As long as there are flowers and flower beds, there will be weeds to go along with them. Even the best gardeners in the world can't completely escape this problem, and most of us are always on the lookout for the best way to kill weeds. The good news is that there are numerous ways to do so. When it comes to weed eradication, you can opt to go the chemical route or the natural route. If there are children in the household, the use of chemical-free products is highly recommended.

To prevent weeds from coming up in the first place, line your flower beds with plastic sheeting, seven to ten layers of newspaper, or even old shower curtains. This should last for the entire season and helps prevent weeds from taking hold. This method won't completely eliminate pesky weeds. However, it greatly reduces their chance of survival.

If you happen to have old pieces of carpet lying around, they can also be used to keep weeds out of your flowers. Cut them into strips. Position each strip upside down in the dirt, and cover with mulch.

You can make your own weed killer using vinegar, salt, and dish detergent.  For a smaller area, partially fill a bucket with one to two tablespoons of vinegar for each gallon of water you add. Add water, measuring accordingly. (To kill small weeds, each gallon of water should contain one tablespoon vinegar. To kill large weeds, each gallon of water should contain 2 tablespoons vinegar.) Mix in ½ cup of salt and ½ tablespoon dish detergent. Stir. The vinegar and the salt actually kill the weedsm and the dish detergent simply acts as a bonding agent that helps to combine the two ingredients together.

Pour the liquid into a spray bottle. To cover a larger area quickly, pour the liquid into a sprayer. Hold the bottle approximately two feet away from the weeds that you intend to kill. Spray them until they are wet but not dripping.

You can protect flowers or plants from getting sprayed by cutting off the bottom of a large plastic soda bottle. Place it over an individual plant. Insert the spray nozzle into the top of the bottle and spray. Repeat the process with each plant.

Several other well-known products can be sprayed on weeds to kill them. This includes vodka and WD-40. Mix approximately one ounce of vodka and several drops of dish detergent into two cups of water. Spray the weeds until they are extremely wet. This vodka mixture works best when used on weeds that are located in direct sunlight. The alcohol in the vodka breaks down the waxy covering on the stem and leaves, causing the weed to quickly dehydrate in the hot sun. This method won't work in shady areas. WD-40 is a super convenient weed killer, because you spray it on weeds right out of the can. What could be simpler than that?

Remember, to avoid eye or skin irritation, always wear safety glasses and gloves when doing any type of spraying, and especially when you are using harsh chemicals. This covers just a few of many weed killing techniques. It is up to you to ultimately decide the best way to kill weeds in flower beds.

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You might be surprised to learn just how many options there are when it comes to lawn aeration equipment. When many people think about this particular aspect of landscaping their minds instantly jump to aerators. This is not necessarily a bad thought. The one issue that comes up is that there is more than one type of aerator to choose from. Core aerators, for example, are among some of the most popular choices but, in a variety of manual and powered models. Then you also have to look at other options like spike aerators, also referred to as blade aerators, lawn aerator shoes, or powered coreless aerators. These are all viable options when it comes to aerating your lawn.

Even if your lawn is in relatively good health, is never a bad idea to give it an occasional aeration, especially in the spring or fall. There's no arguing with the benefits of aeration which include, but are not limited to; improved water absorption by the roots, improved fertilizer absorption by the roots, reduced water runoff, better grass rooting, reduced compacted soil, and additional resistance to heat and drought. These are just a few of the benefits of properly aerated lawn enjoys. Once you are convinced that this treatment can directly benefit your lawn then the next question becomes: what is the best piece of lawn aeration equipment for you?

Starting with core aerators is a good idea. Among most lawn care specialists this is the most popular option because studies have shown a full 25% increase in the amount of nutrients, fertilizer, and water that reaches the root system when a core aerator is used as opposed to other equipment. Another benefit of going with this type of design is that it does not compact the soil the way that some spike or blade aerators have been known to do. Compacting the soil can counter some of the positive benefits under mentor, was lawn aeration.

The question then becomes whether or not you want to use a manual core aerator or if you want to go with the powered version. For a very small lawn the manual core aerator is often more than enough and can be especially useful when dealing with uneven and bumpy ground. However if you have a large lawn to take care of the there's no argument that the powered version of the core aerator will get the job done about 10 times faster than the manual tool. If you don't want to buy powered version the good news is that there are many places which offer lawn aeration equipment rental and the powered lawn core aerator is one of the most popular models to rent.

That's not to say that the spike or bladed aerator is not a popular choice among homeowners. One of the major benefits of this type of lawn aeration equipment is that it has a low cost and is available at most hardware and lawn care stores. This tool works by using a round blade which has spikes in it. As the spike aerator is pulled around blade rotates and pokes holes in the ground. In some cases when a person has a lawn that sees frequent thatch problems and other issues then they may choose to buy a spike aerator to keep up on maintenance and then rent thatch removal and more serious powered lawn aerators once or twice a year.

Finally, although they are not the most effective method properly aerating your lawn, there are many stores which do sell lawn aeration shoes. These would fall under the category of spike aerators because they are most often a flat panel which goes under your shoe with spikes at the bottom and two Velcro straps on top to connect your foot. By wearing these you can walk around your lawn and give it some of the aeration benefits it needs without really having to go out of your way. This is especially useful if you have a push lawnmower and so you can kill two birds with one stone. While this option might be popular, it is not going to have the same lasting benefits as a larger and more well designed aeration machine. If you choose to use this method as your sole way of aerating the lawn is a good idea to at least once a year pay the money for a long aeration equipment rental and get a powered core aerator.

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A commercial lawn sweeper might not be for everyone but these specialized lawn care tools find plenty of use among professional landscapers. Have you ever wondered about some the machines and tools used to keep a golf course in such pristine condition? One of the major tools that make this process much easier and much more capable of maintaining is the commercial lawn sweeper. This is not the type of tool that you use to maintain an ordinary lawn. This is a fairly expensive piece of equipment that does some heavy duty work and is most often associated with the maintenance of golf courses, professional football and baseball fields, and with any type of major sports or grass needs to be kept at a very specific and incredible level of maintenance.

The more common versions of these tools available for general lawn care can run anywhere from the $200-$800 mark depending on condition, retailer, and the specific model being looked at. Professional lawn sweepers can run much higher amounts into the thousands of dollars. However these are unnecessary for the far majority of people. For more common lawn sweepers, sometimes also referred to as turf sweepers, you will want to find consumer reports for all the models to get an idea of which ones have a good reputation and which ones have a bad reputation. Obviously it should go without saying to avoid any models that have too many complaints logged by their name. There are a lawn sweepers designed for extremely large yards, as well as specialty models which can be used to give that swept lawn or swept turf appearance to even small lawns for those home owners who want to go the extra mile.

If you are a fan of the TV show King of the Hill you'll probably notice right away that this is the type of tool that Hank Hill would dream of. These lawn care tools are most often designed to be easily towed behind the turf and garden tractor, riding mower, or even an ATV with a rear hitch hole. This gives you many options when it comes to the actual maintenance and use of this tool. This versatility is definitely a strong selling point and makes the process of maintaining a beautiful lawn much easier than it otherwise would be.

If you are looking for the full-sized commercial lawn sweepers which are used for world class golf courses then you'll be happy to know that they are available through retail means. However, if you are looking for the top of the line models which are considered the best around then also be prepared for the price tag to go up considerably. A simple model can often start as high as $1200 and if you were going for the big time commercial lawn sweeper then you could be looking for a model that goes as high as $3400. This makes it extremely important for you to do your homework and to make sure that you actually need a high-end commercial model before you fork out two or $3000 more than you needed to.

Each person's situation is going to be different and the best commercial lawn sweeper might very well depend on what your specific needs are as well as what type of grass and lawn you have. There are many options available out there and while for the basic homeowner many $200 or $300 models be more than enough, the more expensive and stronger commercial lawn sweepers are available if needed.

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Thatching a lawn is a necessary part of lawn care and refers to the process of removing unwanted and excess organic material which is under the grass but on top of the soil. When thatching occurs on a lawn, it can become thick enough to block water and nutrients from reaching the root system of your grass. This causes grass to become discolored and can even kill it if the problem was left unattended. When you are looking at thatching a lawn you want to find the right tools for the job. Many people choose to go with a thatch rake, which is a tool that looks similar to a double-sided rake but is designed to intentionally get down into the thatch and help you remove it from your lawn. While you might not see a huge amount of coloration difference right away, often times in only a few days or a couple of weeks you will see a major difference in how green and healthy your lawn is.

Manual thatch rakes are not the only tools available. There are also automatic thatchers which are gasoline or electric powered machines which look very similar to tillers, but don't tear up the lawn on that level.  There's a lot of disagreement over whether these tools are the best option or not. Many traditionalists like the manual thatch rake because it allows you to easily adjust for depth and scale depending on what ever particular piece of ground you're working with. On the other hand, there's little denying that a gasoline powered automatic thatcher is going to be 10 times as fast and for large patches of ground is going to be far more practical than just using an old thatch rake.

One of the important things to remember as a cautionary tale is that a small amount of thatch can be a good thing depending on the environment. For example, when there is drought, high heat, and water restrictions a little bit of insulating thatch can go a long way to helping keep the root system of your lawn healthy. Many landscape experts say the general rule from is that about half an inch of thatch is okay but anything above that is too much. If you have over 1 inch of thatch across most of your lawn then it is very much time to take action.

There are seasonal impacts to this bit of lawn care as well. Thatching a lawn is generally best done either in early spring or else in early fall. There are two primary reasons for this. The first is that autumn and spring or seasons which almost never have droughts and high heat. The second reason is that he thatching during these two seasons gives your lawn time to recover either before summer or before winter. Whether you choose to use a power rake lawn thatcher or a manual version of the tool, it is important to know that both have their place and that there is more than one sign which can mean it's time for thatching. While the most common form of thatching along is to get rid of weeds or grass like build up, things like Moss or pine needles also break down and have the effect of causing thatching on your lawn. These can be a major hassle to take care of but the damage they would do to your lawn if left unchecked is even worse.

While thatching a lawn might take a little bit of time and work, the good news is that this type of lawn maintenance is fairly infrequent and you should be able to see the difference that your efforts are making.

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1. Using A Lawn Dethatcher For Healthy Grass

Anyone who wants to take the next step to having a fantastic lawn should look at renting a manual core aerator. Lawn care specialists know the power and results that can be achieved from proper aeration of your lawn. While this practice might seem funny to some people, there's no argument that aerated lawns generally look much better than those that are not. Just a few benefits of this practice include more oxygen in the soil, more fertilizer reaching the roots, better water absorption, and loosening of tight soil. All of these benefits directly lead to more food and fuel getting to the roots of your lawn and given those roots the room they need to expand and grow in a healthy manner. When it comes to do-it-yourself lawn aeration, you have to make the choice between manual lawn aerators or power aerators.

Many people choose to go with the manual option because these tools are easy to use, very effective, and the powered versions tend to be commercial models, which are much more expensive to rent or buy. The manual tool is one that you use all standing up and has between two and four hollow cylinders that get plunged into the soil and when you pull the tool out you should see the cylinder shaped holes as well as the small cores of soil and grass, which were just removed from the ground. What might surprise some people is that there are many different designs for manual core aerators. This includes classic models that are often the most popular because they are simple. These are sometimes also referred to as handheld aerators and they should have at least a foot long handle that makes it much easier to push down into the soil and get your weight behind it. That extra leverage makes the job much easier.

Manual core aerators do require some labor-intensive work and a small or medium-size lawn can take anywhere from an hour to two hours to complete full aeration. However, these tools are excellent for lawns which have a lot of hills, bumps, or uneven ground which can throw off the mechanized versions of this tool. The benefit of using the manual core version of a lawn aerator is that some laboratory studies have shown up to 25% more water and food get to the root systems of a lawn when using a manual core aerator as opposed to one of the commercial versions of this lawn care tool.

This tool might be new to some people but you often find the telltale signs of lawn aeration and small towns or cities that use this tool to help make healthier grass and parks, city property, or even city cared for lawns like those you see flanking sidewalks. The most telltale signs are obviously the soil and grass cores which are kept on top of the aerated soil. This is a very common practice for trying to keep grass healthy and areas that do not get the same amount of maintenance as a person's lawn.

A final question you might come up with when you hit the lawn care section of any local store is why is it so important to go with the manual core version? The simple answer is that the core aerators are simply the best designed and will give you the best results. Shoe aerators are often looked down upon by professional landscapers and while spike aerators might work, spike aerators also further compact the soil and pinch off roots while a core aerator has no such issues. When comparing all this information it quickly becomes easy to see that if you are going for an aerator rental that core aeration is the way to go in the manual core aerator is the best tool for the job.

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It’s summertime and there’s absolutely nothing more you would love to do than just sit by your porch, watch your kids play a bit of football, with your mini-radio playing upbeat music out loud, as you’re sipping on your fresh glass of lemonade. The ambiance of this situation would definitely be enhanced with the vibrant greens that surround your lawn, except for the fact that they appear brownish and thinned out. This simply will not do, considering you’ve been trying to come up with ways to keep the lawn look healthy. Thankfully, thanks to the progression in technology, you can now find certain equipment which will definitely give your lawn a much needed boost in vibrancy. Plug aerators are a type of aerator which is often utilized to create pores or pull plugs out of the soil in order to let air, water and other nutrients enter the soil, thus replenishing your lawn and helping it look healthy and vibrant. This makes for the ideal machine to be used when you seem to be having a rather serious problem with your lawn, especially when it looks rather dilapidated and nearly out of life. Plug aerators for lawns are definitely a must for home owners who happen to have rather large lawns, or even for those individuals who constantly need to maintain parks and fields, where there are chances that the grass may grow thick and plush-looking.

Two Sides of the Same Coin

There are two types of plug aerators which you can find in the market, namely the rolling and mechanically-driven types. Either one of these could prove useful when it comes to your ambitions to grow a lawn which is aesthetically pleasing as well as healthy, although they both have their own set of pros and cons. With rolling aerators, you can actually do a much better job in breaking up the soil and its roots, thus increasing the chances of root growth. Apart from that, they can also roll over rocks or other hard debris around the lawn without any possibility of breaking down. When it comes to the mechanically-driven type, you get the advantage of making more holes, allowing you to boost the lawn’s chances of looking much nicer. Yet, the main problem lies in the fact that this type of aerator does not open up the soil as much compared to the rolling variant, thus seeing a lesser growth of the roots.

Details, details, details!

When using plug lawn aerators, always make sure you use them at least once every 1-3 years, although this is also quite dependent on the condition of your lawn. Besides, not all types of grass is the same, since there are some types which may tend to mat together, thus preventing any water, fertilizers or even a healthy dose of sunlight to ever penetrate the soil. You would find out that, clay soil may compact rather tightly, which results in poor drainage, whereas sandy soil won’t require as much aeration. Apart from that, you will need to take note that aeration works through the exposure of soil to air, which is the very reason why your lawn looks thick, green and plush. When you feel that your lawn is looking healthy enough, you might want to purchase some aeration shoes for yourself. These actually look like sandals, but the soles resemble that of soccer shoes, since they have an array of triangular spikes which can penetrate the soil, thus allowing for better exposure to all kinds of nutrients. These are also beneficial for people who like to take nice strolls in their lawn several times in a week, since they provide the benefits of exercising and are a continual, albeit less powerful, way of providing aeration to your lawn.

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For someone who takes pride in their property, it’s absolutely frustrating to see your lawn riddled with all sorts of debris, right after summers. Several leaves are found scattered all over your backyard, and you are equipped with only a rake to try and get rid of them. This is a task that will surely consume a lot of your time; time which you can dedicate to other important matters in the household such as cleaning the kitchen after cooking a day’s worth of meals for your family, or even looking out for the kids when the babysitter’s currently out of town. Seeing your lawn look like it was the victim of a small bushfire (of course, this is with utmost exaggeration), and it would seem like your next option is to call up gardening services to get rid of this problem once and for all. However, autumn is most likely not the only season you’ll see these leaves taking up a lot of space on your property, so you can’t really expect to give the gardening service company a call every time without you spending so much of your savings. Instead, what you should look to do is, purchase a manual aerator.

What is it?

A lawn aerator can prove to be very helpful in keeping your lawn look great and healthy. It serves the purpose of allowing water, air and important nutrients to penetrate through the soil in your lawn and reach deep into the roots of the grass. This would serve as an ideal tool of your lawn shows any signs of compaction, thus giving you the opportunity to restore it to its once vibrant state. You can easily find two kinds of lawn aerators being sold in the market these days, either a power or a manual lawn aerator. These possess long handles as well as prongs which are attached to the bottom part, requiring you to hold the handles while pushing the prongs to the ground, the latter executed as you step on the cross piece. The number of prongs may actually vary depending on the model you purchase.

Who can use it?

The manual plug aerator is designed for people who one cannot expect to use the rake, that task alone being time consuming and infuriating enough. The manual plug aerator provides much convenience, although it can still take some time before you can move on to other household chores. However, it goes without saying that in order to use a lawn aerator, one should be prepared for quite a task, since you will need to have enough stamina to work with it, even though your lawn may actually be the size of half a professional basketball court.

What are the benefits?

The manual hand aerator makes it easier for you to clean your lawn, and is definitely less expensive compared to the power variants. Aside from that, you also get to dedicate enough time on working on specific areas of your lawn without feeling so much as a hint of frustration compared to any other gardening tool. Also, you can work on corners or other areas which are generally hard to reach when you’re using large pieces of equipment.

When can you use it?

The aerator works best when used once during fall, and never during summer time, as it can damage your lawn’s condition considering how extreme the temperature can get during this season. You should also use the aerator when the weeds are non-prevalent. Neglecting to do so may cause your lawn to experience weed infestation, which would be a ghastly sight.

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It’s annoying enough to know that your property is filled to the brim with a lot of dead and awfully dried up leaves scattered all over the place. What’s even worse is that you only have a rake to use in trying to get rid of these unsightly things, which makes it even harder for you to clean them out of your rather large garden or backyard. You can always make use of gardening services for such matters, but why spend all of your hard earned cash on a monthly basis when you can get the job done yourself in matter of minutes? You may think such a task would be impossible, but with the commercial leaf vacuum, you can easily suck up all the leaves littered all over your lawn right into a disposable bag, making your property look like you just purchased it yesterday!

What is it?

This commercial leaf vacuum is the answer to all your property cleaning woes, allowing you to get rid of those ghastly leaves cluttered all over your lawn. They come in a variety of models, ranging from smaller units which appear somewhat similar to lawnmowers to the more heavy duty models which are very much like large tractors in appearance. These may also come with commercial leaf vacuum equipment such as mufflers or baffles to ensure that you don’t disturb your neighbors next door with such annoying noise whenever you’re cleaning your lawn.

Which one should I choose?

As stated above, these vacuum cleaners are available for purchase in different models, however you still need to make sure you buy one that suits your needs. For starters, you might want to consider buying a unit which contains enough power to take care of all the leaves scattered all over your property. There is a 2 stroke vacuum which is more than adequate for the maintenance of small yards, but if you’ve got a lawn which is half the size of a basketball court, then the 4 stroke engine would work best for you. Also, you need to check the vacuum’s mulching ratio, since you need to take the compression levels into consideration, especially when the leaves are being sucked all in. You want to make sure you get a unit with a high ratio, along with a metal impeller instead of a plastic one, as it is definitely more durable.

What about stability and weight?

There are some heavy duty vacuums out there that can be fastened or joined to mowers or tractors if you want to clean out wide or large areas such as fields or backyards. If you happen to be the owner of a gardening tractor, you can just purchase a commercial leaf shredder with certain attachments that allow you to use your tractor as a vacuum on wheels. If not, then you can consider purchasing some vacuums which are self-contained, making it easier for you to push them around and guide them along a certain path, similar to how you would use a lawnmower.

What are good recommendations?

As of the moment, there are two models which are highly popular – the Cyclone Rake Commercial Pro and the Tow-Behind DR Leaf & Lawn Vacuum. The Cyclone Rake model possesses a 6.5 horsepower engine, and has the ability to generate at least 25 percent more power than any other commercial vacuum in the market today. The Tow-Behind model, on the other hand, makes use of an industry-grade engine, which is manufactured with Subaru or Robin infused technology. Aside from that, it also possesses a fuel tank with a 1.61 gallon capacity and 315 gallon collector capacity, truly making it quite a formidable beast in its own right.

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A lawn requires maintenance to keep it looking lush and green. Thus, some basic measures enable it to stay healthy enough to remain that way. Since it is not uncommon for a layer of debris, or thatch, to accumulate between the soil and grass blades, eliminating thatch, or dethatching, is a basic process when too much thatch threatens lawn health. Of course a healthy lawn has thatch too, but it is usually not more than 1/2" thick. Kept at this level, it is actually advantageous. A healthy thatch height is maintained naturally by bacteria continually breaking it down; this allows a maintenance density consistent with promoting lawn health by preventing grass roots from being burnt and facilitating advantageous water retention.

When thatch surpasses a healthy thickness, often making a lawn look brown and unattractive, it should be dealt with according to geographic region and climate. Primarily composed of grass clippings and other natural materials such as roots and leaves, and often the result of over-fertilization or compacted soil disabling bacteria from reaching the surface to aid in its decomposition, the only time thatch must not be removed is between lawn dormancy and active growth, when low energy stores exist in grass roots. Thus, thatch removal in summer, fall, even during winter dormancy is all right. Consequently, that means early fall or early spring is ideal for lawns most active in cool seasons, while a lawn at its prime in warm weather is best dethatched in early summer.

While aeration, accomplished by poking holes in the soil, helps draw bacteria up to facilitate thatch decomposition, it is not enough when lawn health is duly threatened. Therefore, dethatching is called for, and using a device like a mechanical lawn dethatcher or simply a lawn dethatcher rake becomes necessary to effectively pull up excessive thatch and allow the lawn to breathe anew. While dethatching will obviously help eradicate thatch, there are some worthwhile factors when considering current available devices.

First, while both a mechanical lawn dethatcher and a simpler dethatcher rake will accomplish the task, there is a difference in efficiency and speed. Using a mechanical dethatcher not only proves to be faster but also delivers a more effective outcome. Moreover, a mechanical lawn dethatcher, though more expensive than a simpler lawn dethatcher rake, is usually available for rent by garden suppliers though just as readily purchased as a specialty rake.

When deciding to rent or purchase a mechanical lawn dethatcher, some guidelines exist, not the least of which is lawn size. Although a dethatcher or power rakes might be adequate for small grassy areas, there is no doubt that the mechanical version will greatly enhance dethatching for lawns that are more expansive. That is because a wheeled mechanical lawn dethatcher works by being slowly, steadily run across the lawn, while its blades rotate and penetrate the grass to pull up thatch. The fact that the blade height can be adjusted is a plus, as it enables the tool to penetrate various depths. Further, the space between the blades can be adjusted so that, in a sense, the device can be tailored to the job. Anywhere from one to five passes with a dethatching machine should be adequate to remove most of the thatch

Conversely, for small grassy areas, a handled lawn dethatching rake, similar to a regular rake, might suffice. Manually moved across the lawn in one direction to prevent grass root damage, it resembles a sharp two-sided rake, with wide sharp blades instead of the usual tines. Though less expensive than a mechanical lawn dethatcher, a lawn dethatching rake is, nonetheless, an affordable option even though not recommended for large lawns.

Especially helpful for larger lawns, many mechanical lawn dethatchers are made to be hitched and towed by a tractor, while hand pushed varieties are either motorized or dependent on someone moving them forward. While hand-pushed devices can be effective at separating thatch from grass, the motorized models provide easier use if lawns have a gradual incline. For steeper inclines, a more powerful dethatcher is best, and those that can also be towed provide suitable solutions for greater inclines and larger lawns. All dethatchers, whether hand-pushed or tow-behind, motorized or not, require regular blade maintenance, while oil changes on motorized models ensure continued good performance.

Though a standard lawn dethatcher rake, only somewhat more complexly designed than a regular leaf or garden rake will suffice in some situations, there is no doubt that for thatch that has gotten out of control enough to threaten a lawn's health, using a mechanical lawn dethatcher is advisable. As the process of dethatching also promotes growth of healthy, new grass in mature lawns by allowing oxygen, nutrients, and water to reach deep into living grass roots, there is a dual outcome. Eradicating excessive thatch accumulation and stimulating new grass growth are clearly desirable results. Choosing a device to make the job most effective and time-efficient is a large factor in achieving them.

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1. Using the Right Tools to Thatch a Lawn

There is a lot more to lawn care than seeding, fertilizing, and mowing. Well-maintained lawns sport a razor sharp edge around their borders. With the proper lawn edging tools, even the least experienced of us can make a healthy lawn look like a professional manicured it. Purchasing the proper equipment is half the battle and the rest involves the proper edging technique. Read on to learn the secrets so you can create the best lawn in the neighborhood at a fraction of the price.

Different lawn edging products are designed for different sizes of lawns. Hand-operated tools look like shears and should be used for trimming, not edging. Gas and electric powered equipment that trims lawns using blades or string can sometimes be used as edgers. An extension cord that is plugged into an electrical outlet must be used with the electric model. This makes electric trimmers less convenient when dealing with larger square footage's. Safety is also a concern because care must be taken not to cut the electric cord with the trimmer blade.

Both electric and gas models can damage patios, decks, and concrete so though they are acceptable for edging, they are not ideal. The best way to accomplish the task is to use a piece of equipment designed for the purpose. The most popular are the turf and the rotary edger, both of which use a vertical method of cutting. The lawn should be edged before it is mowed so the mower can pick up the clippings left by the process. Clippings on sidewalks or patios can be swept up using a broom and dust pan.

One way to keep costs low is to rent or borrow an edger, use it once, and then install permanent aluminum lawn edging or steel lawn edging. These products help the lawn retain the desired shape longer and reduce the tendency for ground-cover or mulch to spread into the lawn. The edging is easy to install because it has stakes that lock it into the ground. An adapter can be used whenever an end stake is needed, eliminating the need for planning section lengths.

To perform proper lawn edging, you will need:

• Electric or gas trimmer or lawn edger
• Grass shears
• Product designed for permanent edging or half-moon edging tool
• String
• Wood stakes
• Garden hose
• Shovel
• Lawn Edging

Step 1: Lay out the line designating the location to be edged. To create a straight line, use the string and wooden stakes. To edge on a curved line, use a garden hose.

Step 2: Use the trimmer or edger to cut the grass along this line.

Step 3: Around the edges of flowerbeds and trees, use grass shears to prevent damage to plants and trees.

Step 4: If a half-moon edging tool is being used rather than permanent edging, place the tool between the lawn and flowerbed. Push in the blade with your foot so a thin piece of turf is sliced. Chop up this dislodged turn and use it in the flowerbed.

Step 5: If the permanent edging includes stakes, simply install it according to the package instructions, driving the stakes down in a straight line. Sandy soil conditions may require extra long stakes so take note of this when shopping in order to purchase the appropriate product.

Step 6: Install end stake adapters at all beginning and ending points.

Step 7: Take advantage of the flexibility of the edging material by bending the product to achieve tree curves and sharp rings.

Step 8: If stakes are not included with the permanent edging, a trench must be dug for flush edging. With the shovel, dig up a two inch wide and five inch deep section of turf along the lines created in Step 1. These measurements will change based on the edging product.

Step 9: Add sand to the bottom of this trench and evenly set the edging into the trench.

Step 10: Fill the bottom of the trench with sand to create the desired edging height. Use the topsoil to fill in each side.

Step 11: To firm the soil surrounding the edging, walk along the edging, being careful not to damage it. This will help keep it in place.

Lawn edging should not be installed immediately following a rainfall. During this time, the ground is usually expanded due to moisture retention. Edging installed during this time is likely to move once the ground dries, providing the lawn with an uneven appearance. Allow the lawn to dry before installing the edging product.

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