Common Problems with Trees in Lawn

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Melissa - General Lawn Turf Blogs

Now there’s nothing quite like relaxing in the shade of a tree in your very own lawn but there are some issues with trees in lawns that need to be considered. 

Roots –The obvious one – large roots can cause a multitude of issues especially when close to the surface.

Ring barking – Using a whipper snipper near tree trunks incurs the risk of ring barking or removing the bark from around the tree. Why is this bad? It can cause the death of the tree, you should give the trunk a wide berth.

Suckering – This is when a tree sends up suckers from the root stock when the roots are disturbed or damaged. In turn, you can end up with saplings springing up throughout your lawn. Be careful when mowing, digging or whipper snipping near trees so you don’t damage the root system and cause suckering. Roots can also sucker if they hit an obstacle – best to avoid planting trees with a very large or spread out root system.

Mowing – By keeping the lawn longer in the shaded area of the tree you provide a better chance of survival, particularly during the cooler months.

Competition – Trees and your lawn will compete for the same nutrients, water and light. This is why you will often found thinning grass around the base of trees. While you can lay a shade tolerant lawn or plant a deciduous tree to reduce the effects of the tree, the best course of action is usually to keep the lawn away from the trunk of the tree altogether. This will reduce the competition and eliminate the chance of ring barking and damaging the surface roots when undertaking lawn care maintenance tasks. (Sir Walter often enables good coverage right up to the tree base even under heavy shade conditions.)

New lawns – When preparing for a new lawn avoid digging out important tree roots or adding soil over them, even in an attempt to create a level lawn surface. The extra soil will upset the delicate balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide and lead to issues like death of the tree. Seek expert advice if you are unsure of how to prepare for a new lawn that is home to existing trees.

To learn more just contact the team at Harden Park Lawns today.