Erosion control products.

[dodge man]

I’ve got some areas in my yard that constantly erode. I’ve included a picture of one such area, it’s a little down and to the left of the center in the picture. This area is about the size of your hand and is caused water running down off my driveway and is about an inch deep. I’ve got maybe a dozen areas like this, some bigger, like this size of a dinner plate.

I’ve put dirt in these areas, seeded it, packed it down a little bit and about the time grass grows it erodes again. I’m leaning on trying jute mat made of straw. They also make excelsior blanket which is more plastic. I’m open for any ideas or suggestions.

 

[duffer]

I agree you should try a jute mat first. (Put down some fast germinating seed, besides your normal grass seed)
If that fails, you should install a french drain along your driveway where the erosion is occurring and displace the water further downhill.

 

[ponytug]

How often does this happen?
Do you have any constraints?
Some stones to break the force of the water?
Or just a big stone to spears the water?
Getting some of the water off the driveway elsewhere?
Putting into a drain, with drainage pipe?
Putting in some geogrid to break the force of the water?

The big stone or the latter would be my first choice.

All the best, Peter

 

[dodge man]

How often does this happen?
Do you have any constraints?
Some stones to break the force of the water?
Or just a big stone to spears the water?
Getting some of the water off the driveway elsewhere?
Putting into a drain, with drainage pipe?
Putting in some geogrid to break the force of the water?

The big stone or the latter would be my first choice.

All the best, Peter

I don’t really want to put rock down. Sometimes this happens once a year, every other year or this year a couple of times. Some of this can be from mole damage where they make a big mound, I smash it down with my tractor and I end up with a bare spot and then the rain erodes it. We’ve had a couple of heavy rains this year I why it a little worse.

I could do some kind of drain but the water sheets across my driveway, it’s asphalt, and doesn’t really concentrate in one place.

 

[ponytug]

I don’t really want to put rock down. Sometimes this happens once a year, every other year or this year a couple of times. Some of this can be from mole damage where they make a big mound, I smash it down with my tractor and I end up with a bare spot and then the rain erodes it. We’ve had a couple of heavy rains this year I why it a little worse.

I could do some kind of drain but the water sheets across my driveway, it’s asphalt, and doesn’t really concentrate in one place.

Makes sense to me.

If it isn't frequent, I'd be inclined to do as you have been doing, or try the excelsior grid. I have never really tried to use geogrids in small segments, but perhaps screening might be an alternative. Around here, some folks bury 1/4-1/2" stainless steel mesh/screen below lawns to reduce gopher/mole damage. We have screening around/below all of our planted shrubs and trees.

All the best,

Peter

 

[newbury]

Throw an old spare tire around it, put some dirt and flowers in the middle.
If it was in Mississippi they would just put an old refrigerator or washing machine on top.

 

[paulsharvey]

Sounds to me like step 1 is slowing the water down. Consider installing waddles/gutters buddy type tube upstream, combined with the seeding effort. Although not really the intended use, silt fence is readily available, fairly affordable, and also works to slow water flow, when installed upstream.