How to Landscape the Slope of a House With a Walkout Basement

There are many options to choose from if your walkout basement has a slope nearby that is in need of landscaping. A gentle slope could be covered with fescue grass, but steeper slopes will require one of many groundcovers to plant on the slope. A juniper groundcover is an excellent choice because the plants stay green year-round, help to defend against soil erosion and do great in almost any soil. If you decide to leave the slope bare, rainwater will cause soil erosion that could stain your house or patio with mud.

Things You'll Need

Measuring tape
Gloves
Shovel
Fertilizer

Pine straw
Scissors
1 gallon juniper groundcover

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the area of the slope near your walkout basement to get an idea of how many juniper plants you will need, figuring one plant per square foot. Leave the plants in their pots, and place the plants in rows that are 12 inches apart on the slope.
- 2
  Stick your shovel into the ground 3 inches in front of each juniper plant. Pull the shovel out and move the plants to the side.
- 3
  Dig a hole where you first sunk your shovel in the ground, about twice the size of the plant. Keep the dirt from the hole nearby to make it easier when you backfill each hole.
- 4
  Put the juniper plant into the hole. Take the pot off of the plant in the hole and put the pot to the side. With your hands, scrape the sides of the juniper root ball to loosen the soil. Place the plant in the hole and toss in two handfuls of fertilizer. Fill the hole with dirt and straighten the plant before packing the dirt around the base of the plant. Repeat planting technique for the rest of the junipers on the slope.
- 5
  Cut the string holding the pine straw bale together and break open the bale. Spread pine straw in between the plants.

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