Help! Takes too long to trim beds.

[Wayne Offiler]

Happily, I'm getting more upscale properties. However, I find that large mulched beds are the in thing. Some homes even have beds all around the house as well. Must be 300 - 400 feet of edge to trim.
My method is to cut my trimmer lines to about 3", flip the trimmer upside-down (no guard, of course) and pull it along the edge. Makes a nice sharp edge, but I must spend at least 15 minutes on this alone.
Is there a better way? A special tool?

[Vibe Ray]

Just gotta get faster. Maybe you could use a stick edger on it. I've never tried it, but I doubt it would speed things up much anyway.

[KirbysLawn]

If you are walking backwards try practicing walking forward. I finally got good at going forward without the trimmer pulling and have cut my trimming time quite a bit.

[gusbuster]

Your line is too long. Shorten it a little bit. Shorter string, faster rpm's, more power, less time to trim. To long of a screen is a fast way to blow a carb.
John

[joshua]

what type of string are you running, it might be slowing you down. we use echo cross fire and that stuff is second to none with all the different lines we tried. like kriby said walk forwards not backwards unless you feel more comfortable walking backwards.

[Hardy Enterprises]

Stick edgers work great for giving a bed a clean edge. I have always used a string trimmer until this year when I finally broke down and bought a stick edger. I had always said that a trimmer did just as good as an edger until I actually tried one. However, now I feel like it was a big improvement both in quality and speed. Also, it can be used as a sales tool when looking at a new job with alot of bed edges. Seperate yourself from the competition, tell the prospect you have edger just for putting a clean sharp edge on their flower beds and explain the higher quality gained from using an edger compared to the standard string trimmer.

Jay

[Runner]

These guys with the edger idea are right. Even if you don't hav a stick edger, the little extra time it will take you with a wheeled edger, before you mow, will be worth it with the results you will get.

[Green Care]

Stick edger is a better way,also keep fresh blade on the edger .

[Ssouth]

Wayne, I use a line trimmer on all naturally edged beds. I keep the string as long as the guard will allow which gives a higher tip speed which = nicer edge. I have tried my stick edger on natual edges but it takes longer and doesn't give any better of a cut. Don't get me wrong a stick edger is an invalualble tool for curbs and sidewalk, but I feel it is a step back for keeping beds edged. Also, as mentioned before, try to walk in the direction the string is spinning and not against it. This will increase your speed dramatically. As a side note, I edge warm season grasses every week and cool season grasses bi-weekly unless there is a tremendous amount of growth like in the spring.

[syzer]

I find a string trimmer the best. I tried a stick edger and slowed me down big time, edge wasn’t nearly as clean and slow. Trimming with a line trimmer seems much easier and faster. I wish I could walk forward and do it, but I like to walk backwards so I can see exactly what I am hitting and not. Nothing looks better then a nicely mulched bed with a string trimmed edge.

[guntruck]

Yep trimmer is the way to go in my book. Very fast and looks great, just be careful not to dig in the dirt and sling rocks 200 ft.

[AVRECON]

Originally posted by Ssouth
Wayne, I use a line trimmer on all naturally edged beds. I keep the string as long as the guard will allow which gives a higher tip speed which = nicer edge. I have tried my stick edger on natual edges but it takes longer and doesn't give any better of a cut. Don't get me wrong a stick edger is an invalualble tool for curbs and sidewalk, but I feel it is a step back for keeping beds edged. Also, as mentioned before, try to walk in the direction the string is spinning and not against it. This will increase your speed dramatically. As a side note, I edge warm season grasses every week and cool season grasses bi-weekly unless there is a tremendous amount of growth like in the spring.

I agree with you 100% I've tried it both ways and trimmer line is the way to go!

[Ric]

My vote STICKEDGER. I have a 21cc 26cc and a 32cc echo in Fla. our sandy soil a 21cc is good to go. Hard pan you may need a 32cc, but they are heavy. We also use power sprinkler head cutters.

[KirbysLawn]

Well if we are voting I prefer a string trimmer. The stick edger does not cut as clean and takes longer.

[syzer]

And the darned wheel always falls in the ditch =).

[Ric]

SORRY I Added my two cents I am the new guy. Just a kid 61 yrs old. New to the Business in 1987.