Trees & Turf

Your lawn might be hurting your trees.

Trees and turf may look great together, but beneath the surface they are competing for water, nutrients, sunlight, and rooting space.

Most of this competition happens underground. Grass roots are concentrated in the top few inches of soil, while a tree’s fine feeder roots extend through the upper 6–24 inches.

The problem gets worse when we treat both plants the same. Turf typically needs frequent, shallow watering, while trees benefit from less frequent, deeper soaking. Keeping the soil around a tree constantly wet can contribute to root rot and fungal problems.

One of the simplest solutions is to reduce turf around trees and create a proper mulch bed:

• Keep turf 12–18 inches away from the trunk
• Apply 2–4 inches of organic mulch beneath the tree’s drip line
• Keep mulch several inches away from the trunk
• Be cautious with lawn herbicides around trees
• Protect the trunk from mowers and string trimmers

Trees and turf can coexist, but healthy trees often require giving them some space.

Sometimes a little less lawn means a much healthier tree.