The Texas weather can create a harsh environment for plants, especially new plantings. This problem is accentuated on steep slopes where new plantings can get washed away with loose topsoil erosion. Even a downpour of two or more inches of rain in the space of thirty minutes can wreak havoc on new plantings trying to send their roots out as anchors into the soil around them.
The good news is that there is a solution. We have recently started using an innovative product manufactured by Geosolutions called Geoweb. This product is designed to hold the soil in place on a steep slope until plantings can get their roots established.
Geoweb is made up of connected cells composed of high density polyethylene. The cells are connected together by pins and anchored in the ground creating a stable erosion control surface so plantings can thrive before they send their roots down into the soil below the grid.
We have had good success using Geoweb in steep or sloped areas that would have been problematic for us in the past. It is available in several different cell sizes and depths for different applications. Besides stabilizing the soil, it also doubles as a cell containment system for holding decomposed granite or other materials on a slope or even in the construction of a road or pathway. We plan to continue using Geoweb when the circumstances call for it.
