How to cut grass with weed wacker is an inquiry we often get from curious lawn owners. A trimmer is usually used for uprooting weeds from the lawn, but you can also use it to cut grass efficiently.
We bring you a step-by-step guide on how to use this tool to cut grass easily and safely. Make sure you go through this guide to the end, as it contains some cool tips for your lawn care.
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How To Cut Grass With Weed Wacker?
To cut grass with a weed whacker, protect yourself with protective equipment and pick up large rocks and other hard objects from the lawn. Use one hand on the handle and the other on the trigger to cut grass while keeping the string about one inch above the ground.
1. Protect Yourself First Of All
Before cutting grass with a weed whacker, you must take some safety measures. The wire of the wacker can cause serious injury if it comes in contact with the body. Don’t forget always to wear closed toes and thick-soled shoes when using them.
A wacker cuts grass with a lot of force, resulting in grass clippings flowing in all directions. Never use a wacker without covering your eyes with protective goggles or eyewear. If a piece of grass goes into your eyes, it could damage them seriously. Keep other people and pets away from the lawn while you mow it.
We have found it safest to wear your sturdiest pair of jeans and full-sleeved shirts. Since weed eating takes more time than regular mowing, wear a hat if you are going to be out in the sun for too long. You don’t end up sunburnt and dehydrated.
2. Protect Your Lawn From Grass Clippings
As we have discussed earlier, a strimmer produces a lot of flying debris while it cuts grass or uproots weeds. This flying debris will hit fence posts and might damage them. If the grass is moist, it will also leave stains behind.
In gardening shops, you can easily find weed eater protection shields for fence posts. It is quite convenient to apply and then removes them as you wish.
3. Examine Your Lawn Thoroughly
Before working with the wacker, look for debris such as rocks or sticks in the grass. Medium to large-sized debris should ideally be removed by hand.
Otherwise, the strimmer will catch the rocks, etc., and send them flying everywhere. This can be a safety risk for you, anyone in the vicinity, and even for fence posts and walls. The nylon string wire used to cut grass will wear off if used unnecessarily on hard objects.
4. Check The Trimmer Line
It is very important first to check the trimmer line of your weed whacker before you start working. You want to see if it is long and strong enough to last through tall grass.
It is important because you want your wacker to work properly and because a strimmer breaking while cutting grass can be potentially dangerous.
5. Use The Right Technique
As always, there is a right way to use a machine to carry out grass mowing optimally. Pull out six inches of the string as it is the best height to generate the maximum energy for grass and weed cutting. Electric weed eaters can be switched on using the on/off button, whereas the gas one will need to be started by pulling at the cord.
The best way to hold the string trimmer is with one hand on the handle and the other on the trigger. The trigger should ideally be held at waist level for you to be in the most comfortable position. If your weed eater comes with shoulder straps, then that help takes away a weight off your hands.
If you feel strain in your hands or back at any point during mowing, you must stop and take a break. Try readjusting your posture or the trimmer’s position until you are more comfortable.
6. Stay An Inch Above Ground
Weed eaters should always be kept at least one inch above the ground. Their string works at a very high frequency to remove weeds and grass.
Bringing the string closer to the ground will only kick dirt and soil into the air. Instead of cutting the grass, you might uproot it through the roots.
Try to keep your hands steady and the trimmer at the same level; otherwise, you will do an uneven job. Moving the machine side to side would be best, going approximately a foot in each direction. Try not to sling it carelessly from side to side because there is a risk of losing control.
7. Try To Cut With The Tip Of The Nylon Wire
It would be best if you tried to use the tip of the nylon wire to cut the grass because this is how you will get the most efficient cut.
If the grass is tall, thick, wet, or clumped up, it will be cut efficiently only using the tip of the hedge trimmer wire.
8. Always Start With The Edges
This is not an absolute must-follow step, but it’s better if you start cutting grass at the corners of the lawn. You start by going all around the lawn’s four corners first.
To cut the edges, you will need to rotate the head of the wacker 90 degrees away from yourself. This will cut the grass better and deflect the cut grass clippings away from you.
This will not only frame the lawn but also provide you with a perspective of the rest of the lawn. You can cut grass in the middle of the lawn, following the cut grass in the corners.
9. Go Slowly
A string trimmer uses a lot of energy to move the string quickly to cut grass. However, you should not expect it to cut grass as quickly as a lawn mower. Take short and deliberate steps forward as you move the trimmer from side to side.
It would be best if you went as slowly as possible and better not rush the trimmer more than it can take. In that case, it will get overwhelmed with the cut grass and other debris from the soil.
10. Clean Up Your Lawn
Leaving a thick layer of cut grass clippings all over your lawn after cutting it with a trimmer is not recommended. These cut pieces are too large to act as an effective layer of mulch and may lead to problems or diseases.
Unlike lawn mowing, which gives you the option of bagging cut grass to be recycled or thrown out, a trimmer does not give you the same option. All the cut pieces will be left lying on the lawn for you to pick up and clean.
The best lawn care tool to use for lawn cleanup is a rake. Don’t use a rake with too much force or near the surface of the soil because you don’t want to rake up the soil. Collect the grass clippings using a rake and put them in a bag. We always add these clippings to our compost bin later on.
Conclusion
This article walked you through the stepwise process of cutting lawn grass using a weed wacker, and here are the key takeaway points from it.
- Before cutting grass with a weed whacker, you must take some safety measures.
- The first thing you need to do is to wear goggles, gloves, close-toed shoes, and full-coverage clothes. Remove other people and pets from the lawn while you work.
- Cut the edges first and rotate the trimming line 90 degrees away from yourself.
- Keeping one hand on the handle and the other on the trigger, continuously move the trimmer to the right and one foot to the left.
We are confident that the next time your mower undergoes some problem and you are faced with using a trimmer to cut grass, our guide will help you do that in the most professional manner possible.
