How to properly edge your lawn (and why it matters)

Edging your lawn might feel like a pain sometimes, but it’s important to do (or have someone else do). Proper edging gives your yard an added “umph” factor–making it look crisp and clean.

When we talk about “properly edging your lawn,” we’re referring to using the right tools to give it a consistent, clean border. Grass and weeds can get out-of-hand on the border of your lawn, making even the most lush yards look messy.

This blog post covers how to edge your lawn properly–because doing so offers some practical benefits. Let’s discuss a few.

Why Proper Edging Matters

Sure, a well-edged lawn looks nice, but that’s just one of the benefits. For instance, a properly edged lawn:

• Improves the overall health of your grass by allowing water to drain properly around your yard
• Reduces soil erosion along the edges of your lawn, which is especially helpful if your yard slopes, since it minimizes soil runoff when your lawn gets wet
• Cuts down on the time you spend maintaining your lawn by making trimming easier and more efficient (since you won’t have the overgrowth that would otherwise be there)

Bottom line: Edging is important for effectively and efficiently maintaining a beautiful lawn. 

How Frequently You Should Edge

As with all lawn care maintenance, your frequency is going to depend on where you live and the type of grass you have. For most American yards, we recommend edging every seven days. If you live in a warmer climate, you may need to edge every five days, and if you live in a cooler climate, you may only need to edge every 10 days. 

Steps for Properly Edging Your Lawn

Now that we’ve covered how frequently you should edge and listed some of edging’s benefits, it’s time to do the job. Following these five steps can help you get it done correctly.

Step 1: Assess Your Lawn

Preparation is key for getting the best edging results. So, start by walking around the edge of your lawn, looking at anything that might obstruct your edging tool, such as rocks, roots, and weeds. Pay attention to any places where the lawn curves around the perimeter, so you can start to mentally prepare for how you want to tackle it. 

Step 2: Gather Your Edging Tools

Here’s a list of tools you’ll need:

• Manual or powered lawn edger
• Spade or shovel for removing excess weeds and overgrowth
• Gloves and eye protection for safety (plus ear protection if you’re using a loud, powered edger)
• Optional: String trimmer or lawn mower with an edging attachment for keeping straight, edged lines
• Optional: A half-moon edger, which can help with curves along the perimeter

Step 3: Start Edging

Choose a starting point for your edging tool. Then, position the tool by putting it perpendicular to the ground with the blade touching the soil. 

Keep the depth consistent as you slowly and steadily move the edging tool along the edge of your lawn. Your lawn may naturally dip more in certain areas than others–and that’s OK! Just do your best to maintain a consistent depth.

Step 4: Keep a Slow and Steady Pace

Don’t rush the process. As you slowly move your edging tool around your lawn’s perimeter, use guide points such as your driveway or garden borders to keep a straight line.

By taking it nice and slow, you’ll be more inclined to stop, review your progress, and make adjustments as needed. You can use your spade or shovel to remove rocks and roots. 

Step 5: Finish and Clean Up

Once you get to a good stopping point, take one final look and make any last-minute changes. Then use a spade, shovel, or broom to clean up any loose debris. 

Wrapping Up

Edging is key for maintaining a beautiful lawn. We hope this guide has helped you have a better idea of how to do it correctly.

We plan to continue providing lawn care resources like this on our blog. So, please check back regularly for more lawn maintenance tips.

One final note: If you haven’t edged in a while, it may be helpful to have a professional come out and do it once, so you have an easier starting point when you eventually edge it yourself. Our service platform lets you easily get free quotes, so you can get the best edging service for the best price. Start using it today right on this site. Or, if you prefer, download the Mow & Blow app on your iOS or Android device.