Planting on slopes is not trivial, especially in areas with occasionally heavy rain. I have a 3:1 slope (horizontal distance increases 3 times as much as height) in my backyard. If steeper than that, you'll need to build terraces or simply leave it alone for Mother Earth to grow her own.
The design is very simple - basically using wood logs and wood chips to slow, spread, and store run-off rainwater, mineral nutrients, and organic matter in the soil.
My goals are:
- Increase food production in my small suburban farm
- Get rid of organic debris from cutting down 4 ornamental trees
- Make productive use of the 150-ft long slope in my backyard
My solution: Hugelkultur and wood logs/chips!
Wood logs and chips are wastes in the cities. Tree service companies need to pay the city to get rid of them. You can contact those companies and ask them to deliver to you for free.
I lay down wood logs and branches from those trees I cut down on contour lines and put wood chips on top, make holes, put some compost in, and plant in it.
The photo below shows what it looks like after all edible greens and root crops have grown.
Photos below show a gentler slope. I use rows of wood logs instead of a Hugelkultur.
Wood chips between the logs, which would stop most rainwater run-off.
In summary, wood logs and chips are free from waste stream which you can use on slopes to produce abundant food.
