Edging your lawn is an important part of regular lawn maintenance. A clean, defined edge along sidewalks, driveways, and curbing gives your yard a crisp, manicured look. But how often do you really need to break out the edger? The optimal edging frequency depends on several factors.
When to Edge Your Lawn
As a general guideline you should edge your lawn about once every 7-14 days during the peak growing season. This equates to edging after every mow or every other mowing. Here are some specifics on timing
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Edge after mowing, never before. Edging on longer grass is more difficult and less effective.
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For warm season grasses, edge weekly or biweekly during spring through early fall when growth is most active.
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Cool season grasses can be edged once every 10-14 days during the growing season.
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In winter when grass growth slows, monthly edging is usually adequate.
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More frequent edging may be needed after heavy rain, wind, or other conditions that increase encroachment.
Edging frequency should be adjusted based on how quickly the edges become overgrown in your environment. Check the edges and if grass is creeping more than an inch into hard surfaces, it’s time to edge again.
Factors That Affect Edging Frequency
Several variables impact how often you need to edge your lawn:
Lawn Size
Larger lawns take more time and effort to edge. Limiting edging to every other mowing or once a week is more realistic for large properties. Smaller urban lots can be edged with each mow.
Grass Type
Aggressive spreaders like bermudagrass and zoysia will become overgrown more quickly. Slower growing fescue and ryegrass won’t need edging as often. Consider grass growth habits when scheduling edging.
Edge Type
Clean-cut mechanical edgers allow going longer between edging. String trimmers require more frequent passes to maintain a precise edge, especially in faster growing grasses.
Growth Rate
Environmental factors like adequate moisture, sunlight, and fertilization lead to faster growth and the need for more frequent edging. Slow growth during drought or seasonal dormancy means less edging.
Mowing Height
Maintaining your grass at a lower height of cut means edging needs to be lower as well. This could require edging more often to keep the edge fresh.
Personal Preference
Some homeowners don’t mind grass encroaching on hard surfaces, while others want a perfectly manicured edge. Edge as often as needed to satisfy your own preferences.
Edging Tools
The type of edging tool you use can influence edging frequency due to differences in precision and ease of use.
Manual Edgers
Manual or hand edgers involve a sharp horizontal blade that slices a trench along the edge. They offer a clean, precise cut when used properly. Labor intensive but effective for smaller lawns.
Gas Power Edgers
Gasoline powered mechanical edgers feature a motorized horizontal blade for trenching edges. Provides power for quicker edging and works well for larger areas.
Electric Edgers
Electric edgers are a corded option that eliminates fuel but limits range. The electric motors make quick work of edging. Good for smaller yards.
String Trimmers
Using a string trimmer to define edges is convenient but doesn’t provide as crisp a cut. Works in a pinch but may require more frequent edging.
Benefits of Regular Edging
Keeping up with edging provides more than just curb appeal:
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Prevents grass and weeds from invading pavement, resulting in fewer cracks and weeds.
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Allows mowing right up to the edge without scattering clippings onto hard surfaces.
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Maximizes the full lawn area instead of losing inches to encroachment.
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Makes the lawn appear well-cared for and intentional.
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Only takes 10-20 minutes for most medium yards, saving time over spot edging.
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Causes grass to thicken up along the edge.
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Reduces risk of damage to edging tools from hitting solid surfaces.
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Provides a small dose of physical activity.
The bottom line is edging more frequently takes less effort in the long run compared to letting edges go for too long. Get in the routine of edging at least monthly, if not with every mow during the growing season. Crisp edges really make manicured lawns stand out.
Tips for Effective Edging
Follow these best practices when edging your lawn:
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Always edge after mowing so grass is shortest.
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Use a mechanical edger for cleanest results, especially on aggressive grasses.
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Edge a little lower than the mowing height to account for regrowth before the next pass.
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Move slowly and watch for obstacles like sprinkler heads to avoid damage.
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Angle the edger slightly outward so grass doesn’t grow back over the edge quickly.
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Edge along hard surfaces as well as grass-to-grass borders for consistency.
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Discard edging debris or use it to fill any low spots in the lawn.
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Make curved, flowing edge lines rather than sharp turns for a natural look.
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Consider safety gear like eye protection, close-toed shoes, and long pants when operating edgers.
With the right technique and frequency, edging your lawn borders can make your landscape look crisp and professional. Aim for once a week to every other mowing during peak growing seasons, adjusting as needed based on edge overgrowth.
Is there a correct way to edge my lawn?
Whether you choose to edge manually or with an electric/gas powered edger, the concept is the same. Place the blade of your chosen edging tool between the concrete and the edge of the grass, or between the edge of your lawn and your flower bed. When you make the edges of flower beds, the wheel or guide on your edging tool should rest on the concrete or the grass.
The edging trench is created by moving your edging tool back and forth. This is typically as easy as just walking behind your edging tool of choice. With a manual edging tool, you have to dig a trench around the edge of your lawn by hand, which takes more time and effort. An electric or gas powered edger makes easy work of this labor intensive task. Some string trimmers come with an extra setting or attachment that lets them also be used as an edger. If you put the trimmer in the edging position or connect the edging attachment, the string or attached edging blades will cut a deep trench that will make a clean edge.
To maintain that crisp clean finish, cleanup is required. You should get rid of the grass clippings, but you can save the extra soil to use in your flower or garden beds. Leaf blowers make quick work of this clean-up process. To learn more about how to use an edger, read our article called “How To Use An Edger.”
There are risks with all jobs that use power tools, so always pay attention and be careful to stay safe. Power tools used outside can throw debris at unexpected times, so it’s important to follow all safety rules to avoid getting hurt. Wearing protective eye wear is important to avoid eye injuries. Always wear long sleeves, long pants and closed toed shoes when working with outdoor power equipment. Wearing gloves will help protect your hands from any potential flying debris. And if your edging equipment is loud, wearing proper hearing protection is important to avoid potential hearing loss.
As the grass grows, keep an eye on how straight your edge lines are. This will help you figure out how often you need to edge your lawn to keep it looking nice. After all the work you put into keeping your lawn healthy, edging it every so often can really make your hard work stand out.
Maintaining a well manicured lawn is a task that never ends. Mowing, trimming, and fertilizing a lawn can make it look healthy and lush, but if you forget to edge it, it will look unkempt and undisciplined, which will take away from all your hard work. How often you want to edge your lawn is something you’ll have to figure out as you care for it during the growing season.
Is there a best time of year For Edging?
Every time you mow your lawn, you should assess the integrity of your lawns edges. If you see that your lawn is growing over the edges of your beds, it’s time to edge them! During the early part of the growing season, your lawn grows quickly because of the warmer spring weather and more rain. During this increase in lawn growth you’ll need to mow and trim more frequently. When your lawn grows faster, it’s more likely to go beyond its edges and start growing over your edge lines.
The CORRECT way to EDGE a lawn
FAQ
Is edging a lawn worth it?
Is it better to mow or edge first?
How deep should you edge your lawn?
Should I edge my lawn before or after mowing?
Edge before you mow your lawn. You won’t need to edge every time you mow the lawn. Use your edger and trim a clean line as you see the borders growing out. Proper edging technique helps you to cut your lawn-care time after you have edged for the first time during the growing season.
How do you edge a lawn?
There are two main ways to edge a lawn: with a shovel or with a gas powered edger. Gas powered options include landscape edgers, dual wheeled rotary edgers, and string trimmers. According to Neil Cathey, senior project manager at SSC Services for Education, landscape edgers are primarily used for removing pre-existing landscape beds or tree rings.
When is the best time to edge a lawn?
Spring is undoubtedly the best time to edge a lawn, as during this time the grass is growing steadily and the underlying soil is soft enough to cut into. It will also give any newly added sections or repaired lawn edges time to regrow and establish before the heat of the summer takes hold.
How much grass should you cut before cutting a lawn?
SHOP TRIMMERS AND EDGERS NOW Before you edge your lawn, mow it with a lawn mower set to cut the grass approximately 2 1/2 inches tall. Make sure not to remove more than the top third of the grass blades each time you mow. If you cut too low, the blades won’t be able to grow and support as many roots as they need to produce a lush, green lawn.