Maintaining a pristine lawn is a point of pride for many homeowners. But achieving that perfectly manicured look requires more than just randomly running a mower across the grass. A strategic approach, including the order in which you tackle edging and mowing, can significantly impact the final result. The question then arises: should you edge first or mow first? The answer, as you might suspect, isn’t a simple one. It depends on several factors, including your lawn type, equipment, and desired aesthetic.
Understanding the Basics: Edging and Mowing
Before diving into the debate, let’s clarify what we mean by edging and mowing.
Edging is the process of creating a clean, defined border between your lawn and other surfaces, such as sidewalks, driveways, flower beds, and fences. A powered edger, a manual edging tool, or even a string trimmer can be used to achieve this sharp, crisp line.
Mowing, on the other hand, is the process of cutting the grass to a uniform height using a lawnmower. Proper mowing techniques are crucial for maintaining a healthy and attractive lawn.
The Case for Edging First
Many lawn care professionals advocate for edging before mowing. Here’s why:
Creating a Clear Pathway
Edging first establishes a clear boundary for your mower. By defining the edges beforehand, you can guide your mower more precisely, reducing the risk of accidentally running over flower beds or damaging hardscapes.
Simplifying Mowing Along Edges
When the edges are already defined, mowing becomes significantly easier, especially along sidewalks and driveways. You can simply follow the established line with your mower, ensuring a consistent cut and preventing grass from overgrowing onto paved surfaces.
Minimizing Grass Clippings on Hardscapes
Edging often throws grass clippings onto sidewalks, driveways, and patios. Edging first allows you to easily sweep or blow these clippings away before mowing, preventing them from being scattered across your lawn during the mowing process. This results in a cleaner, more polished finish. Sweeping or blowing after edging prevents clippings from getting trapped under the mower wheels.
Improved Visual Appeal
A clean, well-defined edge instantly enhances the visual appeal of your lawn. By edging first, you create a framework for the mowing process, resulting in a more professional-looking finish. The defined edges accentuate the lawn’s shape and create a sense of order.
Dealing with Overgrowth
If your lawn hasn’t been edged in a while and the grass has significantly overgrown onto hard surfaces, edging first is often the best approach. It allows you to remove the excess growth and re-establish a clean border before mowing. This is especially important for neglected lawns.
The Case for Mowing First
While edging first is often recommended, there are situations where mowing first might be the more practical choice.
Handling Tall Grass
If your grass is excessively tall, mowing first can help reduce the overall height, making it easier to edge afterwards. Trying to edge very tall grass can be challenging and may result in uneven edges.
String Trimmer as Edger
If you’re using a string trimmer as an edger, mowing first can provide a clearer view of the edges, allowing you to make more precise cuts. This is particularly helpful if you’re not experienced with using a string trimmer for edging.
Reducing Clippings on Hardscapes (Sometimes)
In some cases, mowing first can actually reduce the amount of grass clippings that end up on hardscapes. This is because the mower can sometimes chop up the grass along the edges, making it less likely to be thrown onto sidewalks and driveways during the edging process. However, this is not always the case and depends on the type of mower and grass.
Speed and Efficiency
For some homeowners, mowing first simply feels more efficient. They prefer to get the bulk of the work done and then focus on the finer details of edging. This approach can save time, especially if you’re short on time or have a large lawn.
Factors to Consider When Deciding
Ultimately, the best approach depends on several factors:
Lawn Type
Different types of grass respond differently to edging and mowing. Some grasses, like Bermuda grass, are more aggressive and tend to spread quickly, requiring more frequent edging. Others, like fescue, are less aggressive and require less maintenance.
Equipment
The type of equipment you’re using can also influence your decision. A powered edger provides a cleaner, more precise edge than a string trimmer, making edging first a more logical choice. If you’re using a string trimmer, mowing first might be easier, especially if the grass is tall.
Desired Aesthetic
If you’re striving for a perfectly manicured lawn with sharp, defined edges, edging first is generally the better option. However, if you’re happy with a slightly less formal look, mowing first might suffice.
Frequency of Lawn Care
If you maintain your lawn regularly, edging first is often the most efficient approach. However, if you’ve neglected your lawn for a while, mowing first might be necessary to tackle the overgrowth.
Personal Preference
Ultimately, the decision is up to you. Experiment with both methods and see which one works best for you and your lawn.
Step-by-Step Guides: Edging First vs. Mowing First
To further illustrate the process, here are step-by-step guides for both approaches:
Edging First Approach
- Prepare your equipment: Ensure your edger is clean, sharp, and properly adjusted. Gather any necessary safety gear, such as eye protection and gloves.
- Clear the area: Remove any debris, such as rocks, branches, or toys, from the edges of your lawn.
- Edge the perimeter: Carefully edge along sidewalks, driveways, flower beds, and fences, creating a clean, defined border. Maintain a consistent depth and angle.
- Clean up the clippings: Sweep or blow away any grass clippings that have been thrown onto hardscapes.
- Mow the lawn: Mow the lawn to your desired height, following the established edges. Overlap each pass slightly to ensure a consistent cut.
- Final cleanup: After mowing, sweep or blow away any remaining grass clippings from hardscapes.
Mowing First Approach
- Prepare your equipment: Ensure your mower is clean, sharp, and properly adjusted.
- Clear the area: Remove any debris from the entire lawn, including the edges.
- Mow the lawn: Mow the lawn to your desired height.
- Edge the perimeter: Carefully edge along sidewalks, driveways, flower beds, and fences.
- Clean up the clippings: Sweep or blow away any grass clippings from hardscapes.
Pro Tips for Edging and Mowing
- Sharpen your blades: Sharp blades are essential for both edging and mowing. Dull blades tear the grass, resulting in a ragged, unhealthy appearance.
- Mow in different directions: Varying your mowing pattern each time helps prevent soil compaction and promotes even growth.
- Don’t cut too short: Cutting the grass too short can stress the lawn and make it more susceptible to weeds and diseases.
- Edge regularly: Regular edging prevents grass from overgrowing onto hardscapes and maintains a clean, professional look.
- Consider the time of day: Avoid edging or mowing during the hottest part of the day to minimize stress on the grass.
- Safety first: Always wear appropriate safety gear, such as eye protection and ear protection, when operating lawn care equipment.
- Mulch clippings: Mulching clippings returns nutrients to the soil, reducing the need for fertilizer.
- Water deeply and infrequently: This encourages deep root growth, making your lawn more drought-resistant.
- Overlap each pass with the mower to avoid scalping. This helps ensure a clean, consistent cut.
- Use a string trimmer carefully around trees and delicate plants. A guard can help prevent damage.
- Clean your equipment regularly. Grass clippings can build up and affect performance.
- Store fuel properly. Use a fuel stabilizer to prevent fuel from going stale.
The Verdict: A Matter of Preference
In conclusion, there’s no definitive answer to the question of whether to edge first or mow first. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. The best method depends on your individual circumstances, lawn type, equipment, and desired aesthetic. Experiment with both methods to see which one works best for you and your lawn. Ultimately, the goal is to achieve a healthy, attractive, and well-maintained lawn that you can be proud of.
Choosing the right method for your lawn care routine involves a bit of trial and error. Take note of what works best for your grass type, the equipment you have, and the overall look you’re trying to achieve. With practice, you’ll develop a routine that keeps your lawn looking its best all season long.
What is the primary difference between edging and mowing a lawn?
Mowing primarily focuses on cutting the grass blades to a uniform height across the entire lawn surface, maintaining a neat and consistent appearance. It’s about overall turf management and promoting healthy grass growth by removing the top portion of the blades. This action encourages lateral growth and denser coverage.
Edging, on the other hand, concentrates on defining the borders of the lawn, creating a crisp and clean separation between the turf and adjacent surfaces like driveways, sidewalks, flowerbeds, or patios. It’s about creating a visually appealing frame for the lawn, highlighting its shape and providing a finished look. It ensures grass doesn’t encroach on these surrounding areas.
When should I edge my lawn compared to when I mow it?
Mowing is typically a regular task performed every one to two weeks during the growing season, depending on the type of grass and desired height. It’s best to mow when the grass is dry and in the late afternoon to avoid stressing the grass during peak sunlight hours. Consistency is key to maintain a healthy and manicured lawn.
Edging, however, doesn’t need to be done as frequently. Typically, edging every two to four weeks is sufficient, depending on how quickly the grass grows and how defined you want the edges to be. Edging is best performed after mowing, allowing you to clean up any grass clippings and refine the lawn’s appearance.
What tools are typically used for edging versus mowing?
Mowing typically requires a lawn mower, which can be either a push mower (manual or powered), a riding mower, or a robotic mower. The specific type of mower depends on the size of the lawn and personal preference. Regardless of the type, the goal is to evenly cut the grass to a uniform height.
Edging typically involves using an edger, which is a specialized tool designed to cut a vertical line along the edge of the lawn. Edgers can be manual (like a half-moon edger), powered (gas or electric), or string trimmers equipped with edging capabilities. The choice depends on the length of the edges and the desired level of precision.
Does edging or mowing have a greater impact on the overall health of my lawn?
Mowing has a more significant impact on the overall health of your lawn. By removing the top portion of the grass blades, mowing stimulates growth, encourages the grass to thicken, and helps prevent weed growth. Regular mowing also helps to maintain the desired height and density of the turf, promoting a healthy and vibrant lawn.
While edging doesn’t directly impact the health of the lawn, it plays a crucial role in maintaining its overall appearance and preventing the spread of grass into unwanted areas. By creating a clean and defined edge, edging helps to protect flowerbeds, walkways, and other landscaping features from being overrun by grass. This contributes to a healthier and more manageable landscape as a whole.
Are there any potential drawbacks to either edging or mowing?
One potential drawback of mowing is the risk of scalping the lawn if the mower blade is set too low or if the lawn is uneven. Scalping removes too much of the grass blade, exposing the soil and making the lawn more vulnerable to weeds and disease. Additionally, improper mowing techniques can damage the grass and lead to thin, unhealthy turf.
A potential drawback of edging is the risk of damaging underground utilities or sprinkler systems if the edger is used too aggressively or without proper caution. It’s essential to be aware of the location of any buried lines or pipes before edging. Over-edging can also create an unsightly trench or remove too much soil along the edge of the lawn, leading to erosion.
Can I combine edging and mowing into one process or are they always separate tasks?
While technically you can use a string trimmer to both mow and edge a small lawn, it’s not the most efficient or effective approach for larger areas or achieving professional-looking results. Using a string trimmer for mowing often results in an uneven cut and can be tiring for larger lawns.
However, many string trimmers come with edging attachments or the ability to rotate the head, allowing you to perform both tasks with a single tool. This can be a convenient option for smaller lawns or for quick touch-ups, but for optimal results and a well-maintained lawn, using dedicated tools for mowing and edging is generally recommended.
Is edging or mowing more environmentally friendly?
The environmental impact of both edging and mowing depends heavily on the type of equipment used. Gas-powered mowers and edgers emit pollutants, contributing to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Older models tend to be less efficient and emit more pollutants than newer models.
Electric or battery-powered mowers and edgers are generally considered more environmentally friendly, as they produce zero emissions during operation. Manual tools, such as push mowers and half-moon edgers, are the most environmentally friendly options, as they require no fuel or electricity and produce no emissions. Additionally, mulching mowers that return grass clippings to the lawn can reduce the need for fertilizers, further minimizing environmental impact.