Can Artificial Grass and Trees Coexist?

If you’re thinking of adding an artificial lawn around your home, one of the first questions that may come to mind is, “How will artificial grass affect the trees in my yard?” It’s an important question to ask, and the answer depends on the quality of artificial turf you install, along with the types of trees you have on your property. 

High-quality turf will give your trees greater access to water and oxygen, and it will look much more natural than low-quality turf. Every homeowner wants their lawn to stay beautiful and healthy, and with high-quality artificial turf, this has never been easier to accomplish, even with trees involved. 

Will Artificial Turf Harm My Trees?

Most artificial grass is designed to have great drainage, which means that rainwater will properly sink through the turf and into your trees’ roots. Because your trees won’t have to compete with natural grass for water and nutrients, they will thrive when paired with high-quality artificial turf. 

As long as your synthetic grass is properly installed, it can be highly beneficial to your trees. Proper installation involves a survey of various geological factors around your home, which is why it’s highly important to consult professionals before and during the turf installation process. 

How Do Trees Stay Healthy on a Turf Lawn?

As previously mentioned, trees can stay perfectly healthy, and even be better off than before, when on an artificial turf lawn. Artificial grass’s drainage and nutrient flow capabilities are an obvious plus, but artificial grass also assists trees by repelling insects, since they can’t thrive as well in the synthetic environment.

Picking the Perfect Trees for Your Artificial Grass Lawn

If you’re looking to pair new trees with your artificial lawn, you have various options. For fewer maintenance responsibilities, it may be wise to choose trees that don’t drop many leaves or fruits. Trees that provide ample shade are also highly beneficial in the Arizona heat. 

The following shade trees will thrive with your turf, keeping your lawn beautiful and free of clutter: 

• Palm trees
• Acacia trees
• Velvet mesquite
• Blue palo verde
• Arizona rosewood trees

Trees to Avoid for Artificial Grass Lawns

Trees that drop leaves or fruits should generally be avoided if you have an artificial lawn. This tree clutter can be more of an annoyance than anything, and if you have amenities like a pool or trampoline, leaves and fruits may end up all over their surfaces. 

We recommend avoiding the following trees, as their maintenance-related downsides can end up outweighing their aesthetic benefits:

• Chinese pistache tree
• Shumard oak tree
• Vitex tree
• Arizona ash tree
• Western soapberry tree

Tips for Installing Artificial Grass Near Trees

To ensure that your trees stay healthy, it is essential that you install artificial grass that is porous. If you install non-porous turf around trees, the trees will likely die, as non-porous turf prevents water and nutrients from sinking into the soil beneath. Non-porous turf is typically used for athletic fields, but it should never be used in conjunction with a yard full of bushes and trees. 

Although convenient, porous artificial turf isn’t perfect. Artificial turf tends to draw in more heat than natural grass does, and that extra heat can be harmful to soil and roots. There are solutions to this imperfection, though. On especially hot days, using a hose to spray a little bit of water on your turf can cool the subsurface. At Crown & Blade, our turf is specifically designed to withstand the environmental challenges of a desert climate, so spraying is usually not necessary. Also, most trees in Arizona are already used to extreme heat, so this concern is a rather small one. 

As long as you choose high-quality turf and consult experienced installation professionals, you should have little to worry about. Your trees will likely experience the best days of their long, long lives while surrounded by artificial grass. 

How Artificial Grass and Trees Work Together

Don’t let the word “artificial” scare you away from investing in a lawn that stays green all year. Since porous turf essentially breathes, it won’t prevent nutrients from reaching your trees’ roots—in fact, artificial turf almost streamlines them into the roots since there are no weeds competing for water. As long as you consult turf installation professionals, and perhaps your local arborist, about how your trees and turf will interact, you will enjoy a healthy, gorgeous lawn.

If you’re especially concerned about having water reach your trees, a drip line can be installed. A drip line can help irrigate all of your trees if deemed necessary, but this usually isn’t the case. Oftentimes, tree rings will also surround your trees, meaning that soil will be exposed to allow roots to capture rainwater and shoot up from the ground without damaging your turf. 

Explore Our Artificial Turf Options Today

If you’re looking for a green lawn that requires less maintenance and water usage, contact the turfgrass installation experts at Crown & Blade Turf. With our relationship-based service and fair prices, we tailor our expertise for every lawn and every vision. If your vision includes tree-friendly artificial turf, or if you want turf installation near your landscaping, we know how to help. Sustainability, beauty, and hard work are the pillars of our success, and our job isn’t done until your lawn looks just as you hoped it would. 

To start your journey with a gorgeous, manageable lawn, you can request a free quote from our turf installation experts today. We can’t wait to see where your vision takes us.