Cutting Lawn Edges

Everyone has their own ideas on doing this so I thought I would post about how I do it.

Having quite a lot of edges I found that using a half moon cutter was no good for me. Also, the half moon and using a spade could leave the edges of each cut visible (I'm fussy).

So I use long handled shears, a square edged spade and a wallpaper scraper.

You need the right conditions in order to do a good job. If the soil is too dry it will crumble and you can't get a good edge. If it's too wet it will stick to the tools too much and leave very mucky edges. If it's only just a little too wet you can get away with it by tidying it up after it has dried a bit. You can only test it and see.

The problem that you get with just using a spade or half moon is usually caused by lifting it up and away from the lawn. Then when you put it back for the next cut it's a separate cut and can leave an edge showing. So it's important to avoid doing that.

By using long handled shears you can easily avoid it and it's much easier anyway. Insert the lower blade into the lawn where you want to cut it. Then, when you cut you bring the upper blade down onto it.



Now the important thing to remember is not to close the blades right to the end but slide the lower blade further along the line of cut and cut again. doing this each time without closing the blades to the end. This is similar to trying to cut a straight line across a piece of paper with scissors. I find it easier to only cut from the pivot of the blades to about half way along the blades as there is better leverage at the thicker end.







Gently ease the cut grass away from the cut itself. You can see the depth that the shears have cut the edge.


If you want the edge deeper you can then insert the spade at the lower edge of the soil so that you don't damage where the shears have cut. Then you can cut it lower and keep it nice and vertical. I move the spade up and down, in a sawing motion whilst sliding it along the cut edge (never lifting it too high).


Some soil sticks to the back of the spade and you need to remove it as it will give the edge a rough finish. That's the first use of the wallpaper scraper.


The second use of scraper is, possibly, when you make a curve as sometimes you can't get a smooth curve.


So just use the scraper like a knife and cut the edge smooth by moving it up and down.


All done!






The 20ft of that edge should only take about 15 minutes.

 

I have some lawn edges that are never straight or smooth because of roots of trees. They offend my eye but I know I can't do anything about them.

 

@Sandy Ground Yes, Fiskar products are available here. They make things under their own name and on licence for other companies. Wilkinson used to get them to make the Wilkinson brand long handled shears.