New Project....I need help again!

Hi everyone!
I just got back from our cabin/house in the sierras and after clearing the pine needles away, we discovered some huge bald spots.

The problem here is that we are on a steep slope (approx 30*) and need plants to prevent errosion, but also want natural looking plantings. (no flowers or very few) The trees on the property are all pine, fir and redwood which creates an interesting mix of mulch lol! We did have ferns on the property, but there are very few left. I tried to transplant a few of the ferns but I know little about ferns and not sure if my transplanting will work.
'Will hostas survive in acidic soil? any other suggestions for errosion control plantings?
here are some pix....

view from bottom of the hill

Rt side of house down hill

left side of house

After we cleared dead trees and 10 inches of natures mulch.... we were left with huge bald areas like this....

This is almost like Hosta Jims House, but differant zone I think?
Had to down load all my pics on to CDs.
He did stair steps on the way down. need to find them, unless Sheri, Pix, or Rachel has theres.
FUN
Hugs

yes, I saw his terracing and we have considered doing that here....but I think we both would prefer to leave the slope as discourages kids from coming thru our yard to get home from the lake, or teenagers from 'hanging out' on the land. The difficulty lies in the fact that we want to preserve the natural state (no sprinklers etc) but also want something green growing there. one of our neighbors planted ivy.... and I hate that! lol! they have it growing over the entire area and just weed whack the edges of their property. I would love to have ferns and hostas...just dont know what will grow in that soil. :o(

Got to go back in think tank, so many things you can do, just mind is not there, after losing Tyler for so long.
Thinking maybe.
Vinca Minor
Pachysandra
Just can't think at this time, I know someone else will be along soon.
^_^

Seems like a good idea to get some lists of native plants of the Sierra Nevadas. Hostas do well in acidic soil (with all the evergreens, our soil is very acidic). I'm not sure how they do unattended - maybe okay once they're established.

Definitely check out the invasive plants list for the area so you don't inadvertently put in something that "grows too well" there.



This message was edited Jul 5, 2008 10:09 PM

thanks... going to google native plants now! why dont I ever think of something that simple?! lol!

I always think of good things on other people's project. On mine, it seems, I'm knee deep in doing it the hard way before I realize that there's another way. LOL

Normally, I'm a Google geek, but I think I'm on my way to bed shortly. Too much fun gardening the last three days and I'm kind of sore tonight (at least I think that's what it is).

You sure have a pretty place - I'll be interested in seeing what you put in.

I would look around the area for a spot you like and check out the plants that are growing there. It may be the reason nothing is growing there is because it can't. I don't think Hostas will grow in those conditions without extra water and care.

I wonder if Uva Ursi (Arctostaphylos sp?)would work as a spreading ground-cover for the area.

thanks!

Previously we had several baby trees, and ferns in the area. They were sparse, but they were growing! lol!
Then, due to DH health over the past few years, we weren't able to properly clear the slope area for fire regulations.

DH spent a week (while I was lazing around at moms! LOL!) clearing all the fallen/dead trees and debris from the land. The mulch was almost a foot thick and there were so many trees and low branches that I believe thats why we lost the ground cover. there was no sunlight at all! we also had ALOT of snow the past 2 yrs.

I noticed on the neighbors property there are still ferns growing (also alot of weeds!) but they have raked the land every year and their trees werent as overgrown as ours.

Another good ground cover for Calif. Vinca Major and Vinca minor. Pretty blue to purple flowers, good for a slope. I hate Ivy's they tend to take over. Trying to remember my Classes at Southwestern Collage. In Otay mesa, Calif. Been way to long, living here, have forgotten most of it. Does not apply here so do most don't. And I lost all my Calif. books due to a fire. Long story will not go into it. LOL
When I live in San Diego, all the house plants I have now, lived outside.
Tills
Ice Plant, is good to for slopes, even there.
^_^

thanks~!
we are trying to stay away from flowering plants cause the whole area is more of a woodland scene. I think flowers will stand out like a sore thumb there! lol!

I'm gonna do a search on the native woodland plants for sierra nevada and see what I can come up with there. we may do some wild flowers at the bottom of the hill (old hwy 108 runs along the bottom) just to give drivers somethin pretty to look at :o)

now that I know how to transplant the ferns, I may try to move some of them in the spring and see if they will survive again :o)

do deer like hostas?

Deer love hosta on a par with roses.

Vinca can take over, too. I'd be careful with it.

Native ferns and brakens should do great there. They should be transplanted in late autumn so they get the rain to root in their new location before they are snowed over. Pacific woods iris are another great native for your area along with trilliums and native sorrels.

If you have areas that are sunnier there is the native strawberry,Fragaria vesca and the wild rose,Rosa woodsii whose flowers are small and the canes sport some killer thorns but their roots are tenacious and can be great for erosion control on a steep sunny hillside.

One of my favorite natives is Rubus parviflorus "Thimbleberry"
There are also native fuscias and azaleas that can thrive with no extra water.

If you go to one of the parks in the area they usually have pamphlets that show the local native plants.

Good information, Zanymuse.

Interesting, I have lots of rubus parviflorus, so I thought they needed moisture (part of my property is over an aquifer that keeps the soil from completely drying out).

I had no idea there were native fuchsias and azaleas. That is very interesting.

Zanymuse do you know the shrub that grows along roadsides around Redding and up into the mountain north of there. It flowers in late Feburary/early March and is purple in color. Look sorta like a purple forsyitha?

Willowwind2, I am not sure what shrub you are referring too. I know that butterfly bushes are thriving on some of the hillsides without benefit of irrigation but there is another that has purple flowers that I saw in bloom on the eastern slopes that had leaves that sworl around the stems making almost a round circle that was beautiful but I never did find out what it is.

Rubus parviflorus grows best where there is moisture available but not swampy. I find it in heavy shade usually a bit uphill from streams in the wild or at the edge of parks where it gets some moisture from the nearby grassy areas.

Anjl, contrary to what you may think, some flowers to grow naturally in the mountains. As in wildflowers, Lupine, etc.

Pat

ya, but there are NO other flowers on any of the other lots there! lol! so it would stick out like a sore thumb :o)

This should probably help with the selction of native plants for the property:

http://www.calflora.org/index0.html

and for the Noxious Weed list:

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/ipc/encycloweedia/encycloweedia_hp.htm

Did you remove all of the natural mulch/duff?
It is good to have as it helps retain moisture. You don't have as much water run off with it.
It also breaks down to nourish the trees and other plants.

If we lived closer together, I would give you some sword ferns.
They would be beautiful in all those bear spots! And would like the acidity and the mulch.

hmmm, maybe I'll look for sword ferns :o)

yes, we are REQUIRED to remove all mulch and bottom branches 6' up the trunks wiothing 30' of the house.... because of fire hazards. :o( I think it looks much better when its filled in naturally, but as an insurance agent, I understand the need for the 30' clearance.