How to Cut Your Grass in a Circle Around a Landscape Tree

Mowing grass is a fairly basic process that involves pushing the mower back and forth across the lawn. However, most lawns include trees at various points. It is best to mow around trees in a circular pattern before you mow the bulk of the lawn, so you don't have to break up your back-and-forth flow.

Instructions

1. Situate the mower so the side chute is facing away from the tree. Even if you have a bagger attached, the mower on occasion might throw out a rock or some other debris, and generally it goes in the direction of the side chute.

2. Mow around the tree, starting close to the tree. Go around the tree once slowly so you don't scrape against the trunk. Circle the tree until you get back to the point you started. Mow slightly past this point to ensure that you have mowed an entire circle.

3. Angle the mower slightly away from the tree, and continue around in a circle until your inside tires are on the first circles outside the tire track. Once your tires are in place, you are at the starting point for the second pass around the tree. Mow around the tree to complete a second full circle, coming back to your second starting point. Repeat the process for a third pass around the tree.

Tips & Warnings

• Mowing a circle around your landscape trees provides a buffer zone so you do not have to push or drive the mower straight at the trees as you are going back and forth across the lawn. If you make several circles around the tree, you give yourself enough space to turn the mower when you're cutting rows, so you don't hit the tree with the mower. In addition, mowing first around landscaping allows you to mow the bulk of the lawn later without having to stop and deal with obstacles.

• To prevent any possibility of damage from your lawn mower, consider adding a landscape ring or plant area around the tree to remove grass from the base of the tree.

References

• The Morton Arboretum; Take Care When Mowing Around Trees; Laurie Casey