Strimming & Edging
Crisp finished edges along paths, fences, and beds. Add to a mow or book on its own.
FROM
£0per visit
or £28/hour standalone
EDGING WITHOUT TOOLS
How to Edge a Lawn Without an Edger
A crisp edge is what makes a lawn look deliberately cared for rather than just cut, and none of it requires a powered edging tool. A half-moon edging spade, a garden knife, or a sharp pair of long-handled edging shears will do the job on a domestic lawn, they just take a bit more time and a steady hand.
The technique matters more than the tool: cutting a clean vertical line where lawn meets path, bed or drive, then trimming the overhanging grass along that line, is what gives the finished look.
ELawnCare adds strimming and edging to a mow for £12, or £28 an hour standalone, if the manual approach is more effort than the result is worth.
Written by Evaldas, owner of ELawnCare. Last reviewed .
WHAT IT COSTS
Prices for this work
POPULAR
Lawn Mowing
Striped, healthy lawns with squared edges. From courtyard plots to country gardens.
FROM
£0per 100m²
+50% surcharge for overgrown first cuts
Using a half-moon spade
Lay a plank or taut string along the line you want, then press the half-moon spade straight down along it in a series of overlapping cuts, rocking it slightly to slice cleanly through the turf. Lift out any grass that has crept over the path or bed and firm the new edge back down with your foot.
This method is slow the first time on a lawn that has never been properly edged, but once the line is established, a light re-cut every few weeks with shears keeps it sharp with very little effort.
Maintaining the edge afterwards
Long-handled edging shears, held vertically and worked along the established line, keep an edge tidy between full re-cuts. This is quick, roughly ten to fifteen minutes for an average garden, and does not disturb the soil the way a full re-cut does.
Doing this alongside every second or third mow stops the edge creeping back out and needing the harder half-moon work again.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
A half-moon edging spade gives the cleanest result for cutting a new line. A garden knife works on smaller areas. Long-handled edging shears are the tool for maintaining an edge that has already been cut. None require power.
Every visit during the growing season keeps them sharp. Many gardens add edging to every mow or every other mow. In winter, growth slows enough that edging can drop to occasional tidy-ups.
Cutting a brand new, straight edge with a half-moon spade takes patience and a guide line, but it is not technically difficult. Maintaining an existing edge with shears is quick and needs no real skill, just a steady hand along the established line.
Yes. Strimming and edging is £12 added to a mowing visit, or £28 an hour as a standalone booking with a one hour minimum, covering CB1 to CB25 with no callout charge within 8 miles.
FULLY INSURED
£2M public liability
CAMBRIDGE-BASED
CB1 to CB25 free callout
RELIABLE
Owner handles every visit
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Or book a free in-person visit for fencing and larger jobs.