Getting the Most Out of Your Lawn Edger
Do you really need a lawn edger? That really depends upon the size of your garden, the number of flower beds and hardscape areas around which you would want to edge. You can use an edger for more than edging the lawn. It is great for edging around flower beds, and for preparing planting beds. Edgers are different than string trimmers, which cut weeds with a rapidly spinning piece of nylon cord. Edgers have a thin, steel blade that rotates rapidly, slicing into the ground.Why Edge?
Using an edger puts the finishing touches on a lawn. Mowing regularly is a key component of a healthy lawn care strategy. Edging is what makes the lawn look crip, clean and finished. For warm season grasses that spread via rhizomes or stolons, creating clean edge, especially an edge that goes at least three inches below the soil line, will keep the grass from encroaching into flower beds, growing over the driveway or sidewalks. Some lawn grass types are fast growers. The edge will slow down the onslaught a bit. Flower beds look nicer, and stay healthier, with an angled trench edge around them. The trench provides a place for water to run so that beds do not become over-saturated in heavy rains. Mulch can collect in the trench and be re-shoveled into the beds if it washes out, as well. The trench will help keep grass from growing into the beds, and makes it easier to tuck straw-type mulches such as pine straw.Preparing to Edge
The best way to keep your lawn edger in good shape is to thoroughly prepare the area you plan to edge. Remove any twigs, branches or rocks from the area. Not only will these quickly dull your blade, they can also break the blade, or spray up toward you, which can cause injury. Depending upon where you want to edge, you might need to adjust the settings of the blade to cut to a certain depth. When operating an electric lawn edger, you should always wear protective gear-eye glasses or goggles, closed-toe shoes, and long pants.Edging
Most edgers have a guide wheel that will help you keep the edger straight as you push it along the concrete, brick or asphalt edge. Unlike edging along flower beds, when you want to cut at an angle to create a trench, you will want to hold the edger straight up and down against the hard surface. Edging is more to keep grass from growing over and into the patio, sidewalk or driveway, and less about creating a trench. Creating a deep trench around a walking path can actually create a bit of a safety hazard.Electric Lawn Edgers vs. Gas Powered Edgers
If you are considering purchasing a lawn edger, you will need to choose between a gas powered edger or an electric lawn edger. For an electric edger with the power of a gas powered edger, you need an edger with a cord. That being said, if you have an edger with a cord, you need to be VERY careful and pay attention to where the cord is at all times so that you do not cut through it or electrocute yourself! An electric edger works well for people with small yards, and all surfaces to be edged are less than 100 feet from an electrical outlet. They are also usually less expensive than gas powered varieties. For people with a large yard, or lots of surfaces to be edged, with many situated away from outlets, a gas powered edger will be easier to manager. To keep your lawn looking lovely, don't skip the step of finishing your weekly mowing with a lawn edger.
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