How to Conserve Soil

Anyone that has a decent sized hill in their yard can attest to the fact that they can be fairly problematic, they can also be a bit fun at times. If you don't really worry about your landscape all that much then a hill, and the often resultant washing away of soil, won't be that big of a deal. However, for those who are interested in how to conserve soil, and make their hills look as good as possible, then there are a few steps that you can take which will help achieve the look that you want.

Prior to following these guidelines, or using the ideas listed here, keep in mind that these are only a few of the many ideas available for conserving soil. There are literally hundreds of options available that you can use to help protect the soil on your hills. While some of these ideas will require little to no effort or money, others will require a considerable amount.

• Plant some trees. Trees can often help to conserve soil on hills. The roots will help hold and prevent soil from washing away. In effect, this works quite well since as the trees grow taller, the roots also grow deeper and spread out. In addition, trees also help protect the plant life that is underneath it (like grass) which can further help hold soil in place. Another helpful side effect of planting trees is that they can act like a wind break which will help prevent the soil from getting loosened up y the wind and blown away. Be careful that you only choose some trees that will grow as much as you want, and preferably ones that won't require a whole lot of care. You don't want to trade one amount of work for another after all.
• Don't be afraid of terraces. One of the most traditional methods for not only preventing soil erosion while also increasing the amount of usable land is by creating some terraces. Keep in mind that any terraces that you create out of your hill should be proportionate to the size of the hill. What this means is that you don't want to create a couple of huge retaining walls, when a series of several lower "steps" would work just as well, if not better. Be tasteful when utilizing this powerful tool.
• Water your soil. Many people will water their plants, but very few actually water the soil but this is a strategy that will work to help prevent your top soil from washing away. However, when you use this method you want to make sure that you don't overdo it since you can very easily end up contributing to the problem that you are trying to prevent. In effect, this method is helping to create a bond amongst the soil particles that will help prevent soil erosion that is caused by wind.
• Go native. A fairly effective method that can help keep your soil looking great, and keep it in place, is to go native with the plants that you utilize. Native plants are used to the average temperatures, watering conditions, soil nutrients, and so on for your area. This means that they will thrive easily, and frankly don't require a whole lot of work on your part. The stronger plants will then have stronger roots, which will help hold the soil in place.