Lawn Watering Tips for Yards With Lots of Trees

A yard with many trees presents both blessings and problems, and a blessing in one location can be a problem in another. Consider, for instance, the shade that trees provide: That’s a blessing in a hot area, where the trees absorb the sun’s energy and help keep everything cooler, but it’s a problem in a cool locale where every bit of sunlight is precious.

On the blessing side, trees provide natural habitats for birds and wildlife. Still, on the problematic side, they litter the yard with leaves and other detritus (depending on the species), and they can actually be hazardous in high winds. When one of the redwoods or Douglas first in my neighborhood drops a branch or blows over during a storm, it can cause a lot of damage and potentially even loss of life. Nevertheless, life is better with trees, and sometimes it’s even better with lots of them.

If you have a lawn in a yard with lots of trees, you have to consider how to approach water competition, and every situation is different. I spoke with two lawn experts from sunny California and one from the not-so-sunny UK and found that much depends on climate as well as the age, health and species of the trees and grass. Read on to find out more.

Does Your Lawn Need More Water If You Have Lots of Trees?

Two California lawn care experts, Steven Corcoran and Ward Dilmore, agreed that — generally speaking — having a lot of trees in your yard does not increase the water needs of the grass. In fact, it might be just the opposite, as Corcoran explained: “Sometimes having a lot of trees can actually decrease watering needs because the shade provided by the trees helps minimize how much water your grass needs.”

Speaking from the other side of the Pond, British lawn care specialist and gardening expert Angelika Zaber had this take: “Trees can end up competing with your grass for water as they draw a significant amount of moisture from the soil. So, to make sure that this does not result in your lawn going yellow or patchy, it is important to water your lawn more, especially in dry periods.”

A good reason for these differing opinions is the types of grass that grow in these two different climates. The species that thrive in California are warm-season, drought-resistant varieties that need less water than the cool-season varieties more common in the British Isles.

Other factors that affect the water needs of grass growing in a yard with lots of trees include:

Tree species

Some trees will compete more strongly for available water than others. “Palm trees or other trees that take up a lot of water may have an effect on a surrounding lawns water needs,” explains Dilmore.

Soil conditions

The composition of the soil determines how well it holds water. Soil with a high clay content drains more slowly than sandy or loamy soil. If the soil drains poorly, you should definitely give your lawn less water.

Watering practices

Grass roots seldom reach deeper than six inches into the ground and get the most benefit from sprinklers or hand watering with a hose. Tree roots reach much deeper. “Lawns do best with spray irrigation, and trees and shrubs should be on drip irrigation,” says Dilmore.

How To Water a Lawn With A Lot of Trees

• Water grass deeply, about once or twice a week, to ensure the water reaches the roots.
• Water trees separately using drip irrigation or by soaking with a hose. When using drip, choose emitters with a sufficient flow rate, and if you automate the drip system, set watering time and frequency according to the needs of the tree and the weather. Water the grass with sprinklers.
• Scarify and aerate your lawn at regular intervals — about once or twice a year. “This will help to reduce compaction from tree roots and increase the lawn’s ability to absorb air, water, and nutrients,” says Zaber.
• Protect tree trunks from sprinkler spray. Otherwise, says Dilmore, rotting can occur, which causes disease and invites pests.

FAQ

Can a small lawn have too many trees?

All the experts I interviewed agree on this question, and the answer is yes. Corcoran expresses the consensus by saying: “Roots can fight each other for nutrients or damage each other underground, and those roots can also go on to cause extensive damage to the yard.”

However, Dilmore points out that tree roots grow deep and shouldn’t have much effect in grass roots, which are much shallower. The real danger is the overabundance of shade, which can stunt the growth of grass and cause browned-out areas where it is dead or dying.

“The general advice,” says Zaber, “is to plant trees two meters (six feet) apart, but depending on your vision, some people plant them anywhere from one to five meters (three to 16 feet) apart.”

About the Experts

• Steve Corcoran is the CEO of Lawn Love, a lawn care service based in Southern California.
• Angelika Zaber is a lawn care specialist and Gardening Expert working for Online Turf, a turf, seed, and soil e-commerce company based in the UK.
• Ward Dilmore is the founder of Petrus, a premier luxury estate landscaping company based in California’s Bay Area.

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