Good tips about the grasses—I hadn't thought of switchgrass before. Are they pretty budget-friendly? I tried grading once myself... let's just say my yard looked more like a BMX track than a gentle slope afterward, lol. Might have to revisit that idea though.
Switchgrass is definitely budget-friendly, especially if you buy seeds instead of mature plants. A few things to keep in mind though:
- It takes a bit of patience since it establishes slowly the first year.
- Once established, it's super low-maintenance and drought-tolerant.
- Great for erosion control too, so might help smooth out your BMX track situation, lol.
I feel your pain on grading—I rented equipment once thinking it'd be straightforward... ended up with dips and bumps everywhere. Hiring someone was worth it in the end.
Switchgrass sounds like a solid choice, especially if you're dealing with erosion issues. I've used it myself on a slope behind our shed, and after the first year of waiting (and wondering if I'd messed up somehow...), it really took off. Now it's practically bulletproof—barely needs watering or attention. Totally agree about grading too; rented a skid steer once thinking "how hard could it be?" and ended up making my yard look like a motocross track. Lesson learned, haha. Hiring out was definitely worth the peace of mind.
"rented a skid steer once thinking 'how hard could it be?' and ended up making my yard look like a motocross track."
Haha, been there myself—those things are trickier than they look. Glad the switchgrass worked out for you. I've found erosion control mats pretty helpful too, especially when combined with native grasses. Curious though, did you have to prep the soil much before planting the switchgrass? I've seen mixed results depending on how compacted or rocky the ground is...
I've had mixed luck with erosion mats myself—sometimes they seem to hold moisture a bit too well and I've ended up with moldy patches underneath. Maybe it's just my climate or something. As for soil prep, honestly, I've skipped it entirely a couple times (lazy weekend gardener here...) and the switchgrass still took off pretty well. Guess it depends on how picky your plants are feeling that day?
