Pine Trees & Lawn Care

Sunlight

• The secret to why grass grows thinner beneath a group of pines might be as simple as the reality of reduced sunlight. Pine trees tend to grow in tight clusters, with dense foliage in the upper third of the trees serving as a formidable block to sunlight trying to get through. One solution would be to thin out the trees by removing or pruning some of them, though there are less drastic methods you might choose to implement first.

Mowing

• A combination of selective pruning and several or all of the following methods should help improve the quality of lawn beneath the pines. Try adjusting the cutting height of your lawnmower upward in areas beneath pine trees. By leaving grass in this area up to 1 inch higher than the rest, it creates more surface area for the blades of grass to absorb the limited amount of sunlight. Don't be too concerned about a ragged appearance. The height difference shouldn't be that noticeable.

Water

• Grass often tends to grow thinner in areas in which it has to compete with tree roots for a limited water supply. When you consider pine trees growing closely together, and the relative size difference in their root systems, it's no wonder that grass becomes brown and thin. It's literally starving for water. The easy solution is to give it more. In shady areas, you should wet the soil weekly to a depth of about 6 inches, according to WalterReeves.com.

Considerations

• Another way to keep a healthy lawn growing beneath pine trees is to carefully choose the type of grass you plant. Some species do better in shade than others. Under pines, Bermuda and zoysia grass can grow well, though keep in mind that any type of grass still needs at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. In the absence of that, consider a different approach to landscaping the area such introducing stones, a paved sitting area or flowerbeds in place of grass.