Manual Edging tips (lawn, grass, yard, weeds)

[motifone]

Hello

Our sod hadn't been edged since installed about 1.5 yr ago. In total, I have about 30ft of total length in need of edging. Small yard, so no desire to buy a power tool for this. Most areas need little edging. Some areas had up to an inch grass/soil overhang onto sidewalk.

I bought a half-moon manual edger at Home Depot. Are these things suppose to be sharp, because the edge looks and feels pretty dull. Anyway, I get it home to try slicing off those overhangs and it didn't really cut through at all... just kind of crushed down the thick sod. I wound up doing half of the job with a shovel and shears.

My question are:

1. Again, are these half moon edgers all pretty dull? If so, how do they cut? By moving them in a rocking motion? Have others have trouble with them on thicker grasses?

2. Has anyone used their weed wacker for edging? This might be used for maintaining my edge, but I can't imagine using this for the first run to cut off chunks of grass/soil -- am I wrong?

[azoria]

String trimmers do a good job of edging if you hold the whacker differently than you do for slinging weeds.

With the weed whacker you want to hold it backwards-ish (it's awkward) so that the string/spool is vertical[ish] instead of horizontal (that is the handle grip should be opposite you and the handle held very upright). It will cut a nice edging line through the grass at that angle. Lots of pros do it that way.

The half moon tool will do the same job but is time consuming.

[azoria]

P.S.

American manual garden tools are heartily constructed but poorly designed. This is why you're having trouble with the half moon tool. You could try sharpening it, but the blade was never made to be sharp or sharpened and that's why it will never work very well.

Don't know where you live, but here in Seattle you can find very beautiful, sharp, well constructed asian garden tools (they're pricey) which are much more efficient than the average design clunky American garden tool.

Home Depot or Lowe's do not carry good quality manual garden tools. Look elsewhere.

[Bulldogdad]

Yes string trimmers are great for weekly edge maintenance. However I have several of the old King Lawn metal blade edgers with four wheels and five horse power for when I get clients such as your self that have um... let their yard go. These old gas edgers with metal cutting blades make short work of built up sod and dirt along edges.

[motifone]

Thanks for the input guys. Yeah, I'm going to return the half moon edger. I think now that I have an established edge, my string trimmer should be able to maintain the edge from this point on.

[Va-Cat]

Originally Posted by motifone

Thanks for the input guys. Yeah, I'm going to return the half moon edger. I think now that I have an established edge, my string trimmer should be able to maintain the edge from this point on.

Personally, I love my half moon spade (I think thats what you are speaking of). Its the best tool I know for establishing a planting bed edge. When using it, put it in place, angle it in a bit toward you and JUMP ON IT! (Set it with one foot, cut it with two). Using this method, you should be able to cut a 30' garden edge in about 10 minutes. For keeping the edge - I alway go with a string trimmer.

[motifone]

Thanks Va-Cat. Yes it was a half moon edger. I was jumping on it but no dice All it did was compress the thick sod together. I'm looking forward to using my trimmer to maintain the edge though

[SusqueHappy]

I 'dug out' my edging (lawn edge at sidewalk) with a flat garden spade and maintain it with same. Clippings, weeds, and grass ends up collecting there so I dig it out again a few times each year. Flat edge against sidewalk: thrust, scoop, toss