Search Content

This report completes and organizes the research information generated under Investigation 615: "Development of Ground Covers for Highway Slopes." It was written specifically for highway personnel and citizens who may be interested or involved in establishing ground covers in difficult situations. The report's main purpose is to summarize findings and develop recommendations from the project research. The report is presented in three sections. Section One presents recommendations resulting from the research. Section Two develops the research effort and results of investigations. Section Three is devoted to general cultural information and maintenance specifications that should be useful to field personnel and administrators who are directly or indirectly involved with highway maintenance situations. For purposes of this report, ground covers are defined as plant materials, other than turfgrass, capable of providing a uniform dense covering over the soil surface and with a root system of sufficient density and depth to stabilize the soil on which they are planted. In investigations reported here, special emphasis has been placed on materials with a full growth height of 2 feet or less. However, certain materials that offer particularly valuable characteristics but did not fulfill this specification were also considered.

Ground cover plants, other than turf grasses, offer the possibility of reducing maintenance costs on problem sites, however they cannot be expected to provide a panacea for turf problems. Ground covers may be less tolerant of extreme site conditions. They may tolerate a narrower range of environmental factors, and are usually slower to form a complete soil cover. Initial cost, both of procurement and establishment of ground cover plants is greater than that of grasses. Use of ground covers in place of turf should be governed by consideration of the advantages of each in the overall site development. Since it takes a period of years to evaluate unfamiliar plant materials, the observations recorded here are necessarily of a preliminary nature and should not be construed as final recommendations.

This report is offered to help highway personnel improve Minnesota highway turf maintenance programs. The report may also be useful for county and municipal road engineers and personnel as well as state highway people. Vegetation maintenance operations and problems in many of the counties and municipalities of Minnesota are the same as those faced by the state highway department. Section I presents findings and observations from a review of the vegetative phase of maintenance programs and practices in selected areas in Minnesota. Section II presents a series of recommendations resulting from analysis of the findings and experience of the personnel conducting the review. Section III is a brief explanation of cultural requirements for grasses including examples of cost comparisons and other information pertinent to making judgments on turf maintenance operations.