cleared for the house 10 years ago. We moved here 2 years ago. The slope is covered with a mostly degraded hardwood mulch. At the bottom, euonymous, sedum, perennial sage and a little bit of ajuga and lavender are growing reasonably well. Up on the slope several cinquefoil shrubs are barely surviving. In the summer the slope is particularly unsightly with weeds and clumps of grass, along with the pathetic cinquefoil. I am physically unable to weed it. It is a curved slope, exposure is to the largely west-northwest. The picture was taken this morning; it's a view from the west northwest.

I'm open to hearing about grand schemes for creating something spectacular, as well as short term quick fixes for refurbishing the cinquefoil, managing weeds, suggestions for plants that might do well. I will probably replenish the mulch layer soon in any event.

Here are two threads about slopes from curb appeal. I started one of them.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/572872/

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/584612/

One thing I learned about 5 years ago was how to plant on a hill, keep weeds down and not have the soil wash away. I cut the grass as short as I could, put down newspaper about 6 layers (keeps the weeds that were there from growing), next a layer of farmpost, burlap to keep it all in place and then more farmpost to hide the burlap some of this did wash away. I cut holes to plant in and then tucked it all back around the plant. I didn't want shrubs and found that perennials needed to be under 10" to keep from falling down.

Since then I have been very interested in native plants and you might want to look into them. They have deeper roots than non natives. Less watering and stronger. The photo is of that hill.

zenpotter, what is farmpost?

Farmpost- manure that has been composted. I get mine from a race track. It has been ground up with the bedding straw and put out to age. Since we get it from a race track they have so much they are happy for us to take it away for free. It is important not to get fresh manure since it may burn the plants.

You can use compost or mulch. If you use mulch then you need usually need to supplement with some type of nutrient. I try never to use chemicals thus the farmpost. If you can get it corn glutin is not only a good nutrient it also will rid your garden of annual weeds if you get it on early enough that they haven't started to grow. We use it, put it on early in the spring and again in the fall and have gotten rid of most of our annual weeds. The corn glutin needs two or three years to get rid of all annuals and needs to be put on every year to keep them form returning.

The garden I put in 5 years ago is close to weed free as long as I add the farmpost at least once a year.