What to Plant Above Buried Utility Lines in Your Yard

Turfgrass, wildflowers, and low-profile ornamental grasses are excellent options for planting above buried utility lines in your yard. Look for species with shallow, fibrous roots that don’t dig deep for water and lack the strength to damage buried cables and pipelines. 

This article discusses the main criteria for safe plants to grow above and near buried utility lines, popular examples to consider, and species to avoid in areas with underground cables and pipes.

Note: If you are looking for plants to grow over a drain field, read our guide, “How to Landscape Around a Septic Tank.”

How to choose your plants

To keep buried lines in good working conditions and prevent costly repairs, plant their surrounding area with species that are:

• Shallow-rooted to prevent entangled roots around cables and pipes.
• Herbaceous, with thin, fibrous roots, not thick and strong enough to damage cable coatings and pipelines.
• Drought-tolerant species that won’t dig deep looking for water in buried pipes.
• Annuals or easy-to-grow perennials you’re okay with digging out in case of repairs.

To avoid digging, consider species you can grow in containers or plant directly from seeds. With most seeds, you only need to rake the ground 1 to 2 inches deep or add a thin topsoil layer to create a proper seedbed for planting.

If you must dig deeper to plant seedlings or bulbs above utility lines or in the tolerance zone (18 to 30 inches on each side of the marked utility line), only use blunt hand tools (never power tools) and proceed cautiously. If an electrical line is marked in that area, use insulated equipment and tools to prevent electric shock.

Always ensure the plants you want to grow are not on the invasive species list for your area.

Note: Always call 811 to mark the public underground utilities before digging in your yard. Remember to mark private lines that the 811 service won’t cover — read more about it in our guide, “How to Landscape Around Buried Cable Lines.”

Types of plants to grow above utility lines

Turfgrass

Good news for homeowners who love a lush, green lawn! Turf is excellent for growing on top of utility lines, but be careful when preparing the area and planting the grass. TV and internet cables can be less than 6 inches deep and easily damaged by sharp tools. 

Choose a low-maintenance turf adapted to your climate that can grow with your yard’s sun exposure. Low-mow and no-mow options such as buffalograss, centipedegrass, and Zoysia tenuifolia are ideal, but you also can choose other species. Use the following guides to help you decide:

• “Low-Maintenance Grasses as Grass Alternatives”
• “An Ultimate Guide to Grass Types”
• “Best Shade Grass Seed”

Groundcovers

Shallow-rooted groundcovers are smart options for landscaping above utility lines. They’re easy to maintain, don’t require mowing, and many make colorful flowers that support beneficial insects. Here are a few examples that fit the installation around service lines:

• Moss phlox (Phlox subulata)
• Yellow sundrops (Calylophus spp.)
• Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)
• Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum)
• Spotted deadnettle (Lamium maculatum)

For more examples of groundcovers you can add to your yard, read our articles:

• “Best Ground Covers for Foot Traffic”
• “Best Ground Covers as Grass Alternatives”
• “9 Best Drought-Tolerant Ground Covers”

Flowering perennial bulbs

Perennial bulbs grow beautiful flowers yearly, making your yard a fragrant, colorful meadow. However, since bulbs require digging, we recommend precaution when planting them near utility lines. You can install them in raised beds or containers to avoid digging the ground. 

Some examples of flowering bulbs to consider:

• Belladonna lily (Amaryllis belladonna)
• Daffodil (Narcissus spp.)
• Tulip (Tulipa spp.)
• Dahlia (Dahlia spp.)
• Garden hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis L.)
• Snowdrop (Galanthus spp.)

Learn how to plant bulbs in your garden from Lawn Love’s “A Complete Guide to Planting Spring Bulbs in Fall.”

Ornamental grasses and sedges

Ornamental grasses and sedges have exciting textures and striking colors that can turn your yard into a prairie landscape year-round. The best species for landscaping over utility lines are those recommended for planting above septic drain fields, such as:

• Bicknell’s sedge (Carex bicknellii)
• Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium)
• Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) 
• Indian wood oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
• June grass (Koeleria macrantha) 
• Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) 
• Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)
• Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) 
• Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
• Texas sedge (Carex texensis)
• Three-flower melic grass (Melica nitens)

Some species, like big bluestem or pampas grass, grow very tall and have an equally impressive root system covering buried cables and pipes in a dense network. Avoid them.

Wildflowers

Colorful, pollinator-friendly, easy-to-grow wildflowers are a good option for the area surrounding the utility lines. They look pretty in any part of your outdoor space, including along the fence or as a centerpiece in the front yard.

Here are some beautiful wildflowers you can plant around the yard where utility lines are marked:

• Azure penstemon (Penstemon azureus)
• Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
• Beach aster (Erigeron glaucus) 
• Oxeye (Heliopsis helianthoides)
• Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida)
• Pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris)
• Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum)
• Field pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta)
• Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa)
• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) 

Look for species adapted to your USDA hardiness zone and can thrive in your garden’s soil type and sun exposure.

Mediterranean herbs

Many (but not all) Mediterranean herbs have shallow roots and are suitable for covering the ground above utility lines, creating an edible garden with delightful scents and colors. A few examples are:

• Thyme (Thymus spp.)
• Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
• Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) – plant between utility lines; has a deep taproot but won’t extend sidewise much
• Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)
• Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
• Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)

If you live in a warm climate where many of these herbs are perennials, you might not want to risk digging them out for service line repairs. Instead of planting them into the soil, consider installing a container garden. Their shallow roots make it easy to thrive in pots.

What to avoid growing over buried service lines

Trees and large shrubs — Their roots are woody, tough, and reach all directions, threatening nearby cables and pipelines, especially sewage and water lines.

“Roots can penetrate cracked tile or loose pipe junctions and are the item most frequently found in drain and sewer pipes. In addition to clogging sewer lines and septic systems, the expanding tree roots can lift or crush sewer lines or cables,” explain experts from the University of Idaho.

Tall ornamental grasses — The taller the grass, the deeper the roots. For example, big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) roots can grow up to 8 feet deep, and the pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) root system can grow 11 feet deep. Pick smaller species with shallow roots when choosing ornamental grasses for the area above and around buried service lines.

Plants with thorns and spikes around utility boxes — Meter boxes, pad-mounted transformers, power pedestals, and other utility boxes might be installed along the area you want to plant. All require easy and safe access.

You can plant around them, but avoid dense shrubbery or plants with spines and thorns that can make servicing difficult. Learn more about what you can grow from our guide, “Best Landscaping Ideas to Hide Utility Boxes.”

FAQ about planting above utility lines

Can you plant a shrub over a gas line?

According to the Pacific Gas and Electric Company, small and medium shrubs should be planted at least 5 feet away from the edge of the pipeline. If you want to plant large shrubs or small trees, choose spots at least 10 to 14 feet from the pipeline.

How deep are utility lines installed?

• Cable lines, phone lines, and outdoor lighting wires are 12 inches deep or less.
• Sewage, electric, fiber optic, and residential gas lines are installed 18 to 24 inches deep.
• High-voltage cables, water lines, and large sewer lines are 36 inches deep or more.

Water and sewage lines might be closer to the surface in the South. In northern states, they are buried deeper, below the freeze line. 

Can you build a vegetable garden above utility lines?

Vegetables require lots of digging and weeding, increasing the risk of damaging buried utility lines at some point. If you don’t have any other space for a vegetable garden, install raised garden beds to avoid digging and tilling the soil above the utility lines. Check more ideas in our article “16 Vegetable Garden Ideas for Your Backyard.”

Ask a landscaping professional before you decide

Professional landscapers know which plants are better suited for delicate areas in your yard, such as buried utility lines. Take advantage of their experience. With Lawn Love, you can find a top-rated landscaping company near you and get your yard into its best shape ever!

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