Believe it or not, there’s an art to using a weed whacker. If careless, you could end up scalping your landscaping and doing irreparable damage. The weed whacker mistake that will majorly damage your lawn happens if you don’t hold the head vertically. If you fail to hold it correctly, you risk cutting into the grass and causing permanent scarring. But this isn’t the only mistake you can make with a weed whacker, and we have plenty of valuable tips and information for you here in this post.
Keeping your lawn mowed and manicured is essential to maintaining your home and boosting its curb appeal. Mowing is only part of the job when landscaping. Weed-whacking will be necessary to keep your yard up to par. If you’re a new homeowner or renter, you may not yet be an expert at using a weed whacker, but we’re here to help. After all, the better shape you keep your lawn and property in, the better your relationships are with your neighbors.
Mistakes to avoid
Mastering your weed whacker will take some time and can be dangerous. One common mistake is not wearing eye protection. No matter how hard you try, you will always come across a rock, sticks, or something that could fling up and hit you in the face or, worse, an eye. Remember always to wear safety gear when weed-whacking and keep an eye on the state of the string. Don’t neglect to pay close attention to its condition; replace it if it becomes frayed or damaged.
The most important thing to remember when weed whacking is to hold it correctly. If your model has a shoulder strap, this is designed to help you control the machine better, so put it on. The handle on most weed whackers is shaped like a “U” and set up to use both hands to control. Your right hand goes on the front handle, while your left controls the rear handle. Continually hold the head vertically. Start with the lowest setting and pay close attention to obstacles. Always begin with the lawn edges until you feel comfortable with the device.
Tips to weed-whack like a pro
Certainly, one of the most important tips concerns the direction the machine spins. Because the weed whacker needs to spit out the material it’s chopping up (it has to go somewhere), the direction you cut matters. Often, the trimmer spins counter-clockwise, in which case it will eject material from the left side and cut best with the opposite side. So the best way is to position yourself so that the right side of your body is closest to work at hand when working up a hill, along a curb, low fence, or walkway.
This will correctly position the machine head to spit out material to the left. Reversing your direction will result in the material being ejected into the cut path, where it will gather and bog down the trimmer. Additionally, it will result in the scalping of your grass, an aesthetic nightmare. You can start practicing different techniques once you get comfortable using your weed whacker. Remember these tips, and you’ll be weed-whacking like a pro in no time!
