What can you plant to prevent topsoil from washing away during storms?
Question:
We’ve experienced serious erosion in recent storms with topsoil washing away leaving exposed clay. What can I plant to prevent further erosion and to make the bank look less like a war zone?
Answer:
I will offer a couple of fantastic resources on choosing plants for erosion control, but would also encourage you to contact local landscape companies for an evaluation for retaining walls or other support intervention. There is serious erosion and even plantings to stabilize the soil might need some hardscape architecture to help them out.
That said, the two sources I use primarily to recommend plants in troubled areas are the Coastal Planning Guide from the Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Buffer Handbook Plant List from the State of Maine. It looks from the photos like you might either have lakeside beach or a creek bed under the eroded area? At any rate, even if that’s not the case, these resources discuss numerous species for erosion control–e.g. Purpleosier willow (Salix purpurea), Snowberry (Symphoricarpus albus), Barrenwort (Epimedium), and Sweet pea (Lathyris latifolius)–whose selection would depend on your location, site conditions, and personal preferences. With that exposed soil wall, I would probably want to see a mixture of species with some deeper rooted anchors (e.g. shrubs) and some matted root systems (e.g. grasses) to bind the surface.
You might also reach out to your local Maine Soil and Water Conservation District for additional resources or advice on how to stabilize the erosion.
Happy gardening.