using sod strips to fill in & control erosion?

We have a real shady area in the front yard covered by 3 trees on a slight slope. Drenching hard rain washed out reseeding for the last 2 years in the fall, it also caused some erosion between the feeder tree roots despite covering it with hay. This year I thought about bringing in a load of top soil to fill in the eroded places and laying pieces of sod (partial strips) ~ 1'x 6" to 1' in places to fill in the grass and control erosion. The slope isn't that big but enough for rain to run off at times. There isn't a whole lot of sun during the day. I know that fighting the trees for surface water is a losing battle in the long term.

We live in Wichita KS.

Will my idea of small sod strips work or should we replant seeds (again) and hope that a drenching rain doesn't come before the grass is established?

Thx.

 

You can do sod strips if you wish but personally I'd just plant seed. Sod will need very frequent watering for the first several weeks to get it established and you still have to plant grass between the strips. If erosion is a problem they sell straw in rolls that is held together with fine netting. You can seed the area and put down the erosion control straw mat and the grass will grow up through. Don't remove the mat. Just mow over it when the grass is tall enough.

 

I stopped on the word 'shady,' as grass needs quite a bit of sun. You may want to look into other plants which require little sun or even something non-growing, like riprap.