I have 70 ft. tall pine trees in my yard and I can't grow grass. I have heard that the trees cause it.?

Question

My trees are spectacularly tall and I won't cut them down but I have heard that I have to add lye to the soil to neutralize whatever "acids" the trees are emitting. I would like grass around them and to also fertilize the trees themselves. I keep the pine cones picked up and I try to sweep the pine needles up every week.Any suggestions and help are greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

I have 4 of similar size in my front yard and I love it . It saves mowing and the bed of pine needles give it a park like look . I would just leave them alone and concentrate on other areas of your yard .

Answer 2

This is true, Pine trees leave an acid sap on the ground that kills grass, also the roots can suck up all the water before the grass can get it. There's really no way of preventing this besides cutting down the tree. Maybe if you watered it constantly to keep the acid off the grass it could help.

Answer 3

Forget the grass and plant a nice shade loving ground cover like lirope (monkey grass). I have them planted under my pine trees and they love it there. Plus, I do not have to always remove the pine needles or the cones. Another ground cover that loves this growing condition is pachysandra. With pachysandra you will have good form and color all year. Place an apron of these plants around your trees between them and the rest of your lawn. You could even add some rock or statue accents and have quite a landscape.

Answer 4

well most of the answers here have given you the reason why the grass won't grow, and that is the acidity from the needles as well as the heavy shade usually under such large pines--now if you want to grow something under the trees there are alternatives to grass--why not use a low shade groundcover like pachysandra termanalis that will create a nice green carpet under the trees and is virtually maintainance free--although you would have to try and keep up with cleaning the needles out of the carpet --that you could do with either a leaf blower or GENTLY raking them a couple times a year---thats what i would recommend but there are other choices as well---see vinca minor as well as others-------------good luck , blanco

Answer 5

the trees are definitely creating acid soil which is not good for grass. this will happen even if you are as diligent as you are with cleaning up. you can add some alkaline things like your friend suggested, but chances are the grass will not be that happy. how much shade is there under the trees? that would probably be the biggest reason for no grass. usually if you look at nature you can figure out what would work best. acid loving shrubs are great under pines, such as rhododendrons and azaleas.

Answer 6

I have tall longleaf pines in my yard too and I love not having to mow! I have a layer of pine needles under the trees and it looks and smells great.

You can get some groundcovers to grow under tall pines...periwinkle is a good one.

Answer 7

The needles produce a chemical that kills grass. Lye is a nuetralizer for many chemicals. I lived on NC for awhile and grass will not grow under them at all. Talk to your local nursery or loews or home deopt and see what solutions they may offer.

Answer 8

pine trees have a lot of acid in them need to get a base of some sort to lower the acid in the ground.