Erosion control blanket being applied over wildflower seed at Evansville Country Club

The third tee at the Evansville Country Club is bounded by two steep slopes. The back slope faces a wooded area and is protected by ground cover. The side slope faces the adjacent fairway, in full view of the players. The side slope has been a continual maintenance problem; too steep to mow, loose soil creating erosion problems, a general nuisance for the club superintendent, Gary Shetler.

The final result is a beautiful, light maintenance yet secure slope.

The blankets would provide the erosion control, the wildflowers would improve aesthetics and eliminate maintenance.

The culprit. A freshly graded slope just before the rainy season.

Since the club had little experience with wildflowers, the proposal was accepted with some reluctance. Juncker took on the project with a guarantee that membership would be pleased with the results. During late March, Juncker prepared the slope, working the soil to a fine seed bed. A Midwestern blend of wildflower seed had been ordered. The seed was distributed evenly, then covered with S150 North American Green erosion blanket. The S150 blanket is constructed of 100 percent straw mulch with netting on both sides. Medium to heavy rain fell shortly after installation, no erosion was detected. Within several week, the wildflowers began emerging through the blanket cover. By early June the wildflowers had completely covered the slope and were in full bloom. Blooming continued throughout the summer. Each month a new color phase appears.

Wildflowers by their very nature require less maintenance while adding a beautiful trap for an errant slice.

Due to the length of the time necessary to establish wildflowers, the use of the erosion control blankets to control erosion until the vegetation is established is gaining in interest. North American Green blankets, due to their construction, are ideal for this application since they absorb moisture without excessive swelling. The blankets provide a mulch cover to retain moisture in the soil, keeping it available for plant growth.

Early growth amidst the blanketed slope.

The increasing interest and use of wildflowers has quickly spread throughout many industries; highway roadsides, building developers, golf course management and recreational parks to name a few.

For more information on the use of blankets and wildflowers, contact North American Green, 1-800-7722040, in Indiana 812-867-6632.