RADIO TRANSCRIPT
July 15, 2024
Matt Rodriguez

This is Matt Rodriguez, horticulture agent with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Burke Center.

Living here in Burke County is truly a blessing with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains at almost every viewpoint. While some enjoy a fairly flat landscape, some struggle with steeper slopes and hillsides. This can be tricky to maintain when soils and root systems are disturbed either from development or natural runoff over time. Thankfully we can always remediate erosion with native trees, shrubs, grass, and herbal plantings. Now, notice that I said Native. Invasive species can cause more headache long term and should be avoided. Firstly you want to determine the steepness of your slope and decide if you need it to be re-sloped at a more forgiving angle or you can design a terraced garden along your hillside to help your plants establish in a more level environment. There are several lists, articles, and categories available from our Extension website. If you're looking for an online store of seed mixes, then look no further than Ernst Seeds. That is E R N S T seeds, they have available pre-made seed mixes for several kinds of uses, from erosion control to wildlife habitat and more. Don’t be afraid to play around with your garden and sketch out your design first. It's much easier to mess up on paper than it is to dig plants back up and replant. Reach out to us at Extension and we can walk you through the steps of designing your landscape and provide the resources you need to successfully stabilize your slope.

This has been Matt Rodriguez, horticulture agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Burke Center. For more information, call us at 828-764-9480.