A steep, unruly yard can feel impossible to manage, especially when mulch slides and cheap edging fails at every turn. One Reddit user reached out to the r/landscaping subreddit for practical, low-cost ideas to prevent soil from washing away without hiring a professional.
The original poster shared a photo laying out the challenge in detail: a steep slope where their yard and a neighbor's meet, with two fences at different elevations. Throughout the dirt in the slope, we see peeks of rocks and remnants of landscaping fabric struggling to hold the ground in place.
"We tried mulching, and my wife tried little cheap edging to keep the mulch stable. That didn't work. Paying somebody isn't an option right now unfortunately. Any ideas for a semi able-bodied person that would clean this up and help stop the erosion?" the OP wrote.
Much of the conversation on the Reddit post centers on solutions that work with nature rather than against it. Temporary fixes such as landscaping fabric and edging often fail and disrupt soil health, leaving homeowners frustrated. A better approach is planting native ground cover to stabilize slopes while keeping maintenance low. As one commenter recommended: "Clean it up and plant native ground cover to prevent erosion."
Other suggestions ranged from terracing the slope to installing a retaining wall. And then there was the repeated recommendation of planting hardy, creeping plants such as juniper or similar evergreens, which hold soil year-round.
"There's a lot of creeping plants that love a steep slope and will hold everything together… plenty of native ground cover that will grow fast and cover/hold that slope together," one Redditor wrote.
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Hardy ground covers and native plants reduce the need for constant watering, mowing, or chemical treatments, while terracing or adding a retaining wall can make steep slopes usable and visually appealing. Even swapping patches of traditional grass for clover, buffalo grass, or xeriscaping can reduce maintenance, lower water bills, and create a more resilient outdoor space.
The Reddit thread shows that a steep slope doesn't have to stay a sore spot. With the right mix of plants and a bit of creative planning, even the trickiest yard can hold together — and be achieved at a low cost with sustainability in mind.
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