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Soil Erosion Problems and Solutions

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How to Use Jute Mesh for Erosion Control

One of the biggest problems gardeners and landscapers face is erosion control. Established plants help hold soil in place, but it can be difficult to get plants to stay on a sloped bank long enough to become established. Erosion control mats are a great way to counteract this problem. Try jute mesh for erosion control in your landscaping.

What Is Jute?

Jute, also called hessian, is a natural fiber that comes from the stem of the jute plant. These plants grow mainly in India, Bangladesh, and other Asian countries. Jute is one of the most widely available natural fibers and alongside coconut coir is one of the most popular natural fibers for ropes, bags, and other materials. The fiber of jute is off-white to brown and 3-10 feet long. Jute fabrics are often called hessian cloth, gunny bags, or burlap. 

Jute Mesh

Made from the woven fibers of the jute plant, jute mesh is a biodegradable, natural, and flexible material used for temporary erosion control and selective plant establishment. Jute mesh has openings in the weaves that trap seeds and provide a protective environment for germination. This mesh allows light and water to pass through, encouraging strong plant growth and enhanced mineral content in the soil. 

Jute Mesh for Erosion Control

Jute mesh can help prevent erosion on riverbanks, embankments, slopes, and other landscape features. It is commonly applied to roadside and general landscaping, garden and plant beds, wetlands and land reclamation, and other land features prone to erosion. To use jute mesh for erosion control correctly, first you must clear away debris and excess weeds from the slope or plain where you plan to place the mesh. 

Lay the jute mesh blankets across the cleared area, securing them in place with stakes every few feet. Once you have secured the mesh, add seeds or grass to prevent erosion. Because it is a natural product, jute mesh will biodegrade within six to 12 months. As an alternative, coir blankets and mats are great natural options for erosion control, especially when you need something that lasts longer and provides more support. 

Coir for Erosion Control

Coir erosion control mats are one of the most popular options for preventing the destruction of vegetation and landscaping. Coir fiber mats and blankets can be used to stabilize a location and prevent slides. They are woven from longer coir fibers, which come from mature brown coconut husks. This particular weave leaves openings that are wide enough to let plants to take root. On average, coir mats provide solid support for up to five years, which is enough time to allow vegetation to take root, grow, and stabilize. In addition, coir blankets and mats are relatively easy to install. 

Biodegradable jute mesh and coir mats offer excellent ways to prevent soil erosion while considering the environmental impact of your garden features. They will hold soil and seedlings in place until plants are well-established to prevent erosion. Try these tips to ensure you get the most out of your jute and coir erosion control mats. 

How to Keep Plants Warm With Burlap Netting and Blankets

Burlap has many uses, and thanks to its strength, adaptability, and reliability, it is an extremely useful product for a range of gardening situations. Burlap is a heavy-duty fabric manufactured from the skin of the jute plant. Typically, burlap is used to make rope, nets, bags, and other products. Gardeners frequently call upon burlap netting to help keep their plants warm during winter. This guide will cover why it’s necessary to keep your plants warm, the advantages of using burlap, and how to use burlap netting for your plants.

Why Do I Need Burlap Netting to Keep My Plants Warm?

As the year progresses, many plants aren’t able to survive the frigid temperatures and harsh conditions associated with winter. If certain types of plants are exposed to winter weather, they can die due to the extreme conditions. However, not all plants need to be protected when it’s cold and snowy outside. 

While some plants, such as certain kinds of perennials, can withstand winter conditions, it’s important to protect those that are unable to tolerate winter temperatures. This is where burlap netting comes into play. A tried-and-true gardening product, burlap is an important material that acts as a barrier to defend plants from cold weather. It also helps prevent winter burn caused by a combination of harsh winter sunlight and dry soil.

Benefits of Using Burlap

Burlap offers the perfect insulation for your plants and is relatively inexpensive to use. Additionally, burlap netting keeps plants warm and sheltered from all kinds of winter weather, including frost, snow, and ice. In comparison to plastic, burlap is more effective and provides better air circulation, which helps the plant breathe more naturally and efficiently. Environmentally conscious gardeners will appreciate burlap’s ability to biodegrade, making it a healthier choice for the environment as opposed to plastic netting or netting made from other synthetic materials.

How to Use Burlap Netting

If you’d like to use burlap netting to cover your plants for the winter, it’s a quick and straightforward process requiring only a few steps. To start, simply put a few wooden stakes around the plant you wish to cover. Allow a few inches between the stakes and the plant, so you’re not crowding the plant. Next, place at least two layers of burlap around each of the stakes, and anchor the burlap to the stakes. 

It is important to note that you should not allow the burlap to touch the plant, if possible, because in icy or snowy conditions, the burlap could get wet and freeze to the plant and damage it. When warmer weather arrives, all you have to do is remove the burlap from the plants and remove the stakes from the ground.

You’re all set to tackle winter and shield your plants from ice and snow using burlap netting. Burlap netting has many benefits that make it an effective barrier between your plants and harsh weather. Try using burlap netting this winter to keep your plants safe and warm during freezing temperatures.

Using Coir to Help With Soil Stabilization

Soil stabilization is an integral part of a variety of projects, from commercial and industrial construction to home gardening. Whether you need to build a road or just want to improve your property’s soil to encourage healthy plant life, soil stabilization is something you should consider early in your project.

What Is Soil Stabilization?

Simply put, soil stabilization is the process of altering your soil to enhance its physical properties. For example, a team working on a construction project might use soil stabilization as a way to increase the load-bearing capabilities of the ground they’re building on so the roadway or building has a more solid foundation. 

There are two main methods of soil stabilization:

  • Mechanical stabilization, which involves mechanical alteration of the soil (i.e., dropping a heavy weight repeatedly on the soil to smooth and compact the surface);
  • Chemical stabilization, which relies on adding something to the soil to alter its properties. Standard chemical stabilization additives include cement, lime, kiln dust, and fly ash.

Most recently, a form of chemical stabilization called polymer/alternative stabilization has begun to gain popularity, as the materials used are generally cheaper and more effective than traditional chemical stabilization additives. 

Using Coir for Soil Stabilization

Researchers have begun studying the use of coir fiber as a stabilization method and comparing it to standard chemical soil stabilization methods. Coir fibers — made from the husk of coconuts — are far more sustainable than most traditional chemical additives and have the advantage of being more eco-friendly. However, because of their biodegradable nature, coir fiber might need to be added to soil more frequently than would other chemical products. 

Coir pith is one of the forms of coir most commonly used for soil stabilization, as it can be purchased in easily transportable blocks to be crumbled on-site or it can be converted to organic ‘manure’ that you can spread quickly through the topsoil. 

Using coir as a soil stabilizer in your garden can have additional benefits. Because coir is fungus- and bacteria-resistant, it provides extra protection for your plants. It also increases the soil’s ability to hold water, as it is highly water-retentive. And as it breaks down, coir adds essential nutrients to your soil, contributing to your garden’s long-term health. This is especially useful when planting sensitive seeds or germinating plants that need specific conditions in which to grow successfully.

Soil stabilization is something that exists both to prepare residential landscaping sites and to improve commercial and industrial construction areas. From providing a more stable base for roadways to ensuring a solid foundation for new buildings, soil stabilization is widely practiced around the world. And while traditional methods have worked well for decades, new, eco-friendly ways are beginning to gain interest and popularity.

If you’re interested in soil stabilization, we recommend incorporating coir fiber as part of your plan. With its relatively low cost, high sustainability, and ease of use, coir fibers add strength and nutrients to your soil without resorting to harsh chemicals that can leach into groundwater. 

Biodegradable Fabric: Best Uses in Your Garden

Avid personal or professional gardeners know that water retention — especially in the summer — is a constant concern. If you leave your plants untended, they’ll die; if you overwater them, they’ll fail, as well. Without timed irrigation, you’re forced to rely on a neighbor to properly water your plants, which doesn’t always work out in your favor.

Luckily, there are new products on the market to help improve your garden and take the guesswork out of watering. While peat moss has been traditionally used to aid in plant growth, coir mats and biodegradable fabrics are much more sustainable products. Coir mats have become a go-to for gardening as they’ve become more available and improved in quality. 

What Is Coir?

Coir is a fiber extracted from coconut shells, commonly called the ‘golden fiber’ because of the golden hue it develops when cleaned. It’s fungus-resistant, retains water well, is durable, and provides excellent insulation for your plants. It’s also popular among pet owners, as it’s non-toxic and doesn’t attract their attention the way cocoa mulch might. It’s available in many forms, including woven and nonwoven mats perfect for gardening.

Preventing Erosion

Coir mats are great tools for preventing erosion, serving much the same purpose as straw wattles but with the added benefits of being both biodegradable and not harmful to wildlife. If you have sloped garden beds, coir matting can absorb excess rainwater and provide a safe space for your plants to grow. These mats generally come in both woven and nonwoven varieties and are available in several thicknesses. You can use the biodegradable mats on slopes above your garden, as well, to help control water and sediment flow.

Conserving Water

In addition to being more sustainable than peat moss, coir helps with water conservation efforts. In areas where drought is an issue, biodegradable fabrics such as coir mats can help reduce water usage in gardening and landscaping projects. Properly maintained coir mats require watering only once every week to 10 days due to their ability to retain moisture.

Germinating Sensitive Seedlings

If you want to make sure germinating seedlings have appropriate water and nutrients, a coir mat can help. Because they’re nontoxic and resistant to mold, bacteria, and fungus, coir mats provide a safe, stable environment for your seedlings to grow. They also offer natural nutrients as they decompose, invigorating your soil and extending the life of your garden plot. 

Coir mats can also be custom-sized, meaning you can fit them to your needs. They’re suitable for everything from small window plots that need help growing to large backyard gardens. 

Encouraging Sustainable Gardening

Coir mats, pots, and other biodegradable fabric products are smart options for amateur and professional gardeners alike. Their sustainability gives them a considerable advantage over peat products, as coconut trees only take six to eight years to mature and produce enough fruit to easily handle the demands for coir. Peat moss grows very slowly, and its harvest is monitored carefully. Coir is much more eco-friendly.

If you’re considering taking on a new landscaping project or improving your garden, look into coir mats and other biodegradable fabrics. Choose from the variety of products available to find something that will fit with your needs while being eco-friendly and pet-safe.

How to Use a Shade Cloth in Your Garden

Certain kinds of plants can be affected by the blazing summer heat and can be damaged or die from excessive sunlight. Shade cloths provide a solution to this issue by covering the plant and shielding it from the sun, which, in turn, helps the plant thrive. This guide will cover the basics of shade cloth, how to use it in your garden, and its benefits.

What Is Shade Cloth?

Shade cloth is made of a breathable material and, as such, it’s an effective and protective cover for plants. This knitted fabric allows sunlight and water to pass through. When you use shade cloth to shelter your plants, they won’t get scorched in the heat of the summer. With shade cloth, plants can get the proper amounts of sunlight and water they need for survival, without getting too much sun.

To accommodate every plant’s different growing conditions, shade cloth comes in a variety of materials, strengths, and sizes. Before you use shade cloth, make sure you’re using the appropriate type for your plants, climate, and growing space.

The Benefits of Using Shade Cloth

Using shade cloth as a protective barrier for your plants provides your garden with an abundance of benefits. The primary advantage of using shade cloth is that it keeps the summer sun from damaging your plants while still allowing air to circulate and water to pass through. As an added bonus, if you use a shade cloth, you could plant seeds a couple of weeks earlier than you would normally because the cloth will keep the ground warm in any season.

Thanks to its straightforward installation and affordable pricing, shade cloth is a budget-friendly way to protect plants in a garden. Also making shade cloth an economical choice is the fact that it can be used season after season, so long as it is well-maintained.

How to Use Shade Cloth

First, starting at one end of a row of plants, insert a garden hoop into the soil. Place extra garden hoops (make sure they’re at least a foot higher than the plants) approximately 2 feet apart down each row of the garden. Lay the shade cloth over each row of hoops. It’s important to keep an excess of shade cloth at the ends of each row so it touches the soil. 

Next, at the ends of the rows, you’ll need to anchor the shade cloth to the soil. Finally, water the garden thoroughly as normal. You don’t have to worry about removing the shade cloth when you’re watering, as it’s porous and breathable. Water will be able to reach your plants as well as the soil. You can remove the shade cloth when the hottest days have passed, roll it up, and store it in a dry area.

A shade cloth is a practical way to keep plants shaded and cool during the hot summer months. Shade cloth provides plants with many benefits and is relatively simple to install in any garden. Keep your garden protected from the sun by using shade cloth.