Effective Edging Tips

You've finished dethatching, over seeding, aerating, and mowing, yet your neighbors lawn is still the talk of the neighborhood. Chances are your neighbor has consistently edged his driveway, flower beds and other landscaping features. Proper edging can bring an organized and classy look to just about any lawn.
 
There are 2 primary methods for edging. The first is a string trimmer turned on its edge. This method is very common because most home owners already own a string trimmer so there is no financial investment. While this method is fully capable of creating a clean edge, it is best reserved for those with experience. The string trimmer has a tendency to jump around and create uneven lines or even scalp your lawn. In addition, they can send debris flying towards the user.
 
A walk-behind edger is a safer and more effective tool for edging your property. These machines are much easier to use and they create a more consistent edge in a fraction of the time.  A walk behind edger can be used effectively by nearly anyone and in nearly any situation.
 
Regardless of your chosen method, the following tips will help you put the finishing touches on your lawn.
 
1. Make sure to sweep out or otherwise remove the loose soil after edging.  If you don’t clear out the “trench” completely, invasive plants such as dandelions and crabgrass may assume the place of the previously overgrown grass.
 
2. Edging a lawn doesn’t need to be done at every mowing.  However the more frequently it is done, the easier it is since you have less soil and growth to remove.  Subsurface spreading grasses (Rhizomatous) require less frequent edging than surface spreading grasses (Stoloniferous). In warmer climates, Stoloniferous grasses may need to be edged at nearly every mowing
 
3. Edger's (particularly walk behind edger's) make a handy trenching tool for installing low voltage lighting wire/cable.  This method saves a lot of time and effort compared to using a spade or other digging tool. It is also less disruptive to a lawn.
 
4. Move slower around curved surfaces. Despite the ability to edge quickly with a walk behind edger, it is important to take your time on curved edges to keep your edge clean.