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bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.Mow & Edge, The Basics of Lawn Care Article by Jack Stone Copyright © 2003 by ProGardenBiz
Speed. Accuracy. Efficiency. For anyone who has a lot of lawns to mow these three things are very important.
Speed. Getting job done as quickly as possible. The faster you can do a job, more jobs you have time to do.
Accuracy. Doing job right first time you do it. Having to do part of a job over wastes time.
Efficiency. Doing all parts of a job in a logical, convenient order, as well as using right tool or a better tool.
Let's apply these ideas to mowing and trimming a lawn. If you are like most gardeners first thing you probably do when you arrive at a customer's house is mow lawn. Next, you edge and/or line trim it. Mow and edge, that's what its called isn't it? Yes, but procedure is not efficient.
The edger is first tool you should use. It's used for trimming along hard edges such as sidewalks and driveways. It's more accurate and leaves fewer divots than a line trimmer. With a proper length blade and an established edge, edger is also faster than a line trimmer.
Next, use line trimmer. Use this tool in such a way as to cause trimmed grass to be thrown onto lawn and not into beds, groundcover, and shrubbery. The line trimmer is messiest of grass cutting tools you use.
Finally, mow. Not only will your lawn mower pick up grass from its own activity, but it will collect a good deal of trimmings created by edger and line trimmer. This saves you raking, sweeping, and blowing time.
Some other ideas: Edge entire perimeter of a lawn with edger. Edge along hard edges as well as beds and tree wells. Since an edger cuts deeper into soil than a line trimmer it's more efficient at cutting stolons or runners on such grasses as Bermuda and Kikuyu. An edger can also create a clean crisp straight edge along beds. This is much more attractive than typical wavy edge left by a line trimmer.
Don't let grass grow up against fence boards, walls, or plants. By maintaining a narrow edge with your edger or line trimmer you can prevent damage to these features as well as using less line.
