Need some grass growing advice for erosion control (hard red clay)

[20 20]

clover. It took over on our clay and from my understanding that's what it likes to grow in. I like it, smells nice and the honey bees enjoy it.

 

[1bush2hog]

If you don't necessarily want a manicured yard, why not plant something more beneficial for the wildlife. You could plant a combination of orchardgrass, legumes, and oates and clover. This combination would not only help with erosion control, but would build the soil with organic matter and nutrients, and feed the deer and turkey too.

If you go this route you need to figure out what you currently have there as it may need to be treated so as not to compete with what you are planting.

If you go with planting fescue now, the summer heat may defeat it before it gets established.

 

[rbstern]

If you don't necessarily want a manicured yard, why not plant something more beneficial for the wildlife. You could plant a combination of orchardgrass, legumes, and oates and clover. This combination would not only help with erosion control, but would build the soil with organic matter and nutrients, and feed the deer and turkey too.

If you go this route you need to figure out what you currently have there as it may need to be treated so as not to compete with what you are planting.

If you go with planting fescue now, the summer heat may defeat it before it gets established.

I'm happy to plant whatever will durably cover the red clay, as long as I can mow it with the tractor and people can walk on it without getting their feet muddy on a wet day. If it feeds the local wildlife, so much the better.

But I am a neophyte at this, and have no idea what it takes to make any of the above successful. I have a call into the UGA county extension, waiting to here back from the resident biologist/botanist/agriculturist or whatever title is appropriate.