OCT

03

SOIL EROSION AND PREVENTION

DATE: October 03, 2017

Soil Erosion is basically the wearing a way of soil and although it is a naturally occurring process, human activities can increase the rate of erosion, and make it much worse. Some examples of this include overwatering, having animals or livestock, using machines that destroy plants or vegetation and leave the soil vulnerable to flooding, or planting crops that cannot hold the soil together. Read on for nine methods that can prevent soil erosion.

1.  Plant grass & shrubs – The two main causes of erosion are water and wind. Exposed, bare soil can easily be affected by these factors. Plant roots hold the soil together and their leaves block the rain.

2.  Add mulch or rocks – Using this technique will weigh the soil down and protect the seeds and young plants underneath from being washed away by rain water. Mulch or rocks also slow the absorption of water to reduce runoff.

3.  Use mulch matting to hold vegetation on slopes – Fiber mulch mats, also called erosion mats, are a layer of mulch held together by fiber mesh. This material holds together in areas where normal mulch can be blown or washed away.

4.  Put down fiber logs- Also referred to as “wattles”, fiber logs are made from fibrous material (almost like straw) and can help with erosion issues on steep slopes. Water will slow down when coming in contact with the logs, soaking into the soil instead of carrying mud downhill.

5.  Build retaining walls – This is an obvious solution that will block and prevent soil from moving further in a direction. Concrete is the best material choice for retaining walls.

6.  Improve drainage – Ensure that your home or building has adequate drainage such as gutters and pipes that effectively move the water in collection systems. Otherwise, heavy rains could wash away a whole layer of topsoil.

7.  Reduce the amount of watering whenever possible.

8.  Avoid soil compaction – When machines and people travel over soil, it gets pressed down and compacted into a denser layer. Less space between dirt particles results in water having a hard time draining through it, which carries soil on the surface downhill.

9.  Contact Earthco Soil Mixtures product specialist today for a range of solutions suited to your project.

To order concrete for your residential retaining wall, visit: https://www.torontoredi-mix.com/order-concrete

To order from our various selections of quality mulch, visit: http://www.lessmess.ca/lessmess-mulch-purchase-and-delivery