Is your lawn edged well? Did you know that having the grass in your lawn looking green and lush is not enough for a beautiful look?
Well, apart from the vibrancy of your garden, you need to ensure that it looks neat as well, and this is good for the aesthetics of your lawn.
This is where lawn edging comes in. It’s very important for you to spare some time and effort to trim the edges of your lawn in a way that it will appear tidy and healthy.
You also need to do a professional job so that you do not keep on getting back to the same thing.
How to Edge a Lawn in 7 Simple Steps!
If you’ve never done this before, don’t worry because these steps will show you how to edge a lawn in the simplest way possible:
Step 1: Begin by Mowing your Lawn
The first thing you have to do when edging your lawn is to mow it. It’s through this that you’ll be able to establish the right height for your grass before you trim the edges of your lawn.
Essentially, you shouldn’t cut grass too low or too high. If you’re not careful with this first step, you might end up with a lawn full of bare patches, which isn’t a good sight to watch.
Remember, you want your garden to look beautiful and healthy. Ideally, make sure that you don’t cut more than 1/3 of your grass blades. This is enough to maintain a lush garden look.
If you’re still in need of a good Lawn Mower, we have several buyer guides on this website dedicated to helping you with that decision, so have a look around!
Step 2: Establish Where You’ll make the Edges
If this is your first time edging your lawn, it’s prudent that you mark your path so that you do it properly.
Marking the path means that you are going to edge the appropriate parts of the lawn only.
You can make your markings using tape or a rope to show you precisely where you’ll be making the trimming.
Similarly, you can still opt to use spray paint but you better be careful because if the weather is windy, you might not get the results you desire.
Step 3: Select Your Preferred Edger
For you to do a perfect job and do it in the manner that meets your needs, you have to use the right tool, right?
That is why you have to take time to choose the edger that will do a good job for your specific lawn. Fundamentally, different lawns will require specific tools depending on various factors.
The question you need to ask yourself here is whether you need to work faster or you want to have more control in your edging. This question brings us to the two types of tools you should know about-the power and the manual edger.
- If you want to do the job as fast as you can, you should go for the power option.
- If you want to have more control in the process, the better option is manual.
* Power Edger: String trimmer
This is a power edger you can use to make the edges of your lawn look more orderly. It can be in various forms including: electric, gas, corded, or cordless.
It has a spinning head that cuts grass and weeds as well. If you want the trimmers that are conveniently portable, the cordless ones are the best. In addition, if your lawn is big, gas trimmers will do well.
It’s also of interest to note that electric trimmers are the best option when it comes to environmental friendliness.
* Manual Edgers
Manual edgers will need more effort from you and you will take longer than a power option. However, as far as you can, manual options can be more consequential.
The main advantage with them is that you will be more accurate in your edging, and you will avoid making errors. There are various manual edgers you can choose from:
- Dual wheel rotary edgers
- Edging sheers-It’s good for doing touch-ups. If you need to remove any excess grass from the edges of your lawn, this is the best tool.
- Landscaping edgers
When choosing the manual edgers, be sure to check the reviews available online as they will inform you of the best decision to make for your lawn edging options.
Step 4: Ensure You Have Your Safety Gear On
It’s important for you to protect yourself as you undertake this exercise. The specific safety gears that you should put on include: a pair of gloves, a face mask, and a pair of safety glasses. The gloves should protect your hands as you trim grass.
A face mask should protect your nose and mouth just in case you are sensitive to the particles flying during the process. Lastly, the pair of glasses offers protection to your eyes against grass, pollen, and any other fragments.
Step 5: Edge the Perimeter
Once you’ve put on the required safety equipment, it’s now time for you to start edging your lawn.
A very important point to remember here is to ensure that you don’t cut any electrical wires or connections of whatever kind, if any.
If you’re not very experienced in lawn edging, before you go any further, it’s wise if you do some practice. The best way to do a practice edge is by edging a section of your lawn that isn’t visible.
The reason why you should do some practice is so that you can know how the movements should be as you edge around the perimeter. Learn how you should use your edger below:
* String Trimmer
Ensure that its head is vertical, at an angle of180 degrees and the deflector shied faces your body.
You can now walk as you edge. This should be a simple exercise as you maintain your arms in a straight position and move deliberately.
You should be moving left to right as you trim the grass.
This formula should give you a straight edge.
Cutting the grass about 2 inches deep will be enough for a neat lawn edge.
* Manual Edger
Push the edger down into the ground with your feet and drive the rounded edge into the grass 2-3 inches.
Make sure that the edger is straight for the edging to be precise. Move the edge to and fro then pull the handle back up gently.
Repeat the process for the rest of the lawn until you achieve your desired outcomes.
Step 6: Get Rid of Loose Turf
As you continue with the edging, the cut turf and loose soil will remain on the surface. You need to remove it as you move along the perimeter.
The value of doing this is that you will be having a clear picture of how the edging process is moving on.
If you notice that there’s a part that you haven’t done that well, you can go back and do it again to your satisfaction.
Once you are through with the perimeter and you’ve removed the cut turf, check again to ensure that there is uniformity in your edges.
If there is any section that will require some more work, make sure you go over it again before you put down your tools.
Step 7: Clean Up the Tools
It’s now time for you to clean up your tools after the lawn edging process. Before putting your tools away, you should clean them and follow the maintenance procedures required of them.
This will help in keeping your tools in optimal conditions for future use.
Especially for the power-controlled edger, you should check the manufacturer’s manual to make sure that you do it right.
Generally, after every lawn edging exercise, you should clean up the blades of your tools. For a quality clean up, you can use a stiff brush to remove any soil and grass residue accumulated during the edging process.
If the residue dries and hardens on the surface of the tools, it might prove difficult for you to use them on the next edging period.
Maintain your Lawn
After having done such a great job, the next thing you need to do is to ensure that you maintain your lawn in the best shape possible, and for the longest time possible. Maintainance of the lawn is a matter of paramount importance.
This means that you have to keep monitoring the edges to ensure that they are growing uniformly. As you take care of your lawn by watering it, check also the progress of the edges.
Don’t allow them to grow beyond the recommended size. In short, what this means is that you have to regularly do a lawn edge to keep it neat and healthy.
Remember, your lawn space is one of the first things that visitors see when they enter your home. So, edging it should be a priority.