What Is Terracing in Plants?

Definition

• Terracing is a way to modify hills into usable land. What might otherwise be a jumble of random weeds or a steep expanse of grass or dirt becomes a series of steps you can use as flat garden beds. The terraces can be plain dirt, or they can be hemmed in by beams, bricks or stones. The steepness of the hill and how much you're willing to dig out of the slope determine how wide the steps will be.

Benefits

• Not only does terracing provide you with a flat surface for planting, it also helps control water runoff. Instead of excess rainwater running downhill and into drains or onto one patch of land at the bottom of the hill, the horizontal tops of each terrace catch more of the rain and hold it. And, of course, the garden bed space lets you plant vegetables so you save on your grocery bill.

Cautions

• The extra absorption power you get from terraces has a drawback: all that soil can become very wet and very heavy, to the point that it can burst through any terracing borders and slide down the hill. The Natural Resources Conservation Service recommends having landscaping professionals perform large terracing projects to ensure the terraces are strong enough to handle bad weather. Even smaller projects need care, though, as freezing temperatures and excessive rain can take their toll. Also, as with any digging project, you risk hitting a utility line as you start to carve out the hillside. Contact water and gas authorities in your area to ensure you know the location of any underground pipes.

Considerations

• Double-check with your city and homeowner's association, if any, about whether terracing is legal in your area or if there are restrictions you must abide by. Also realize that no matter what you plant, you're going to have to water it somehow. If you've got a particularly steep hill, a hose might not reach, and repeatedly carrying watering cans up and down the terraces could get old after a while. This means you might have to plan an irrigation system along with the terracing.