Ditch The Pricey Edgers: Use A Cheaper Tool That's Already In Your Shed

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There are many ways to trim the edges of a lawn. You can use an expensive, gas-powered edger, a cordless string trimmer with an edging attachment, or even a simple manual edging tool. If you have a spade shovel in your tool shed, however, you can skip those other tools and use that instead.

A spade isn't the same thing as a standard shovel. It's basically a flat, rectangular piece of metal with a sharp cutting edge on one end and a handle on the other. You can use this tool to make small holes, dig up shrubs in the garden for transplanting, and turn soil over. It's also a great edging tool; in fact, that's one of the main reasons gardeners keep a spade handy. 

This versatile tool will create a new edge or maintain an existing one along a border with a garden, driveway, or walkway, and it can do so just as efficiently as a dedicated edging tool. Sometimes, it works even better. For example, if you want to establish an edge around a tree or bush in the yard to make weeding easier, you can use a spade to cut the edge, remove turf, and move the earth to where you want it to go. 

The ability to cut cleanly through grass and dig into the ground at the same time makes a spade a good edging tool — but to do this, it needs a sharp edge. It doesn't have to be razor-sharp, but you should be able to feel the edge; when it dulls, you should sharpen it again. You can do this with a multi-purpose tool sharpener, like the Sharpal 103N All-in-1 Sharpener. The blade will stay sharp longer if you oil it after sharpening. 

When you use a spade to create a new edge, start by marking the line with whiting powder, rope, or a garden hose, then use the spade to cut into the ground along the line to a depth of about 4 inches. If you're planning to install an above-ground landscape edging, this line is all you need, but you'll need to make a trench if you want the edge to stand on its own. The garden bed should slope down to the bottom of the trench to provide drainage and keep grass out, and it's easier to do this with a spade than with any other tool.

A good, sharp spade also makes maintaining an existing edge easy, and it won't leave ragged ends like a weed trimmer might. Just push the blade into the ground with your foot and repeat, working along the edge from one end to the other.