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Soil Erosion Problems and Solutions

Geotextile

Natural Solutions for a Storm Drain Filter

The only thing going down your storm drain should be water. However, it’s all too easy for sediment, chemicals, trash, and more to wash down the drain along with the rain. These items get mixed into lake and river runoff and are bad for both the environment and the animals that live in it. 

Storm drain filters are great options for preventing non-water runoff in your drains. And there’s a wide variety of natural filter options available to choose from.

Coir Storm Drain Filters

While most storm drain filters are designed to fit under the grate of your drain, acting as a catchall for the type of debris you’re filtering, coir filters are designed as easy-to-install pads. Coir filters go on top of your storm drain and can be easily sized and cut to fit your specific needs and allow water to flow through while blocking other debris easily. 

Coir is a natural fiber extracted from coconut husks. Due to its eco-friendliness and availability, it’s become much more popular in recent years as a tool to assist with erosion control, planting and gardening, water retention, and more. Coir storm drain filters are a new addition to the plethora of coir tools available and are easy to clean and maintain. Sweep the sediment from the top and sides of your coir filter, and it’s ready to work again.

Other Filtration Options

Coir storm drain filters are highly practical for a wide variety of uses, but some industries need specialized filters for their storm drains. For this reason, there are inset drains available that can filter items such as oils and heavy metals, trapping these pollutants effectively and keeping them out of waterways. In these cases, a coir storm drain filter might not be the best option. It’s important to do your research and make sure you’re using the right storm drain filter for your needs.

Changing Your Storm Drain Filter

It’s important to make sure you maintain your storm drain filters properly because your drains are essential to water filtration and healthy natural water sources. When and how you change your storm drain filters depends on their condition. At a minimum, you should replace your storm drain filter every three years.

Coir storm drain filters might need to be changed more often, as it’s possible for sediment to build up on top of the filter and prevent water from draining properly. If you notice pooling water or you struggle to remove all sediment from the top of your coir filter, it’s time for a replacement. Other signs it’s time to change the filter include more than a quarter inch of buildup, obvious scum, and several inches of water still standing more than a day after it’s rained.

Your coir drain filter is also biodegradable, so watch for signs that it’s beginning to decompose. While the fibers won’t hurt the waterways, it’s best to remove and replace the filter before it fully dissolves so you can make sure you’re protecting your drain.

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.

Control Water Runoff with a Compost Filter Sock

Soil erosion is caused by a number of factors, including urban building, natural forces, and heavy traffic. Rain, wind, physical disturbance, and overuse promote soil erosion and water runoff. While it’s not possible to prevent all elements of erosion, there are some things you can do to limit damage and promote root growth. One way to control water runoff in your garden is by using compost filter socks. 

Compost Filter Sock

Also known as silt socks, compost filter socks are commonly used in landscaping and home gardening. They are mesh tubes filled with composted wood chips, bark, and other materials. The socks’ organic build is designed to allow maximum filtration. It also means the socks are very effective at filtering water runoff and controlling sediment loss. Heavy-duty compost filter socks will perform well even under extreme conditions. 

In areas with high sediment flow, filter socks can prevent sediment runoff. While they aren’t the most attractive addition to a garden or landscape, they are certainly some of the most effective.

Filter socks are installed downslope of areas where erosion and sediment control are needed. They can also be used in place of silt fences, on paved areas, near sensitive trees, or on frozen ground. A compost filter sock is a great alternative if you don’t want to dig trenches or disturb the ground in an area where you have established vegetation.

Filter Sock Applications

The most common uses for filter socks include water diversion, perimeter control, slope interruption, ditch check, and as an alternative to silt fences. 

If you are trying to manage rain or stormwater movement, compost filter socks can be used to slow, interrupt, or divert water. This will redirect water away from areas where it could cause damage or erode soil. These socks can also reduce the speed at which water runs down a sloped bank, which helps with erosion control. 

For existing water bodies, such as rivers and ponds, compost filter socks can prevent steeped banks from running into the water. This also helps with land stabilization. Placing filter socks along a channel bed makes for an excellent retaining wall to promote the growth of new and existing vegetation.

Because moving water also tends to carry sediment, filter socks help control both water runoff and sediment erosion. If you’re building up a new area of your garden or landscaping, you can use compost filter socks to create a boundary. This will trap and retain sediment and water, preventing destruction.

Compost filter socks are economically viable options for erosion control and water runoff. There is little cost to install, clean up, or dispose of them. When you no longer need the socks for erosion control, you can cut them open and use the filling as compost directly where they lie. You can simply dispose of the mesh, which requires minimal effort in comparison to dismantling fencing and other alternatives. The organic content in compost filter socks is also good for the environment and will promote new seed growth. 

Erosion Control Socks: A Natural Solution

When you think about erosion control options, the most commonly used methods include erosion control blankets and straw wattles. Filtration fencing, such as silt fencing, can also be an option but isn’t as useful as blankets and wattles. 

The problem with these options is they’re often designed using synthetic fabrics or materials, which can be challenging to clean up or can leach harmful chemicals into the soil if misused. Erosion control socks, a relatively new product, provide an eco-friendly alternative to the more traditional erosion control methods.

What Are Erosion Control Socks?

Erosion control socks are very similar in function to straw wattles. However, instead of being filled with straw — which can mold — or artificial materials, erosion control socks are filled with compost or vegetation. In some cases, the socks themselves are made of biodegradable material, meaning they require little to no cleanup. 

Benefits of Erosion Control Socks

There are many benefits to using erosion control socks over silt fencing or other traditional erosion control methods. Their ease of installation is a significant reason why people choose them: Simply fill the tube with the vegetation or compost of your choice, and lay the erosion control sock where it’s needed. If you’re working with a sloped surface, you might have to dig a shallow trench, but overall, erosion control socks have far fewer setup and cleanup requirements than traditional erosion control methods.

Erosion control socks also provide a lower profile than silt fencing or traditional straw wattles, allowing for more visibility on your project site. And, depending on the filling you choose for your erosion control sock, you can get multiple uses out of it. Because wood chips, compost, and other organic filler materials are affordable, erosion control socks offer a cost-effective way to prevent sediment transfer into local waterways and ensure your construction project meets local requirements.

Coir as a Filler for Erosion Control Socks

While we often talk about the usability of coir fiber, there’s another coir product that is useful for erosion control socks: coir pith. Coir pith is also referred to as ‘waste-grade coir,’ as it’s the byproduct of coir production. However, it’s still full of nutrients and is available in a natural compost. 

Using coir pith in your erosion control socks can ensure superior water retention and filtration. In addition to being affordable, coir pith carries all the properties of coir mats. It’s resistant to bacteria and fungal growth, breaks down over time, and is incredibly durable. If you’re looking for a sock filler that will allow you to use your erosion control socks for multiple projects, coir pith might be one of your best options.

As the importance of sustainable, eco-friendly erosion control methods continues to grow, research into viable options such as erosion control socks will only increase. Erosion control socks are cost-effective, biodegradable tools to prevent erosion on slopes, on flat construction locations, and in residential gardens and landscapes. Their reusability makes them a perfect tool to add to any project kit. 

Consider using erosion control socks over more traditional methods such as silt fencing or straw wattles. 

Best Uses for Geotextile Fabric

Geotextile fabric is a type of material commonly used in construction and erosion control projects to improve the characteristics of the soil being worked with. This allows construction to take place in locations which might not otherwise be accessible.

Traditionally, geotextile fabrics are made of synthetic materials or combined with asphalt or other non-porous materials to increase their strength and filtration abilities. Non-woven geotextile fabrics are most commonly used to prevent groundwater pollution from construction projects and are also most commonly combined with asphalt, rubber, or other materials.

Geotextile Fabric Uses

Geotextile fabrics have several applied uses:

  • Protection – Geotextile fabrics are ideal for protecting easily eroded locations, including beaches. Their versatility means they can even be placed underwater if necessary, preventing erosion from wave currents.
  • Reinforcement – Heavier-density geotextiles can be used to reinforce weak or loose soil in construction sites or areas where the land cannot support agricultural growth on its own.
  • Filtration – One of the most common uses of geotextile fabric is filtration; that is, allowing water to pass through while keeping sediments from polluting natural water sources.
  • Separation – Most commonly seen in road construction, geotextile fabric is used to keep different types of soil from mixing. For example, a geotextile fabric layer may be placed between a coarse aggregate and a finer sub-grade aggregate, keeping the two separate and ensuring the stability of both.
  • Drainage – Another widespread use of geotextile fabrics is drainage. This is different from filtration, as geotextile fabrics used for drainage catch rainwater or other naturally produced water and diffuse it into the soil. This can help prevent flooding.

Using Coir as a Geotextile Fabric

Recent research into using coir, the fibrous part of a coconut’s husk, as a geotextile has shown promising results. Coir fiber is relatively strong and maintains water saturation, which can be essential in drier climates. It’s also cost-effective; the high supply of coir compared to the demand makes coir geotextile fabrics relatively inexpensive.

One of the most substantial benefits of coir as a geotextile fabric is its eco-friendly nature. As a biodegradable geotextile, it adds nutrients to the soil naturally over time while simultaneously encouraging plant growth. It’s resistant to rot, fungus, and bacteria that may otherwise damage or kill plant life, whether it be in your garden or as part of a comprehensive erosion control program.

When used in civil engineering projects, coir geotextile fabrics have been shown to have high durability and strength, resisting compression and adding value to the soil. Coir geotextiles have been used as part of the foundation of both paved and unpaved roads in India, and have also seen great success in slope erosion control and topsoil retention.

Whether you’re using coir on a personal level; for example, to keep your garden healthy and encourage moisture retention, or are hoping for a more eco-friendly alternative to the synthetic geotextiles that are currently available, we highly recommend exploring possible options for coir geotextile fabrics.