Question

hill problem   QUESTION: I live in Orlando Florida. I have a hillside by our pool, I am trying to head off a potential problem. The pool has not started cracking yet. However each year the ground slopes further down. It is about 1 foot from pool deck and screen enclosure. What can I do to build this area up? The grass leads to another hill that is sloped as well and leads to my neighbors fence. I have enclosed a picture so you can see the area.

ANSWER: Hi Scott,  I can't tell much from your picture.  If it was my property, I'd terrace the hill with 3 short retaining walls to give it a stair step appearance.  Plant it with ornamental grasses and shrubs and never worry about it again. I would not plant any trees or large shrubs that might have roots that could reach your pool.
You can slow erosion of the hill by sodding it and collecting any runoff water from the concrete area around the pool in a catch drain and directing it elsewhere with underground drain pipes.  But if it's too steep to safely mow, I'd terrace it.

Jim


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


hill from on slope   QUESTION: Hi Jim, Thank you for your response. I have enclosed another picture to see if this shows the situation better. It is to steep to mow. Last year the mower flipped on me. From then on it was weed wacker only. To terrace the hill do I have to remove more dirt? Should I add more dirt to the closest terrace to the pool to bring it level? Please let me know. I can send more pictures if needed.

Answer
I'd add soil.  Build your first wall at the fence about 18" high.  Add soil until it is level.  Where the new soil contacts the slope, come back towards the first wall about 12" and build your next wall. You want about 6" of new soil depth at the second wall. Fill and repeat.  If you want the walls the same height (they don't have to be), use a laser level and measure the drop from the top of the hill to the fence and then divide the height by 3 if you want 3 steps, 4 if you want smaller steps, etc.  Continue until the top terrace is just below your concrete.
By adding soil you don't weaken the existing hill and you add good soil for planting.  Landscape stacking stone could be used without needing any concrete as long as each wall is under 3'. Jim