Geez, you’d think erosion was something new around here.
It isn’t, of course. Even folks who don’t live on the cliff’s edge may have to deal with it at some point. We have homes built on steep slopes, blufftops and next to creeks and streams, and bursts of intense rain that can make those slopes take off and move in very expensive ways.
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The first thing you need to understand is the ground you’re planting – what it’s made of, what the drainage is like, how steep the slope is and other factors – but basically if you use a variety of native plants with varying root depths, you have a low-cost, environmentally friendly way of preventing slides. Willows, for example, grow like crazy and are often ideal for creekside slopes because their roots run deep and reach the water. Arroyo willow, shining willow and sitka willow are three of the types that are commonly seen on creek banks in this area.
On drier slopes, you can use the kinds of plants commonly seen up on the hillsides and out on the bluffs – California sagebrush, coyote brush, lizard tail, and the colorfully named sticky monkey-flower, which has the added advantage of being a famous Native American antiseptic treatment for skin burns and scrapes. Another commonly seen native plant is beach strawberry, which has lovely flowers and, of course, edible fruit. These are all species that should be planted in the rainy season, so they have water to root in. That way you won’t have to water the slope in the summer.
And what should you not use to prevent erosion? Two words – grass and ice plant. Grass just plain doesn’t work – it won’t root deeply enough and may add to the tendency of soil to slide. And ice plant, which is popular in Southern California because of its fire-resistant characteristics, is the worst idea of all. Not only is ice plant not native, but it’s heavy and has very shallow roots, so it actually adds to the stress on the soil – a failing that worsens when it rains, because ice plant soaks up water like a sponge and gets even heavier. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen mud piled up at the foot of a slope with a lovely garnish of iceplant for decoration.
There are a couple of landscaping experts on the coast – Dave Sands at Go Native in Moss Beach is one I rely on – who can tell you all about what to plant (and what not to) to resist the effects of erosion on the slopes around your house. Keep your property on your property – and do it the most cost-effective and greenest way you can, with native plants.
Bruce Turner is president of TurnerBuilt, Inc. in Half Moon Bay. He can be reached at bturner@turnerbuilt.com
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