How To Maintain Landscape Edging To Perfection Year Round

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Of all the components in your landscape, the edging is one that matters most. It creates fine lines throughout your property and conveys a sense of cleanliness and tidiness. At least - when the edging is maintained correctly. This is easier said than done, after all.

Keeping your edging looking clean and pristine week in, and week out is a chore that most homeowners dread. But we're about to make that a thing of the past. Today, we'll teach you how to maintain landscape edging like the experts so you can enjoy a stunning yard year-round.

You'll learn how often you need to edge your landscape, what equipment you need to perform a quality job, and whether you should edge before or after mowing - a hotly debated topic. First, let's provide some context for why your edging matters so much.

The Importance of Learning How to Maintain Landscape Edging

A common question we see asked among homeowners just learning how to take care of their yard is - do I really need to take the time to learn how to maintain landscape edging? The answer is a definitive yes.

A well-maintained landscape edging can make all the difference in how your property looks. It can take an average yard and turn it into something extraordinary - something that will make your neighbors green with envy.

On the other hand, poorly maintained or nonexistent edging can make even the most beautiful landscaping look unkempt and uncared for. If your edging is overgrown, cracked, or broken, it will bring down the overall appearance of your property, no matter how well-manicured the rest of your landscaping may be.

In short, landscape edging is important because it:

Allows you to create distinct lines and borders throughout your property
Gives your landscaping a polished look
Conveys a sense of tidiness and cleanliness
Prevents grass and other plants from encroaching on walkways, patios, and driveways
Makes lawn mowing easier by providing a defined edge to follow
Reduces the amount of time you spend weeding and trimming

As you can see, there are many good reasons to take the time to learn how to maintain your landscape edging. Let's move on to how-to now so you can get started sprucing up your yard.

How to Maintain Landscape Edging Yourself: Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to learn how to maintain landscape edging yourself? We'll provide you with all the steps necessary to keep your yard stunning week after week. However, we're also going to let you in on a little secret to help you make this vision a reality without any work required on your end - so be sure to read to the end!

First - understand that maintaining your landscape edging is a fairly simple process that doesn't require any special skills or equipment. All you need is a few hours of free time and the right tools for the job. Let's start there - what do professional landscapers use for edging?

What do Professional Landscapers Use for Edging Maintenance?

If you're looking for the best way to edge your landscape, look no further than how the professionals do it. They use a gas-powered edger, also known as a power edger or lawn edger. This tool is designed specifically for cutting through thick grass and turf to create a clean, defined edge.

A gas-powered edger looks similar to a weed whacker but is heavier-duty and has a blade instead of a string. The blade can be rotated so that it's either horizontal or vertical, which gives you more versatility when trimming along sidewalks, driveways, flower beds, and other obstacles in your landscape.

While a power edger is the best way to achieve perfectly manicured landscape edging, it's not always necessary. You can also use a manual lawn edger, which looks like a large pair of scissors. This tool is best for small yards or if you only need to edge your landscape once in a while.

Another alternative is to use a half-moon edger, which is a hand tool that looks like a hoe. This tool is designed specifically for cutting through sod and soil to create defined edges in your landscape. It's ideal for use along sidewalks, flower beds, and garden borders.

Now that we've gone over the different types of edgers available, let's move on to how often you should be using them.

How Often Should You Edge Your Yard?

Most homeowners only need to edge their landscape once per week - although edging more frequently may be necessary if you live in an area with a lot of foot traffic or have very thick grass.

If you only edge your lawn once in a while, it's important to wait until the grass is dry so that the blades don't gum up. Wet grass can also be more difficult to cut through, which can make the job take longer than necessary.

It's also important to note that you should never try to edge your lawn while it's wet from dew or rainfall. This can damage your edging tools and make the job much harder than it needs to be.

Another question about the timing of your edging is what comes first - mowing or edging? Here's our take on the matter...

Is it Better to Edge the Lawn Before or After Mowing?

It's generally best to edge your lawn after you've mowed it. This allows you to see how much needs to be trimmed and gives you a straight line to follow.

If you do choose to edge your lawn before mowing, be sure to use a string trimmer rather than a power edger. A power edger can damage your lawn mower if it hits a rock or other obstacle, and it's also more likely to leave behind tire tracks.

A string trimmer is a handheld tool that uses a long nylon string to cut through grass and weeds. It's the best tool to use for light edging jobs.

Now that we've gone over how often you should be edging your lawn and what tools to use, it's time to get into the nitty-gritty of how to do it.

How to Actually Maintain Landscape Edging

Choose the right edging tool for the job. If you have a small lawn or only need to edge your landscape occasionally, a manual lawn edger will suffice. For larger lawns or more frequent jobs, opt for a gas-powered edger.
Wait for a dry day to edge your lawn. Wet grass can damage your edging tools and make the job more difficult than necessary.
Start by trimming along the perimeter of your lawn. Then, move on to any sidewalks, driveways, or flower beds that need to be edged.
Use a back-and-forth motion as you move along the edge of your lawn. Be sure to keep the blade perpendicular to the ground to create a clean, defined line.
Empty the grass catcher frequently so that it doesn't get overloaded and cause your edging tool to malfunction.

And that's all there is to it! By following these simple steps, you'll have perfectly manicured landscape edging in no time.

Of course, even with the best tools and most frequent care, there are bound to be times when your landscape edging could use a little extra TLC. And frankly, you have better things to do with your limited free time than mess around with chores. But, this isn't a task that can be overlooked if you want a beautiful yard year-round.

Fortunately, there is a solution - you can have your cake and eat it too when you choose Michaelangelo's: The #1 choice for landscape services in Alpharetta.

Let Michaelangelo's Keep Your Edging & the Rest of Your Landscape Pristine Year Round

Michaelangelo's is the leading provider of commercial and residential landscape design and maintenance services in Alpharetta, Georgia. Our team of expert landscapers has the experience and equipment necessary to keep your landscape looking its best all year long - including your edging.

When you entrust Michaelangelo's with your landscape maintenance needs, you can rest assured knowing that your property is in good hands. We'll work with you to create a customized plan that meets your unique needs and budget. And, we'll be there to help you every step of the way - from design to installation to ongoing maintenance.

When you choose us as your residential landscape company, you get 46 visits a year through our full-service landscaping service. That includes not just the mowing and edging of your lawn - but everything else your property needs to look perfect all year long. We offer tasks like shrub pruning, ornamental pruning, turg & lawn fertilization, leaf removal, ground cover pruning, irrigation monitoring, and more.

Beyond our residential services, you can rely on us for all your commercial landscape maintenance needs, too. We offer hotel landscape maintenance, apartment landscape maintenance, shopping center landscape maintenance, townhome landscape maintenance, small office building landscape maintenance, industrial landscape maintenance, and much, much more.

We know what you're wondering to yourself right now...are lawn care services worth it? Should I hire a landscaper? Absolutely - for just $750 a month, you get year-round landscape perfection and peace of mind knowing your investment in landscaping is being maximized. The benefits of commercial landscaping are countless. So, if you're in the Alpharetta, Georgia area, get in touch to schedule our first visit!

Final Thoughts on How to Maintain Landscape Edging

That concludes our guide on how to maintain landscape edging. We hope you feel more confident in keeping the edging at your property dialed in after reading this resource. Remember - it’s pretty simple if you come up with a schedule and stick to it. You just need the right tools. With a bit of practice, the act of actually edging your yard will become second nature in no time.

Nevertheless, it usually makes more sense to invest in professional landscape maintenance. You have better things to do, and your yard won’t be able to truly shine without the touch of a professional. So, don’t delay any longer - reach out to Michaelangelo’s today!

Want more landscape maintenance tips? We have a complete guide on how to take care of your lawn in spring, along with a detailed landscape maintenance checklist to help you keep your yard in check if you do end up doing this yourself.