Learning how to edge lawns is easy. First, choose your preferred tool: a string trimmer, manual edger, or rotary edger. Then, walk straight, cutting 2 inches deep along your lawn’s border.
By using an edger along borders, you create crisp, clean lines that prevent grass from encroaching onto sidewalks and beds. This physical barrier not only enhances curb appeal but also makes mowing easier and prevents tripping hazards from overgrown edges. Regular edging maintains these sharp boundaries effortlessly.
But first, familiarize yourself with the nuances of edging in our guide. Using personal experience, rigorous research, and expert advice, our article clarifies the dos and don’ts of lawn edging.
| Average cost: $220 for a string trimmer, $30 for a manual edger Time to edge ¼ acre: 10 minutes for a string trimmer, 60 minutes for a manual edger Skill level: Beginner for both types of edgers |
Step 1: Select your edging tools and supplies
First, select your edger. There are manual and power tools. The most popular types of edgers are string trimmers, manual edgers, and rotary edgers.
| Power Tools | Manual Tools |
| ● A lot less elbow grease ● Faster ● String trimmers also trim tall grass | ● Cheaper ● Better precision ● Need a manual edger to cut new edges |
String Trimmer
- Best for: Maintaining lawn edges
- Cutting mechanism: String fed through the trimmer head
- How it works: The string rapidly rotates, cutting grass in its path
- Power: Gas, battery, or corded electric
String trimmers are the most popular lawn edging tool. The best string trimmers for edging around pavement have straight shafts, and curved shaft models are better for landscaping borders.
Manual edger
- Best for: Edging out new areas
- Cutting mechanism: Half-moon shaped blade (some have a spiked edge or pointed tip)
- How it works: Push it into the ground to cut into the earth.
- Power: Manual
You need a manual edger to tear out turf for new edges. For example, I’ve used them to create garden beds, playgrounds, and a mulched area around a statue.
I’ve never used a manual edger to maintain an entire lawn, nor do I want to. It’d take a ton of time, muscle, and sweat. However, they provide better precision around curved edges. Thus, perfectionists prefer them for edging around trees and rounded flower beds.
My tip: Be sure to drink plenty of water while using a manual edger.
Rotary edger
- Best for: Maintaining lawn edges
- Cutting mechanism: Spikey, cowboy spur-shaped blade
- How it works: The blade spins, cutting grass in its path.
- Power: Manual, battery, corded, or gas
Rotary edgers can be a stand-alone tool or a string trimmer attachment. The latter is more popular. An edging blade is more durable than string, so some people use them around features that easily snap string. It’s also easier for beginners to cut crisp edges with a blade.
Additional supplies
- Hand shears are handy for trimming runaway strands of tall grass around curves.
- To create new edges, you’ll need a guide to mark where to cut. I suggest using one of the following: string and nails, wood 2-by-4s, rope and tent pegs, or a garden hose and tent pegs.
- If you’re removing a large section of turf, I suggest using a sod cutter. You can rent one at Home Depot for $90 to $100 per day.
- When using a string trimmer, pick the best trimmer line for the job. Sided trimmer lines cut cleaner than round, and twisted trimmer lines are more durable along wire fences.
Alternatively, you can hire a pro. Lawn Love connects you to a network of qualified lawn care pros at affordable rates. Our user-friendly website and mobile app make ordering outdoor services as easy as shopping on Amazon.
Step 2: Put on protective gear
Edging gear: Hat with visor, glasses, gloves, Ariat boots / Michelle Selzer
Wear the proper protective gear to prevent injuries from projectile debris, slippery terrain, and loud noise. When edging, you should wear the following:
- Pants to protect your legs
- Vibration-dampening gloves for comfort and stability
- Non-slip shoes to prevent falls
- Safety glasses to prevent injuries, including vision loss
- Hat to shade your face on sunny days, and shelter your head from debris
- Dust mask, especially if you have allergies or use 2-stroke gas tools
- Hearing protection for power tools that are 85 decibels or louder
My tip: My most comfortable non-slip shoes are Keen hiking sneakers, which run about ½ size small. However, I prefer Ariat boots for landscaping.
Step 3: Tidy up turf and tools
Before edging, tidy up your lawn and edging tools. Doing so makes it so much easier to create crisp edges along well-defined boundaries.
Lawn: Before you trim the edges, properly mow your lawn using the one-third rule. Also, remove any debris. Tall grass and debris impede the workflow and your view of the edge. Additionally, debris can damage tools or become a safety hazard when it’s propelled.
Tools: Ensure your edger is clean and dry. It should be free from residue and dirt. It’s best to clean equipment right after edging, like cleaning a frying pan after cooking. However, double-check your tools before you start.
Step 4: Properly plan your edges
Decide where and how you want to edge. Carving out new edges requires a bit more planning than routine maintenance.
Planning new edges
First and foremost, call 811 before you dig. They’ll let you know the location of utility pipes and wires, so you don’t damage them.
Nails and string marking a garden bed / Generated with AI (Gemini) by Michelle Selzer
Next, mark where to cut the new edges with a guide, like the image above. For straight edges, use 2-by-4s or string wrapped around nail stakes to create sided shapes, such as rectangles. For curved edges, I suggest a rope or a garden hose secured with tent pegs to guide curved edges.
Finally, the fun part — figuring out how you want to enhance your new borders. These are my top picks:
- Garden edging: Add beauty and definition to your landscape with garden edging. My favorite types are pavers and stone, but plastic is more affordable.
- Mulch: Besides flower beds, consider a circle of mulch around trees or a statue. It’s also excellent on playgrounds. There are many types of mulch, including organic options.
- Landscape fabric: Adding landscape fabric beneath the mulch prevents weeds from sprouting. There are organic landscape fabric alternatives, but they aren’t as good at preventing weeds.
Read more: Beginner’s Guide to Landscaping
Planning for routine edging
Flat edge vs. sloped edge / Michelle Selzer
Start by deciding the angle of your edges. Flat edges are standard and the easiest angle for beginners. Sloped edges are sometimes preferred along the pavement. Sloped ground cover edges look sharp and are easy to maintain. However, southern centipede and St. Augustine lawns typically don’t retain their aesthetic for long during the summer.
Next, test your power equipment by inspecting the throttle and kill switch, and adjust handles and hand grips to maximize control and comfort. Also, read the user manual carefully and complete recommended safety checks.
If you’re using a string trimmer, note the direction in which its head spins. Most straight-shaft trimmers spin clockwise, and curved-shaft models tend to spin counterclockwise. Also, load the trimmer string.
Step 5: Create new edges within the lawn
First, you only need to do this step if you’re creating new edges. If you’re maintaining existing or overgrown edges, skip to Step 6.
Begin by using a manual edger to carve the perimeter. Securely hold the edger straight and upright. Then, sway it side-to-side as you use your foot to push it into the ground. Next, lift the edger straight out of the ground.
Repeat the above steps until you finish the perimeter. Move slowly, dumping excess grass and soil in a garbage bag or wheelbarrow.
Next, you need to remove turf from the perimeter or an entire area to prepare a flower bed or garden. To remove turf from the perimeter, make a second edged boundary 2 to 4 inches from the first. Use the edger to gently pull up pieces of grass as you slowly move along and repeat the steps above. To carve out an entire area, use a manual edger or sod cutter to remove all of the turf that’s within the area that you outlined.
Step 6: Maintain existing lawn edges
Use a string trimmer, manual edger, or rotary edger to cut about 2 inches deep. Walk in a straight line, using the lawn’s existing edge as a guide. On curved edges, slow down and carefully clip along the curve.
Also, follow general yard work safety tips, which include never starting gas-powered equipment indoors and turning off powered edgers prior to unclogging them.
How to edge with a string trimmer
Trimming a straight edge with a string trimmer / Michelle Selzer
- Make sure there’s 4 to 6 inches of weed eater string on each side of the spool.
- Turn on the trimmer.
- If the head spins clockwise, stand to the left and edge with the left side of the head so the debris flings away from you.
- If the head spins counter-clockwise, stand to the right of the tool, edging with the right side of the head.
- Hold the trimmer head perpendicular to the ground for flat edges.
- Taper sloped edges by holding the head at a 45-degree angle.
- Slowly bring the trimmer to the lawn’s edge.
- Move the trimmer away from your body as you cut.
The video below shows edging along a walkway.
How to edge with a manual edger
To maintain lawn edges with a manual edger, follow the same steps for carving out the perimeter of new edges.
How to edge with a rotary edger
- Hold the handle with both hands.
- Align the blade with the existing lawn edge.
- For manual rotary edgers, do a small section at a time. Roll the blade back and forth until the section is crisply cut. Then, repeat on each subsequent section.
- For string trimmers with an edger attachment, a single straight pass will cleanly cut the lawn’s edge.
FAQ about lawn edging
How often to edge depends on grass type, preference, and the season. Some homeowners edge every time they mow, while others edge monthly. In essence, edge the lawn after mowing when the edges look like they need a trim.
I live in South Georgia, where grass grows like a beanstalk during the hot months. Moreover, it’s hot 75% of the year. Most of my neighbors edge every two weeks, but the edges often look unkempt within a week. This is especially true for turfgrass with sloped edges.
Edging is cutting the lawn along its edge, and trimming reduces the length of tall grass and weeds. A string trimmer edges and trims, but a lawn edger is only used to create crisp edges.
Read more: String Trimmer Vs. Lawn Edger: What’s the Difference?
“A cost-free option to maintain a clean appearance and keep the grass in its place is to cut a 6-inch-deep line between the bed and grass with a spade or shovel. A small scoop shovel leaves the straightest edge. This process needs to be repeated two or three times a year,” says Jerry Goodspeed, an agriculture professor at Utah State University.
A string trimmer maintains lawn edges and trims tall grass and weeds. However, it can’t create new lawn edges. You’ll need a manual edger if you plan to cut a new perimeter within your lawn. Also, manual edgers make crisper curved edges.
I don’t suggest edging a wet lawn, because it’ll be difficult to make clean cuts. Additionally, repeated wet edging damages the lawn and compacts the soil. Similarly, you shouldn’t mow wet grass.
When to call a lawn care pro
Learning how to edge is easy, but perfection takes practice. If you don’t want to wait for a lush lawn with pristine edges, hire a lawn care pro today.
Lawn Love has a network of qualified outdoor pros with affordable rates. We’re selective about who we work with, requiring proof of insurance, a clean background check, and a proven track record of top-notch service. We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee, easy online ordering, and superb customer support.
Sources:
- “Lawn Care & Landscaping: How to Use a Manual Lawn Edger.” By ehowgarden. Youtube.
- “Landscape Edging Concepts.” By Damon Abdl, assistant professor of landscape horticulture, and Jeb Fields, assistant professor & extension specialist. LSU AgCenter.
- “Tips for Edging Your Lawn.” By Jerry Goodspeed, agriculture and natural resources extension professor. Utah State University Extension.
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Main Photo Credit: olrat | Adobe Stock Free | License
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