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If you’ve never edged a lawn before, don’t worry—we’ll teach you how to get the neatest, nicest edges around your walkways and garden beds.
ByBrenda WoodsUpdated 02/07/2024
Your lawn may be a beautiful expanse of lush, green grass, but if you haven’t edged properly, it won’t look all that great. If you don’t take a little time and effort, the strip of grass lining your walkways and skirting yourdrivewayand flower beds will look sloppy.
But there’s good news. If you want a well-manicuredlawnthat’s easier to maintain, you just need to follow a few simple steps. This Old House will show you how to edge your lawn with a complete, easy-to-follow guide.
Once your lawn is nice and polished, if you want to keep it healthy, consider hiring a professional lawn care company likeTruGreen. With five annual plans, TruGreen covers everything from fertilization to aeration. If you’d like a free quote from TruGreen, call1-866-817-2287or fill out thissimple form.
Step 1: Mow The Grass
Whenever you edge your lawn, you should always start off bymowing. That way, you’ll know how short or tall to trim your grass along the edges of your lawn. A general rule of thumb—never cut more than ⅓ of your grass blades at a time. You don’t want to cut your grass too low, or “scalp” it. That can result in bare patches and weak grassroots.
Step 2: Plan The Path
Especially if this is your first time edging, it’s a good idea to delineate your planned path with tape, a hose, or rope to show you where you’ll make your edging cuts. Don’t be tempted to use spray paint—it could get windy, or you may miss.
But if you are simply edging along sidewalks and don’t feel this is necessary, you can skip it altogether.
Step 3: Choose An Edger
Now, it’s time to choose your edger—power or manual. Power edgers, like string trimmers, will get the job done faster, but manual edgers will give you more control.
String Trimmers
Manual Edgers
String trimmers are often used as edgers, and some are called trimmers/edgers. These lightweight power tools can come in electric, gas, corded, or cordless form. They feature a long shaft with a spinning head at the bottom. The spinning head uses a monofilament string to create centrifugal force that cuts through grass andweeds.
Gas trimmers work best for large lawns, and electric trimmers are more environmentally friendly. Cordless trimmers are portable and lightweight, and run on batteries.
There are different kinds of manual edgers. They require you to put more effort in, and the work often takes longer, but can be more precise.
- Landscaping Edgers: These have a 3-4 foot shaft with a half-moon steel blade at the bottom, with footrests on either side. These are best used for removing grass and sod growing over a pathway or driveway, or for removing turf next to aflower bed. There are also manual edgers with wooden shafts, which are lighter than their steel counterparts.
- Dual Wheel Rotary Edgers: Dual wheel rotary edgers feature serrated blades attached to one side of a rubber wheel. That side slices through grass growing over the edges of driveways and walkways, while the other wheel rolls along the grass.
- Edging Shears: Edging shears are primarily used for touch-ups. Homeowners use them to remove any excess turf from their lawn’s edge.
Step 4: Put On Safety Gear
Put on a sturdy pair of gloves and a pair of safety glasses to shield your eyes from grass, pollen, and any debris. You can also wear a face mask to protect your nose and mouth if you are sensitive to allergens.
Step 5: Edge The Perimeter
Now, the edging begins. Before you get started, make sure you know where any electrical wires, plumbing pipes, or other buried hazards may be. You don’t want to risk cutting into them with your edger, so make sure to give them a wide berth.
You may want to do a practice edge to get familiar with the movements. We recommend doing that in a part of your lawn that isn’t too visible, or your backyard.
Edging With A String Trimmer
Edging With A Manual Edger
You’ll want to flip the head of the trimmer 180 degrees, making it vertical, with the deflector shield facing toward your body. Walk on the hard surface of the walkway or driveway as you edge.
The form you should take is simple. Keep your arms straight, engage your core, and move your body with deliberate movements, keeping the string trimmer level. This will give you the straightest edge. Be mindful of the direction your string trimmer spins, and move accordingly. Most of them spin the string clockwise, so you should move left to right while trimming—the trimmings will fall back onto the lawn.
For power edgers and manual edgers, cut just about 2 inches deep.
Using a manual edger is a lot like using a shovel. Drive it straight down into the ground with your feet, so the lip at the bottom touches the soil. Make sure it’s completely straight—that will make your edge more defined. Rock the edger side-to-side, then gently pull the handle back up.
Step 6: Check For Jagged Areas
Shovel up loose soil, turf, or mulch periodically as you go along, and place it in a wheelbarrow. Once you do this, you have a good sense of your edging—and can tell if there are any jagged areas you may need to go over again.
Step 7: Edge Garden Beds
Manual edgers may be your best bet when edging along curvedgardenbeds, since they can create more fluid edges. Mark the area you want to edge, and follow the same steps for manual edging a perimeter. Go slow and steady, with deliberate movement.
Step 8: Prune and Trim Shrubs and Bushes
Once your perimeter and curved pathways are taken care of, take your edging shears and prune your shrubs and bushes. Going in small, regular sections will help make the shapes even.
Step 9: Clean Up Debris
After you’ve finished edging, use a stiff brush to clean all grass, soil, and residue from your trimmer, edger, or edging shears. If any debris dries and hardens, it will make it difficult to use the equipment the next time around.
Step 10: Maintain Your Lawn
After all that work, you’ll want to keep your lawn in tip-top shape. This Old House Reviews Team recommends hiring a professional lawn care company likeTruGreento handle your routinefertilization,aeration,weed control, and more.
TruGreen offers five different annual plans to choose from across every state except for Alaska. To get a free quote from TruGreen, call1-866-817-2287or fill out thissimple form.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to edge a lawn?
The best way to edge your lawn is to follow these 10 simple steps, starting with mowing and ending with maintenance. Be sure to choose the best edger—or edgers—for your lawn for the best results. Always try to walk on the hard surface, like your driveway or walkway, as you edge.
What is the best tool for edging a lawn?
There are a variety of tools to edge your lawn, from power edgers like string trimmers to manual edgers with half moon blades to even edging shears. The best tool will depend on your budget, the amount of time you have, and the shape of the edges you need to create.
How do I manually edge my lawn?
Treat your manual edger as you would a shovel. Drive it gently down into the ground, keeping it as straight as possible, with your feet, until the lip meets the soil. Rock the edger side-to-side, then gently pull the handle up to make your edge.
How can I edge my lawn without an edger?
You can start by lowering the cutting blade on your lawn mower and shave cleanly down your lawn. Then, you can install permanent lawn edging, often made of rubber or steel. Another option is laying down lawn edgingpavers, which you place in a prepared trench.
Our Rating Methodology
The This Old House Reviews Team backs up our lawn recommendations with a detailed rating methodology that we use to objectively score each provider. We review lawn care plans and packages, navigate the provider website and speak with customer service representatives, request quotes, and analyze customer reviews for each provider. We then score the provider against our review standards for plan options, additional benefits and customizability, availability, trustworthiness, and customer service to arrive at a final score out of 100.
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