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Soil Erosion Problems and Solutions

Landscape Fabric

Landscape Netting for Slopes

If it seems impossible to keep your growing space seeded due to adverse conditions, then you might need landscape netting for slopes. Landscape netting is beneficial for shielding and keeping seeds in place and is easy to install in gardens or landscaped areas.

What Is Landscape Netting?

In certain areas, such as on slopes or hills, vegetation might not grow well due to many factors. The seeds might not be able to stay in one place because of the slope, or the area might be affected by wind or water erosion. Thus, landscape netting protects the seeds and keeps them from being swept away by water or windy conditions.

Additionally, birds or other animals might be eating the seeds, leaving fewer to grow into plants. Because landscape netting defends the seeds, they can grow and flourish into seedlings and, ultimately, mature plants. Without protection from landscape netting, the seeds and seedlings might never have the chance to reach full maturity.

Landscape Netting Uses and Applications

Landscape netting is manufactured in many shapes and sizes. Typically, it’s made of coir (the durable, all-natural fibers from coconut husks), jute, straw, or synthetic materials. If you’re concerned about your ecological footprint, you could use a coir, jute, or straw variety of landscape netting for slopes, as these materials are all biodegradable and eco-friendly thanks to their natural fibers.

It’s wise to use landscape netting for slopes and other areas characterized by hilly terrain. In addition to slopes, landscape netting can also be advantageous in areas prone to erosion. You can apply landscape netting to small areas as well as large-scale landscaping or agricultural projects. No matter where you install the landscape netting, you can be confident in its ability to maintain and control erosion.

How to Use Landscape Netting for Slopes

First, prepare the installation area by removing any debris, and then compact the soil. Next, you will need to till the top few inches of soil where you’re installing the netting. Now you’re ready to plant and seed the area as you would normally. It’s important to dig a small trench at the top of the slope to secure the landscape netting in place. Once you have secured the netting to the trench using staples or stakes, backfill the trench and compact the surrounding soil. 

The next step is to unroll the landscape netting from the trench and down the slope. Keep pulling the netting taut, as it should be flat against the soil. After the netting covers the slope, anchor it to the soil. Finally, you’ll need to dig another trench at the bottom of the slope to hold the end of the netting so it doesn’t shift. Don’t forget to water the slope thoroughly once you’ve finished installing the netting. Over time, the netting will degrade into the soil.

Landscape netting has many advantages and will assist you in growing any kind of vegetation in any environment. Try landscape netting for slopes to keep your seeds safe from the elements.

What is Excelsior Matting?

Excelsior matting is a type of erosion control product that’s very similar to erosion control mats we’ve discussed in other blog entries. The significant difference between excelsior matting and other types of erosion control mats is that excelsior matting uses a specific kind of wood ‘excelsior’ fiber that provides a robust matrix for vegetation to establish itself in. Excelsior matting is designed primarily for use on sloped surfaces, as its durability makes it ideal for locations that might not work with standard erosion control mats.

Choosing Your Excelsior Matting

There are several types of excelsior matting available. Single-net blankets are the most cost-effective but don’t provide as much stability as double-net blankets. Double-net blankets have netting stitched to both the top and bottom of the excelsior material, while single-net blankets only have mesh on one side. 

One of the things to consider is whether it’s important for you to use ecologically sensitive materials in your project. Excelsior matting is traditionally made with synthetic netting and stitching. While there are biodegradable options available, they can be more expensive and might eliminate the matting’s cost-effective benefits. And if you choose to use excelsior matting with synthetic fibers, it’s important to remember to clean up the netting when/if your excelsior mat has partially or fully decomposed. 

There are also heavier-duty excelsior blankets available, which can last for up to three years before beginning to break down. If you’re seeking an erosion control method that has longevity and can provide stability over an extended period, heavy-duty excelsior blankets might be your best solution.

Excelsior Matting vs. Landscape Fabric

Landscape fabrics are similar to erosion control matting but serve a different function. Generally used as weed control, landscape fabrics are often synthetic and are less concerned with sediment filtration than traditional erosion control methods.

Excelsior matting is a much coarser style of erosion control fabric, with a broader range of uses. And, similar to coir matting, excelsior matting is at least partly biodegradable, whereas landscape fabric is traditionally made of polyethylene and used for hardscape projects with timber, paver stones, or loose gravel. 

Excelsior Matting vs. Coir Erosion Mats

Excelsior matting and coir mats have many similarities. Both are made primarily of biodegradable fibers that are sustainably sourced as natural byproducts of either traditional agriculture or forestry. Both have different gradients of strength and longevity, ranging from three months to three years. And both can be used on flat and sloped surfaces.

Coir erosion control mats are generally made entirely of coir fiber, which means the entire mat is biodegradable without requiring a custom order. And while they’re traditionally more effective in flat areas or on gentle slopes, coir geotextiles have seen great success as natural methods of erosion control. Because coir fiber is resistant to mold, fungus, bacteria, and other inhibitors of successful plant growth, it’s a solid option when you want to reseed a large area. 

You can find coir erosion control materials on our site, whether you’re searching for a residential application or need a large amount of material for a commercial construction project.