Will Trampoline Kill Grass? [Answered]

One of the things that many homeowners ask before bringing a trampoline home is whether it will ruin their grass. A ton of people (including me) like to keep a well-maintained garden in the back. They go out each day and water the field so that the grass looks lush and green. And when it gets too big, they trim it down to size.

Well, this would naturally mean that if a trampoline kills the grass, you would not want to get one. But how much of that is actually true? And if a trampoline does kill your grass, are there ways to prevent it? Let’s dive in and see whether it’s true.        

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Will Trampoline Kill Grass?

If you have a well-maintained backyard, I can see how it would be a major issue for you when you are buying a new trampoline. While a trampoline does make your backyard look nice and kid-friendly, if it kills the grass underneath, it might not appeal to you much.

Well, here is the bitter truth; if you keep a trampoline in the backyard with zero thoughts for the grass underneath, it will likely die out over time. A trampoline mat filters out most of the sunlight, which means the grass directly beneath it does not get enough nutrients from the sun.

This eventually leads to patches of dead grass in your backyard, which frankly does not help to make it look pretty. But is it avoidable, though? Is there a way to protect the grass under the trampoline so that it looks as lush as the rest of your backyard? Thankfully, yes.

In this article, I will talk about how you can protect the grass under your trampoline and give you a couple of lawn care tips as the proud owner of a new trampoline in the process.

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Why Does Grass Die Under a Trampoline?

As it turns out, there are a couple of reasons that can cause the grass under your trampoline to die. And understanding these reasons is the first step to preventing them. I believe that if you want to protect the grass under your trampoline, you first need to understand why they are dying in the first place.

So, here are the main reasons that contribute to grass dying under a trampoline.

1. Lack of Sunlight

Let’s start with the obvious reason, when you put a trampoline in the backyard, the grass under the trampoline mat does not get as much sunlight. And if you have cared for any garden, you would know that plants and grass require proper sunlight to thrive.

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Most trampoline mats are UV-resistant. They are also thick enough to prevent most of the light from the sun from penetrating them. So, the grass that sits in the shade of the mat does not get enough sunlight to survive for too long. Don’t worry; there are ways around this issue, which I will discuss later.

2. Lack of Moisture

While sunlight is essential for grass to grow, it is not the only thing that it needs to survive. Moisture, or rather access to water, is just as important. Typically, your backyard grass gets enough water during rainy seasons or from your water sprinklers.

However, when you add a trampoline to the equation, things can get complicated. Thankfully, most trampoline mats let water through it, albeit slowly. But if your trampoline mat is thicker and just holds the water instead of letting it through, there is a chance that the grass underneath might die from lack of water.

3. Type of Grass

There are a wide variety of grasses that you can grow in your backyard. And yes, all of them require water and sunlight to survive and grow. However, some types of grass are more shade-tolerant and can handle adverse conditions such as having less access to water and sunlight.

But if your backyard grass is the kind that requires constant watering and sunlight, you will have a harder time keeping them alive, especially when it is growing under your trampoline. So, you might want to do some research about the types of grass if you want to grow it in your backyard.

4. Size of the Trampoline

A bigger trampoline comes with a bigger trampoline mat. And you know what a bigger trampoline mat does? – it casts a bigger shadow. If you have a large trampoline in the backyard, it will cover a larger portion of your yard and cause the grass under it to die out.

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This can also happen with smaller trampolines, but because of their smaller mat, your trampoline should not affect too much of an area in your backyard. A smaller trampoline is also easier to relocate, which means you can move it around your backyard to water the grass underneath it.

5. Improper Drainage

You want to have proper drainage around your trampoline if you want the grass to survive. If you have had a trampoline in your backyard for a while now, its legs will sink into the ground. And water can pile up there, making the ground around that moist.

You might be thinking – how does that affect my grass? Well, just as grass needs water to survive, too much of it can cause it to wither. This can be avoided by creating proper drainage in your backyard so that water cannot gather up in a single place without draining.

6. Other Environmental Factors

One more thing that can affect whether the grass under your trampoline will survive or not is where you live. The average rainfall and temperature in your area can determine how healthy the grass would be in your backyard.

In fact, in some regions, you do not have to worry about grass dying under your trampoline as the rain and temperature are enough to counteract its effects.

How To Prevent Grass from Dying Under a Trampoline?

Now that you have a decent idea of the problems, we can work together to find a solution. Thankfully, there are quite a few options for you that can help prevent your grass from dying under a trampoline. So, you can try out a couple of them and go with whichever solution works best for you.

Here are a couple of simple yet effective ways to prevent grass from dying under a trampoline.

1. Move Your Trampoline

The easiest way to deal with the issue is to move your trampoline around the backyard from time to time. By relocating your trampoline to different positions in the backyard, you will make sure that all parts of your backyard get sunlight from time to time.

However, there is a major drawback to this. If you have a large and heavy trampoline, moving it around your backyard might not be an easy task. For a smaller trampoline, though, this is the most cost-effective solution to preventing grass from dying under the trampoline.

2. Strategic Trampoline Placement

If you are smart with how you set up your trampoline, then you might not have to move it at all. For example, if your trampoline can be placed so that sunlight can reach certain hours of the day, grass would thrive under it.

Keep in mind that grass is a lot more resilient than other plants. You do not need to put it under the sun constantly for it to grow. As long as it gets a decent amount of sunlight each day, it should be fine. However, with larger trampolines, this might not be possible as light cannot reach directly under the center of the mat.

3. Use a Sprinkler System

You might also want to invest in a sprinkler system in your backyard if you want the grass to remain healthy. Now before you start setting up your sprinklers, I do not condone putting a sprinkler head right under your trampoline. It can be risky, and if you fall on the sprinkler, you can seriously hurt yourself.

But there are a lot of trampoline sprinkler systems that spray water in your backyard from a safe distance from the trampoline. These systems might cost you a lot, but if your priority is to keep your lawn grass healthy while giving your kids a safe trampoline experience, this is the best way to go.

4. Grow a Different Type of Grass

Remember how I said some grasses require less sunlight? Well, you can use that to your advantage. If you see your lawn grass dying under the trampoline from lack of sunlight and water, you might want to consider growing a different type of grass that can survive this ordeal.

For example, if you live in the Northern regions of the USA, you might get better results with Fescue grass. In the Southern parts, shade-friendly grass such as St. Augustine might survive better. Having a good knowledge of different types of grass can really come in handy in this case.

5. Use Grass Feed

If the look of your backyard is important for you, I would suggest keeping an eye on the grass under your trampoline. Since it gets less sunlight than normal, it will naturally start to fade after a while. When that happens, you should spread some grass seed in the area to provide some much-needed nutrients to the grass.

Doing this can extend the lifespan of your grass by quite a large margin. I will also recommend moving the trampoline away from the area for a few days. That way, your grass will get a fair bit of sunlight and can slowly return to its beautiful green color.

6. Sink Your Trampoline

Sinking your trampoline in the ground is a surefire way to prevent grass from dying under the trampoline. Think about it; if there is no grass under the trampoline, then you don’t have to worry about it dying, right? But putting a regular trampoline on the ground can be quite challenging.

If this solution sounds appealing to you, the best thing to do is get a high-quality in-ground trampoline. These trampolines are fairly expensive and take a good long while to set up perfectly, but once you are done with their installation, your backyard will look amazing.

How to Protect Your Grass Under a Trampoline

The only way to keep the grass in your backyard healthy is to take care of it. Most homeowners who like their lawn to look healthy and lush take the time to mow and water it. However, if there is a trampoline in the way, the grass underneath it does not get as much attention.

This is the main reason why the grass under a trampoline dies. And if you want to protect it, you need to tend to it. A good idea here is to relocate the trampoline every time you water your lawn. Yes, it can be annoying, but it is still the best way to go about it.

You can also follow the other methods that I talked about and get some good results. But as I’m sure you have noticed, not all of them are as cost-effective as simply moving your trampoline around.

The Bottom Line

Buying a new trampoline is a big investment for any homeowner. It is pricey, it can often be a safety risk, and setting a trampoline up for the first time can be downright dreadful. But if you ask me, it is always worth getting a trampoline if not for yourself, then to enjoy the look of happiness on your kid’s face.

Yes, a trampoline can cause havoc on the grass underneath, but there are definitely ways to prevent that. You might need to take a few extra hassles here and there, but the end result would be nothing short of perfect.

Hopefully, my article could help you protect your grass under the trampoline and preserve the look of your backyard. Good luck!