Can You Replace Your Lawn With Oak Trees? Here's What Our Master Gardener Says

Mowing your lawn every week can be a tiresome struggle or an expensive upkeep, even if there are methods for mowing your lawn more efficiently. Some people have considered replacing their lawns with oak trees, but is this a good idea? In a recent exclusive interview, Tiffany Selvey, House Digest's Garden Editor and in-house Master Gardener, shared her thoughts on replacing your grass with oak trees and why this might not be the best option.

"I'm not sure I can come up with many benefits of replacing a lawn with trees, especially oak," Selvey shared. "While native oak trees are beautiful and beneficial to our ecosystem, replacing grass with trees that take about 40 years to mature isn't feasible."

The sudden interest in this idea came from an interview between The Boston Globe and entomologist Douglas W. Tallamy. Tallamy suggested that planting a lawn of oak trees would be beneficial because of the insects the tree supports. "In theory, that sounds great," Selvey said, "but he also recommends planting a groundcover or leaving leaf mold on the ground instead of growing grass — conditions that aren't generally ideal for the typical homeowner since most ground covers don't tolerate foot traffic."

Replacing your grass with oak trees may have more negative effects than positive ones. When House Digest spoke exclusively with Tiffany Selvey, she explained how this project could be harmful to your home's structure and accessibility. "Aside from potentially not being able to use your yard, oak tree root systems can be very destructive to home foundations, driveways, and sidewalks," Selvey explained. "There's also the issue of acorns, which I can state from my own experience with the oak tree in my backyard. They make a huge mess on my patio for several months."

If you have kids or pets or are looking to maximize your outdoor living area for entertainment, this design idea may also negatively impact your lifestyle. The root system will make it difficult to run around the yard or play outdoor games. And if you intend to sell soon, this idea is definitely ill-advised.

According to Selvey, oak trees are no comparison to a grass lawn. "Oak trees and turf grass serve entirely different purposes, have different growth habits, and certainly mature at different speeds. A single oak tree in a natural lawn, away from structures, would combine the best of both worlds. Recommending replacing a grass yard with oak trees is like telling someone to replace an apple with an orange — it doesn't work."

If you love this idea, before running to the store to get oak trees for your yard, there are some important things to think about first. In House Digest's exclusive interview with Tiffany Selvey, she provides some tips to determine if this is the right choice for you.

"If this is something you want to do, you'll need to consider how you use your yard. If it's primarily unused space, it could be an option, but if you're planning to sell your home in the next 40 years, the new owners might not appreciate the cost of cutting down trees and installing grass," Selvey advised. "You would also need to figure out what you're going to do with your yard while you wait for the slow-growing shade trees to actually fill in to replace grass. Finally, do you have space to plant trees far enough from structures and paved areas? Be sure to be a good neighbor and keep oak trees far from their home and driveway." Although, if you have a large yard that contains loathsome bare spots, this may be the fast-growing tree you'll want to plant to add visual interest.