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How to Edge a Lawn

Lowe's Editorial Team

By Lowe's Editorial Team
Published December 2, 2024

Lawn edging can be an integral task in your regular lawn maintenance routine. This is because it can make your lawn look more presentable and clean. In this article, we’ll learn how to edge lawns in a few easy steps.

Why Edge Your Lawn

Edging your lawn involves digging a shallow ditch between the grass and the flower beds, as well as a ​​​​walkway and driveway, which brings several benefits. These are:

  • Edging creates clear boundaries between ​​​​beds, pathways, drives, lawns and grass. It prevents ​​​​weeds from spreading beyond intended areas. This keeps edges crisp and well-maintained.
  • It prevents grass and weeds from taking up space and resources from other crops that may be planted in the same region. This assists in growing a better grass cover, as you desire. 
  • It enhances the general appearance of your lawn and garden. When the edges are neat, the lawn appears neat and clean.

Types of Edging Tools

There are various lawn edging tools to choose from. Some of the most common ones are:

1. Hand Edgers

These tools contain a sharp blade to cut the edge of the lawn. Some of them are half-moon edgers, v-blade edgers and stick edgers. Hand edgers are tough but provide the maximum amount of control.

2. Power Edgers

These edging tools are usually gas or electrically operated machines that employ rotating blades to form neat edges. They enable easy edging in the least time possible.

3. Lawn Edging

This uses plastic or steel strips around the lawn to set boundaries from ​​​​surrounding areas. This kind of edging helps control weed and grass growth.

How to Edge Lawn

You can begin your edging lawn process in a few easy steps. Here is a simple guide to edging your lawn:

When to Edge Your Lawn

Your lawn grows throughout the year. However, the best time to edge can vary from season to season. The best times to edge your lawn are:

  • Spring: This is an excellent time to edge alongside the lawns because it outlines the lawn areas for the growth season.
  • Mid-summer: Rain usually starts occurring during mid-summer, which can lead to an increase in growth rate. This makes it a suitable period to edge your lawn.
  • Late summer: The final edging of the season takes place before winter. This will ensure a neat and clean lawn through the cold seasons.

Good to Know

It is recommended to avoid edging in scorching heat and dry weather. They cause tension and lead to dehydration.

How Often Should You Edge Your Lawn

How often your lawn needs edging of grass depends on several factors. These include:

1. Growth rate:

Some types of grass grow faster than others and may require edging monthly. When it is not so fast-growing, it can be edged every 6–8 weeks.

2. Rain and Irrigation:

Since more water leads to faster growth, the lawn requires edging more often when it rains or is irrigated. During rainy seasons, you should increase your frequency to every 4–6 weeks.

3. Additional Trimming:

Additional trimming is often required in spring and summer. During cooler months, reduce the frequency of edging to every 6–8 weeks. 

In addition to edging, mowing also enhances the aesthetics of your lawn, specifically by ensuring a clear definition of areas where planting is done. By putting in​​​​ some effort each month, you can make the landscape look neat and professional. By following the above steps, you can easily edge your lawn in a few steps.

Tip

Generally, it can be suggested to edge the plants every 2–4 weeks during the periods of active plant growth and modify them according to your preference.