Recommendation for Tool to Edge the Lawn

[Amy]

Most of our current neighbors hire someone to maintain their yard, so most have nicely edged lawns. We're trying to save money so we (well, it is more DH than "we") mow our own lawn. In our old neighborhood our sloppy edged lawn was not as noticeable as practically everyone mowed their own lawn and most had less-than-perfectly edged lawns. But here, it is noticeable and it kind of bothers me. Since moving here last summer, we splurged once and hired someone to do the fall cleanup (as we don't have a leaf blower either and we have a lot of trees), weeding, ivy removal, and lawn edged. The yard looked so nice!

Anyway, I'd like to get our lawn to look neat again. I bought one of those manual edgers that has a blade that look like a pizza cutter. Both DH and I found it kind of a pain to use and it takes a long time to get a bit of edging done.

Could someone recommend an easy to operate and reliable lawn edger? Or perhaps we're not handling the manual pizza-cutter-like-edger tool correctly, so some tips would be welcome.

Thanks!

 

[TUGBrian]

Most of our current neighbors hire someone to maintain their yard, so most have nicely edged lawns. We're trying to save money so we (well, it is more DH than "we") mow our own lawn. In our old neighborhood our sloppy edged lawn was not as noticeable as practically everyone mowed their own lawn and most had less-than-perfectly edged lawns. But here, it is noticeable and it kind of bothers me. Since moving here last summer, we splurged once and hired someone to do the fall cleanup (as we don't have a leaf blower either and we have a lot of trees), weeding, ivy removal, and lawn edged. The yard looked so nice!

Anyway, I'd like to get our lawn to look neat again. I bought one of those manual edgers that has a blade that look like a pizza cutter. Both DH and I found it kind of a pain to use and it takes a long time to get a bit of edging done.

Could someone recommend an easy to operate and reliable lawn edger? Or perhaps we're not handling the manual pizza-cutter-like-edger tool correctly, so some tips would be welcome.

Thanks!

nearly every lawn guy I see here in florida uses a regular weed wacker turned on its side for edging.

 

[judyjht]

I usually use my ice chopper - make sure the blade is sharp and it should do the trick. Make sure the blade is steel. Works great for us.

Here is a similar one to what we have. Mine is old but works great

http://www.amazon.com/Bully-92200-Sidewalk-Chopper-Handle/dp/B000PAQEKU

 

[tlwmkw]

We use a straight edged shovel with a sharp edge and just go down the edge and turn it over. It takes longer but looks way better. All the gimmicky tools for this job just frustrate you and don't do a good job.

tlwmkw

 

[Passepartout]

If the edging hasn't been done in a while and grass is growing out over the sidewalk/edges it's a 2 step process. Start with a sharp edged tool like a shovel or as Judyjht says, an ice chipper, to cut away the sod from the edge you want neat, then as TUGBrian says, you can easily keep it up with a string trimmer on it's side.

This might be a great time for some 'We' bonding. It's a PITA job, but once done it really looks good and is easy for the regular 'we' to keep up.

Jim Ricks

 

[Talent312]

I prefer using a corded (electric) string-trimmer.
But when using a power-washer to clean the concrete, I pulverize the edges.

 

[Elan]

I use my string trimmer upside down on a weekly basis, but when I want a more professional look, I use my B&D Edge Hog corded edger. I only edge this way a handful of times each summer, so I don't mind dragging the cord around. It does a pretty nice job, and requires little effort.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-...1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1272421780&sr=8-1

 

[carl2591]

you can rent, if the edge is over grown, a real edger with the steel blade.


http://tinyurl.com/27eaetk

the gas ones are stronger and needed if you have a lot of thick grass growing over the edge..

the elec one are good for weekly etc usage after you get it looking good..

the string trimmer is OK and some units have a separate peice you can attach to do edging work with the steel blade unit.

it hard enough with a powered tool to do edging let alone with a hand tool,, that is murder!!!

 

[judyjht]

I agree - you need to get a nice deep edge with the edger, ice thingy THEN you can keep it up with the string trimmer. You should only have to do the edge once a year and then keep up with it. When you mow the lawn try not to "break down" the edge so it falls into the bed.

 

[Amy]

Thanks for the recommendations/suggestions! I now have a better idea what to look for during my next trip to Home Depot or Lowes. I must admit the idea of using that straight edge blade shovel-looking edging tool is a bit daunting, as we have a large front/back yard. But I'll give it a try; maybe it is easier than I'm imagining. I'm trying to tone my arm muscles anyway, so this could help.

 

[Amy]

I agree - you need to get a nice deep edge with the edger, ice thingy THEN you can keep it up with the string trimmer. You should only have to do the edge once a year and then keep up with it. When you mow the lawn try not to "break down" the edge so it falls into the bed.

How do you not "break down" the edge when mowing? I seem to recall the first time DH mowed our lawn after the maintenance folks edged the lawn last fall, the nice edge disappeared.

And when you say "deep edge," are you referring to depth as in straight down into the ground or width from the edge of the concrete?

 

[Amy]

. . . uses a regular weed wacker turned on its side for edging.

you can easily keep it up with a string trimmer on it's side.

I use my string trimmer upside down on a weekly basis

Two of you mentioned using a string trimmer "on its side" and Elan mentioned using it "upside down." A few questions. First, so the tool isn't designed to use right side up (the way I see them standing up in the photos on Amazon, for example)? It sounds like it could be a bit unyieldy to hold it anyway other than "right side up"? Second, for those who have tried both holding it "on its side" or "upside down," which works better? Third, how does one hold the trimmer either on its side or upside down? I think I need to go find an online photo of what holding it "on its side" or "upside down" looks like.

 

[Amy]

I use my string trimmer upside down on a weekly basis, but when I want a more professional look, I use my B&D Edge Hog corded edger. I only edge this way a handful of times each summer, so I don't mind dragging the cord around. It does a pretty nice job, and requires little effort.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-...1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1272421780&sr=8-1

Since you have both and only use the electrical edger a handful of times each year, I assume that means the electrical edger is a pain to use compared to the string trimmer?

 

[Wonka]

A gas edger is under $100.

 

[judyjht]

You can't just drive the wheels over the edge or it will "break down" the edge and it won't look as nice. I usually go along the edge with 2 wheels on the mulch and 2 wheels on the grass - that way it will cut the grass on the edge without crushing the edge with the wheels. By "deep edge" yes, you cut it straight down and then remove the clump you just cut. This is for the grass along the flower beds - not along the cement or brick walk.

 

[Elan]

Since you have both and only use the electrical edger a handful of times each year, I assume that means the electrical edger is a pain to use compared to the string trimmer?

It's not at all a pain, in fact it's quite effortless. It's just more time consuming in that I have to get the 100' extension cord out to use the electric edger, whereas I already have the gas string trimmer out every time I mow.

I highly recommend the Edge Hog. Far less work than doing the job with hand tools, and I'm not a lazy person. The Edge Hog just expedites the process, and does a very nice job. When I'm done edging, my edges look the same as the yard next to me which is professionally maintained.

As Wonka mentioned, a gas edger is cheap, and would likely perform even better than the electric unit I have. Typically, I would've gone with a gas unit, but knowing that I wouldn't be using it all that often, I opted for something that would me more reliable/maintenance free over it's lifetime.

 

[Amy]

Thanks for the clarifications. For some reason gas machinery intimidates me. Long ago I had no problem helping my parents mow their lawn using their electric law mower. But for some reason the idea of filling up the tank and handling our gas mower just makes me nervous; hence DH does all the mowing. It doesn't seem to make sense as I drive a car that uses gas and have never had a problem pumping my own gas. So if we were to get any more power lawn equipment, and I plan on operating it myself, electric ones appeal more than gas, though I understand gas powered ones tend to be cheaper and more powerful.