7 Landscaping Tips to Make Mowing So Much Easier

Get ready for a great-looking lawn in less time than it currently takes you to mow. A few simple landscaping adjustments can make a huge difference in making it easier to mow your lawn. Whether you're steering a riding mower or using a push mower over your turf, the following landscaping tips will make mowing your lawn easier and even more enjoyable. Plus, your lawn will likely get a better cut when obstacles are removed and rough edges are smoothed.

1. Limb Up Trees

Low-hanging tree limbs make for lots of dodging and ducking as you try to pilot your mower under the canopy. Reduce this mowing hassle with selective pruning. Remove the lowest hanging limbs so you can comfortably mow around the trunk.

Winter is the best time to prune trees; leafless branches make it easy to assess the tree’s structure. Remove low-hanging limbs of small trees, such as crabapples, redbuds, and crape myrtles, back to the main stem or trunk. Cut limbs on large shade trees that are in the way back to a major branch. Make a clean cut and do not apply a wound dressing; the tree will quickly seal the cut.

2. Smooth Out the Terrain

Low spots and divots make for a less-than-comfortable experience on a riding lawn mower and yield an uneven cut, no matter the type of lawn mower you are using. Create an even or slightly undulating mowing surface by filling holes and low spots in the turf.

Spring or fall is the optimal time to tackle lawn renovation like this. Fill low spots with high-quality topsoil. Tamp the soil in place and scatter grass seed over the surface. Very lightly rake the seed into the soil and water regularly in the absence of rain until the grass is established.

3. Create Large Circles Around Trees

Mowing tight circles around tree trunks takes time, slowing the rhythm of mowing. Increase the size of the circle and you’ll decrease the time it takes to mow around a tree. Use a sharp spade to remove the grass growing in a 6- to 8-foot diameter circle around the trunk of a tree. Be careful to only remove the turf and its shallow root zone—tree roots are often growing in the top several inches of soil.

Next, blanket the area with a 2-inch-thick layer of mulch, such as shredded bark, leaf mold, compost, or pine straw. Keep the mulch from touching the trunk of the tree to prevent disease.

Planting shade-tolerant groundcovers in the grassless region is another great option. The area under a tree canopy is often dry, so select drought-tolerant groundcovers such as deadnettle, barrenwort, lungwort, and Allegheny spurge, a native pachysandra species.

4. Create Gentle Curves

Sharp corners in the landscape are challenging to mow quickly and effectively. These tight spaces usually require a string trimmer to get a clean cut. Replace sharp corners on landscape beds and borders with gentle curves.

Expand the bed edge slightly to make a natural curve that your mower navigates with ease. Not only do curving bed edges make mowing easier, but they also protect the plants inside the bed because the mower deck is less likely to creep into the bed when making a turn.

5. Add a Mowing Strip

Installed around the perimeter of landscape beds, mowing strips are usually made of brick, concrete, or stone pavers. They define the bed edge and keep grass from encroaching. They also provide a narrow, flat surface to run a lawn mower. When installing mowing strips, make sure they are level for easy mower access.

6. Rely on Groundcovers

Turfgrass is not the best answer for some landscape situations. Hard-to-mow areas, such as steep slopes, call for groundcovers. Instead of blanketing the slope with a lawn that requires weekly attention, plant a groundcover that requires infrequent care. There are hundreds of perennial and low-growing shrub groundcover plants, including short ornamental grasses that provide thick, dense cover, control erosion, and choke out weeds while enhancing the overall landscape. Choose species native to your area, such as little bluestem, for added ecosystem benefit.

7. Plant in Groups

For quick and easy mowing, aim to create an uninterrupted swath of turf. Single plants dotted here and there in the landscape are mowing obstacles. Incorporate single plants in planting beds with gently curving outlines. Embrace a design strategy that focuses on grouping plants in drifts or mass plantings. Employing this strategy not only makes mowing easier but also gives your landscape a more cohesive appearance.