Yesterday, I cut a fresh edge around a couple of sugar maples with my favorite grass edging tool. We had rain and fog in the morning and the soil was soft. Perfect for edging!

Spade for Grass Edging Tool

Sometimes, I prefer to use a sharp spade to edge the lawn. I don’t always use an edging tool.

Sharp, clean and oiled tools make me a better landscaper.

It’s easier to edge a curved bed with a spade than a grass edging tool. The curve of the spade works with the curve of the bed. Don’t get me wrong, I can cut straight or curved edges with either edger.

When cutting edges with a spade, keep your cuts close together to avoid a sawtooth edge. You can see each individual c-shaped cut of the spade below which is acceptible.

I like edging with a spade better but it’s rough on my shoulder and takes more planning. The tighter the curve the more I prefer the spade for an edging tool.

Cleaning up Edgings

It didn’t take long to re-edge these two tree rings with my grass edging tool. I decided to wait to clean up the edgings. In a day, or two, the edgings will dry out becoming lighter and easier to clean up.

I use a flat shovel or pitchfork to pick up the large pieces of grass and rocks—a light raking levels out the remaining soil.

Edgings are great for filling low spots in the yard. Further, if you’re lucky, there’s a low spot closer than where you would dump the debris.

Wheelbarrows

I purchased that wheelbarrow from A.M. Leonard over 20 years ago. It’s lightweight, heavy-duty and bulletproof. If you like quality tools, I recommend this A.M. Leonard wheelbarrow. A.M. Leonard makes the same wheelbarrow with a flat-free tire.

Edging Lawn with Spade Video

At the end of this video, starting at 7:15, I show you my method for edging beds with a spade rather than a grass edging tool.