Soil erosion

[jammyd]

Hi all, myself and 'Mrs James' are into our third year of allotmenting (is that a real word?)... and our plot is on a slight slope. This didn't matter much the first year, as much of it was covered in brambles, nettles and couch grass (oh joy!).
But last year, after clearing much of the jungle, we noticed that soil was being washed away with the wind and rain. To combat this, I decided to build raised beds and do a bit of terracing, so the the ground would be level thus stopping my precious soil from escaping.

Anyone else had problems with sloping plots and/or soil erosion?

Byee,
james  

[campanula]

raised beds - way to go

[Doris_Pinks]

If you look in the gallery at my plot Jammy........you could say I have a slight slope!! DP

[jammyd]

WOW! And I think I've got problems! Makes my slope look pretty irrelevant  

Looks like you're doing a good job, Doris - keep it up  

jams

[Mike J]

My Dad calls it 'allotmenteering' - not sure if that's a word either. I am now following in his footsteps and took on an allotment last September, also on a slope, and after clearing it of weeds - full of the usual suspects - put in a foot high wooden 'edge' at the bottom of the slope, to try and reduce soil drift to the adjoining plot. Hope it works. Am also in the process of installing raised beds, partly for the soil erosion problem, but also to help me keep track of crop rotation - still scouring the local industrial estate for suitable pallets. PS this is my first post - great site, really helpful to 'newbies'

[Roy Bham UK]

Hi Mike and welcome to the A4A. Cosy little set up here. We are Family and it looks like you are keeping it in the family too

[wardy]

The "Allotment" DVD shows quite a few lotties on slopes.  It shows one chap making the best of the drainage to grow grapes for wine production.  It also shows a chap with a slope who has sort of terraced it  bit with a raised bed.  He also harvests water from a shed roof into water butts and then because he's on a slope he directs via some Heath Robinson method to his plants. 

It shows what's possible even on an allotment that's far from flat

[Sarah-b]

Yup - its a problem for me.
We're on a slope and also have very stony soil. So what doesn't wash down the hill, washes down between the stones and the stones just work their way up to the surface. Anyway, it's a fairly sorry state of affiars. But when the guy at the bottom of the hill is showing off his lovely veg to me, I say, well it's cos you've got all our lovely top soil isn't it?!!!

sb