How to Put Edging Bricks Around a Tree

Lay a garden hose or rope around the tree where you want the brick edging. This allows you to adjust the shape and width of the edging easily according to your preferences. Ensure that you install the edging far enough from the tree trunk that you won't hit any roots when you dig the trench for the bricks.

Remove any grass from around the base of the tree, all the way to the hose. Use an edger to cut the sod and make it easier to remove it. Be careful to not damage any shallow roots on the tree; some trees die if the roots get damaged.

Dig a flat-bottomed trench about one-third to one-half the depth of the brick, and slightly wider than the thickness of the bricks you will be using for the edging. Tamp down on the soil inside the trench with a 2- by 4-inch piece of wood.

Place the bricks laying lengthwise in the trench, so that the edge is flush with the grass, and flush with the end of the next brick. Ensure that the bricks are level by placing a level across two bricks. Add or remove soil as necessary under the bricks, or tamp down on the brick with a rubber mallet.

Add soil to the back of the bricks, and tamp down on each brick with a rubber mallet. Pack down the soil to help keep the bricks in place.

Add extra soil around the packed down bricks. This helps keep the bricks in place. Place mulch or pine straw around the inside of the edging to help keep the newly exposed soil moist.