How to Edge a Lawn in 10 Easy Steps

How to Edge a Lawn?

Edging can be done on any lawn to separate different parts of the lawn. Edging your garden will make it look neater and more attractive. It will also give you more room for maneuvering around flowerbeds, trees, or other features in your garden.

Tools Required for a Successful Lawn Edging

• Lawn Edger
• Pruning Shears
• Weed Wacker
• Garden Spade
• Garden Hose

Steps to Edge Lawn

1:  Mow the Grass

A general rule of thumb when edging your lawn is that you shouldn’t cut more than ⅓ at a time. If done too low, scalping can happen which results in bare patches and weak grassroots – not attractive for those who want their yards looking their best.

2:  Plan the Path

Edging is a great way to make sure you have nice, straight lines. If this will be your first time edging and marking out new beds in the yard, mark out an area with rope or garden hose where cut marks can be made beforehand. So, that they are not missed when cutting edges next go along them later on (you’ll edge between these guides).

Some people spray paint their path but it’s more trouble than it’s worth if things get messy from overspray. Just keep everything tidy with basic tools like painter’s tape which doesn’t require any special skills.

3:  Choose an Edger

Now, it’s time to choose your edger—power or manual. Manual devices will give you more control and are much slower but still work just fine for most people who have a small yard with few obstacles in their path. However, electric lawn edgers can be less expensive than gas models.

• Power Edging

For power edging, assume a good stance that allows you to walk forward slowly while firmly controlling the path of your lawnmower. Engaging your core and watching how upright posture will keep you in better control.

If new or unsure about this technique make sure to practice first on an imaginary yard so as not to make mistakes when performing for all those people who are waiting outside their house holding up blueprints with sharp things next time around.

Go slow because going too fast means there are more chances they’ll go away which could lead to cutting off parts of the grass instead.

• Manual Edging

With manual edging, you can use a tool that looks like a shovel with a half-moon blade. Firmly but gently push it in and turn left to right or vice versa for your cut mark.

So, as not to strain back muscles when making an overlapping bit of furrowed space between rows on either side.

4:  Safety Gears

It’s time to get messy. Wear gloves and safety glasses to protect you from grass, pollen, and debris. If you have sensitive skin use a mask for additional protection or simply breathe deep when doing yard work outside.

5:  Perimeters

Before you get started make sure to know where any electrical wires or plumbing pipes may be buried in your lawn and give them a wide berth when using this tool as it can cause serious damage if not used properly. And make sure to cut only 2 inches deep.

It’s also recommended that before doing so while practicing on an area of land without too many eyes-on watching over what we do; just like how our grandparents did with spades when planting flowers back into their garden unseen by others.

6:  Loose the Soil

Shovel up loose soil, turf, or mulch periodically as you go along and place it in a wheelbarrow once your edging is clear. Once this happens then know that any jagged areas will be visible to see if have need more touching up work on them before they’re fully complete.

7:  Correcting the Lines

Cutting turf is a tedious process, but it’s worth the effort. Make sure you periodically remove cut pieces from your lawn so that you can keep up with making clean lines and correcting any imperfections along the way.

8:  Edging Garden Beds

If you’re edging your garden beds, grab the spade and deepen cut edges to about 4-6 inches. If they are sunken flower bedding then choose the depth that works aesthetically for them; some prefer 90-degree angles while others go with an angle pierce into the bottom from inside enclosures.

So, it will be easier to remove grass later on down when necessary.

9:  Prune and Trim Shrubs and Bushes

Pruning your bushes and shrubs can also be a great way to shape them. Take the time with this step, going in small regular sections will ensure that they’re all even when you are done.

10:  Maintenance

After you’ve finished edging, use a stiff brush to clean all of the grass and soil from your trimmer. If any debris dries or hardens it will make it difficult next time around. This will help you to maintain your lawn for a longer time.

Read: Best Cordless Lawn Edgers Reviews

FAQs

What is the Best Way to Edge Your Lawn?

One popular way to edge a lawn is by using a manual edger. This is a handheld tool that you use to cut a clean line between your lawn and your garden or other landscaping features. If you have a lot of flower beds and mulch beds, you can use an edger to clean up the edge.

How to Manually Edge a Lawn?

Although edging a lawn is not typically a necessary step, it can help to give your lawn a neater and more polished appearance. If you have the time and inclination, here are some tips on how to manually edge a lawn:

1. Begin by inspecting the area around your lawn for any obstacles or objects that may need to be moved before you begin edging.
2. Next, use a spade or shovel to cut a narrow trench around the edge of your lawn. Make sure to angle the trench so that it slopes away from the lawn, as this will help to direct rainwater and runoff away from your property.
3. Once you have created the trench, use an edger to cut away the turf and weeds along the edge of the trench. Be careful not to cut too deeply, as you don’t want to damage your lawn’s root system.
4. Finally, use a rake or broom to smooth out the edges of your lawn and remove any excess soil or debris. Congratulations – you have just manually edged your lawn.

How to Edge a Lawn without a Lawn Edger?

Edging a lawn is an important part of lawn care, but it can be difficult to do without the right tools. If you don’t have a lawn edger, don’t worry. There are a few ways to edge your lawn without one.

One way to edge your lawn is to use a shovel. Start by digging a trench along the edge of your lawn. This trench should be about two inches deep and will help you guide where you are cutting. You can then use a trowel or other similar tool to cut into the grass along this path.

If you don’t want to dig too far out from your existing line, an alternative is to use a hand spade or spade shovel to cut grass out in small sections, removing it with a garden fork.

If you’re looking at maintaining the edge of your lawn but not doing any major edging work (e.g., creating straight lines), this method is suitable for you.

Conclusion

There are a few ways to edge your lawn. You can use an edger, which is a small power tool with sharp blades on the front and back. This will cut close to the ground and leave a crisp line of grass along sidewalks and driveways.

If you don’t want to purchase or rent an expensive piece of equipment, you could also try using string trimmers in order to make these cuts manually by running them along the edges of walkways or other landscaping features. When doing this yourself, be careful not to get too close – about 6 inches is usually enough space between where you’re trimming at one end and where you start again at the other end for safety reasons.