Benefits

• Septic fields are an excellent source of water and nutrients for plants.Thomas Northcut/Digital Vision/Getty Images
  
  Plantings over top of a septic field can be beneficial to the successful operation of the septic process. Plants help to reduce erosion, control oxygen exchange and serve to absorb excess moisture and nutrients.
  
  

Precautions

• Tree roots can cause costly repairs to septic fields.Marty Melville/Getty Images News/Getty Images
  
  You should not plant trees and shrubs over top of septic fields. Their root systems can penetrate the leach bed, membrane and pipes. This can lead to clogging, backups and flooding. For health concerns, food crops should also not grow over top of septic fields.
  
  

Recommendations

• Know the average size of a plant's root system before planting it above a septic field.Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
  
  If possible, turf grass is the best solution over septic fields. If you desire something more decorative, bulbs, herbaceous perennials or annuals are all safe to plant. Any plant that has a shallow root system can sustain planting over top of a septic field.