May 15, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, III & IV • Page 27
Homeowners who spend time tending to their landscape are increasingly looking for eco-friendly ways to maintain their lawns and gardens. Homeowners who once relied on potentially harmful pesticides to craft a lush lawn now prefer ways that don’t leave such a significant carbon footprint. Preventing soil erosion is one way to incorporate conservation into lawn and garden care. Conservation is one of many environmental practices aimed at preserving the planet’s natural resources, which include soil. Preventing soil erosion is easy and can be accomplished in a number of ways. Don’t overwater. Some may assume that keeping soil as damp as possible keeps it healthy. However, overwatering can cause runoff that washes the soil away. In addition, overwatering the soil can degrade it and contribute to erosion. Instead of overwatering, keep the soil moist but don’t overdo it. If you’re having trouble keeping soil moist, consider laying down some mulch, which helps retain moisture and deliver nutrients to the soil that keep it healthy. Plant trees and shrubs. Trees and shrubs are friends to soil, providing shelter while their roots keep the soil in place and prevent it from easily blowing away on a windy day. They also help keep soil from washing away when warm weather arrives and the landscape must be watered on a daily basis. Create runoff barriers. Runoff barriers are edges that can be made of brick, stone, or other materials that help reduce runoff. Many homeowners install runoff barriers along sidewalks and driveways to ensure the soil does not spill out onto the pavement, but these also help the soil as
How to prevent soil erosion in the landscape
much as they help to keep walkways and other areas free of soil and looking tidy. Consider leaving some grass around the garden. Tillage is the process of preparing land to grow crops. While many homeowners don’t view their weekend gardening as growing crops, similar principles apply whether you’re growing crops on a farm or just a few vegetables in the backyard.
One such principle is conservation tillage, which means leaving a portion of vegetation in the ground instead of stripping everything away before planting. For home gardeners, consider leaving a small amount of grass around the garden to keep the soil within the garden’s boundaries. It’s a principle similar to installing runoff barriers, and it can be just as effective at preventing soil erosion.