Trees growing in lawns may be severely injured by slight but repeated injuries to the bark from lawn mowers or string trimmers. Lawn mower blades and trimmer strings may also slice through the bark into the wood. Nutrients and water cannot pass through the damaged part of the trunk to reach the top of the tree. In severe cases, young trees are killed. These wounds are often entry points for disease-producing organisms that may also kill the tree.
Prune off dying twigs and branches, and fertilize with a balanced fertilizer. To prevent additional damage to the trunk, kill all grass around the base of the tree with an herbicide. Or install a tree guard to eliminate the need for edging and trimming grass around the trunk.
