Have an unused hillside on your property?  it can be turned into a beautiful garden area. Where weeds once grew, a lovely flower garden could preside. Raising an organic vegetable garden is another idea. Despite the rugged terrain, the slope can become a lovely planted area, turning a liability into an asset.

Terraces Make A Big Change

Making terraces on a slope can produce some breathtaking results. It also broadens what can be grown in that area by providing a level area for planting. The garden area is much easier to work in since it’s level. However, making terraces is undeniably a lot of work, and can be expensive depending on the materials used.

In the past, railroad ties were considered a good source of material for making retaining walls for terraces. Railroad ties have rather fallen out of favor these days, and especially aren’t recommended for organic gardens. The creosote used to preserve the wood is the problem. It’s a toxic substance, and contact with it can irritate the skin. Creosote fumes have been known to irritate the respiratory tract.

To sum it up, the stuff is pretty nasty. Besides leaching into the water and soil, direct contact is a problem. If you’re growing vegetable plants and there’s creosote available in the soil for the plants to absorb, it’s available for the plants to absorb, you’re going to eat whatever chemicals are in the plants. Creosote treated lumber for your terracing ijust sn’t a good idea.

Use Safe Wall Placement And Materials

Small projects that are just little slopes might be able to use the new landscaping boards such as those found at Gardens Alive! which are made out of recycled plastics. If it’s a steep slope, use bricks, concrete blocks, modular retaining wall blocks or stone. Varying levels of expertise are required by the different masonry options, so be sure you know how to build walls with the materials you opt to use.

Since the idea of terracing is to provide level beds, the steepness of the slope will dictate the height of the walls. If the walls are higher, they will obviously also have to be sturdier, and better anchored to the hillside. Anchor large terraces securely into the sides of the hillside at each end. Also, make sure they have proper drainage.

The weight of the soil will push a lot on the walls, and that will be even worse after a rain. If walls are not built properly, they will bow outwards or even collapse.

There are landscaping contractors that can do the work for you if building terraces seems like to big a task to do on your own. Of course, that will be more expensive since you’ll not only have to pay for the materials, but their labor.

Prepare The Soil For Plants.

Erosion often cause slopes to have poor soil, so it’s a good idea to enrich the soil before planting. To provide a better growing medium for your plants, add some compost, well-rotted cow manure, rich loam, peat or other amendments into the soil. Since some plants actually like poor soil, keep that in mind if you choose to plant that kind, and don’t make the soil too rich.

Once the soil is ready, choose your plants, whether flowers or vegetables (DirectGardening.com – Offers quality plants at great prices). Plants that vine work well along the top edges of the walls so they can trail over the sides.

Long Term Results With Terraces.

Terrace building can be expensive and a lot of work. But it’s a great way to get rid of an eyesore, improve your land, and make a good place for a garden full of vegetables or flowers.

And more plants are always a good thing.

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