Trees aren’t the only plants that have suffered from drought/ freeze conditions the last two years, lawns have taken a beating too. 

We get a lot of questions concerning turf care and tree care including:

• How to get grass to grow under my tree
• Are Weed & Feed products safe for my tree?
• Are sprinklers enough to water my tree?
• Will trimming my tree help my grass grow?

Instead of taking into account the extreme weather we’ve had in 2023 and 2022 some homeowners jump to the conclusion that it must be because there is too much shade on their lawn from trees.

You may hear from your sod installer that trimming your tree will improve lawn health because more light will hit the ground, but this is not true. In an urban environment, turf grass and trees are artificially united in a single ecosystem. In the long run pruning your tree will not solve problems for your yard but create new ones concerning your tree’s health. 

Issues That Arise When Lawn Care is Prioritized Over Tree Care

• Root disturbance during install of new sod
• Root disturbance from use of “weed & Feed” products
• Over pruned trees reducing health and safety
• Neglecting to water trees due to using ground sprinklers that are designed for turf

What we hope for is that people will let go of perfection and embrace native landscaping to highlight their homes. 

Native grasses and groundcovers that have evolved or been bred to complement the needs of trees are a better choice to reduce water usage, add beneficial nutrients to the soil, and attract native pollinators. For more information, and some specific recommendations, check out this post from our friends at Native Gardeners. They recently did a great job at beautifying our office. 

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! Properly-cared-for trees do more to capture atmospheric carbon, reduce urban heat islands, curtail excessive water usage, and provide mental and physical health benefits than perfectly manicured lawns. We understand it can be heard to break away from social pressure but homeowners who have moved toward native and natural landscaping are often amazed to see how easy, beautiful, and inexpensive their trees and gardens can be. We are always happy to talk about how to organize your yard around native trees for a look that is beautiful, unique, and low-maintenance. Let us know how we can help!