String Trimmer & Hedge Trimmer
The mower does the field. The trimmer does the EDGES — and edges are what separates 'cut the grass' from 'professional lawn service.' Add this to your kit and your prices double.
Earn up to 145 coins
🎖️ Trimmer Badge
Force for Health
A clean, edged lawn keeps grass off walkways, drains clear, and looks cared for. Cared-for spaces lower stress.
Force for Wealth
Trim service adds $10-$15 per lawn on top of mowing. Same time. Bigger check.
Force for Community
Shape an elder's overgrown hedges back into pride. Twenty minutes of work, weeks of joy every time they look outside.
0 coins
Goal: 145
Quick Check-In, Before We Begin
Right now, how confident are you using a string trimmer or hedge trimmer?
How likely are you to trim or shape someone's yard or hedges?
One Quick Knowledge Question
You're trimming along a wood fence. What protects you (and the fence) from string-trimmer damage?
Meet the Trimmer Family
Two tools, two jobs. The STRING TRIMMER (weed whacker) spins a plastic line at high speed — cuts grass and weeds where the mower can't reach (around trees, fences, walls, garden beds). The HEDGE TRIMMER has reciprocating blades — shapes shrubs, hedges, and small bushes. Both are powered (gas, battery, or corded electric). Both make the difference between a mowed yard and a manicured one.
String Trimmer vs Hedge Trimmer
Mowing's the muscle. Trimming's the artistry. Anyone can cut a square in the middle of a yard. The trim work — clean lines along the driveway, neat shapes around the tree, hedges with crisp tops — that's what tells the world you take pride in your work.
Three Trim Jobs You'll Do
Edging Walkways
Vertical string trimmer head against sidewalk edge. Creates a crisp line between grass and concrete.
Tree & Bed Trimming
Knock down grass around tree trunks and garden bed edges where the mower can't go.
Hedge Shaping
Flat top, straight sides on bushes and hedges. Use a string line for perfect straightness.
Watch It Done Right
How to Use It — The Five Moves
- Eye protection FIRST. String trimmers throw rocks. Hedge trimmers throw chips. Safety glasses, every time.
- Set the right tool for the job. Open grass to chop: string head down, parallel to ground. Edging walks: string head VERTICAL, side spinning along edge. Hedges: hedge trimmer, not string.
- Light touch, don't bury the head. String line cuts efficiently when it whips. Burying it in thick growth bogs the motor and breaks line. Skim the top, move slow.
- For hedges: top first, then sides. Top of the hedge sets the line. Then bring the sides down to meet it. Step back every few minutes to check the shape from a distance.
- Sweep up clippings. Always. Sidewalks, driveways, customer's patio. Five minutes of cleanup = the difference between 'amateur' and 'pro.'
Hedge trimming is sculpture. Walk away from it every few minutes. Look at it from across the yard. From the street. From inside the customer's house if they let you. The shape only looks right from a distance — close up, you'll over-correct.
Safe & Unsafe
✅ Safe
- Safety glasses ALWAYS
- Long pants — string throws rocks at high speed
- Closed-toe shoes
- Eye on the cord (if corded) so you don't trim through it
- Two-hand grip on hedge trimmer
- Step BACK from work to check shape
⚠️ Unsafe
- Trimming barefoot or in sandals
- Holding the trimmer head ABOVE waist level (kicks back)
- Reaching over your head for long periods (fatigue, drop accidents)
- Working near windows or glass without a barrier
- Trimming wet hedges or wet grass (slipping, electrical risk)
- Letting kids or pets near the work zone
Why This Is a Force for Health, Wealth & Community
Health: Real outdoor work. Real motion. Vitamin D, fresh air, the satisfaction of visible results. Wealth: Trim/edge service adds $10-$15 per lawn. Quick learn, big upgrade to your pricing. Hedge shaping is a separate service ($40-$80 per shrub). Community: An overgrown hedge that hasn't been touched in two years can be a source of shame for an elder neighbor. Twenty minutes to reshape it = months of joy every time they look out the window.
Put It to Work
Do at least one. Snap a photo of your work to earn the coins. A grown-up can supervise younger learners.
Hands-on time only. Find a yard with something that needs trimming — yours, family's, a neighbor's. Edge a walkway. Trim a tree base. Just one task. Get the feel of the tool.
Edge a sidewalk or walkway
String trimmer head rotated vertical. Cut a clean line between grass and concrete. Sweep clippings. Photo.
+35 coins
Trim around 3+ obstacles (trees, beds, fence posts)
Use the trimmer where the mower can't reach. Goal: NO uncut grass when you're done.
+40 coins
Shape a hedge or bush
Use a hedge trimmer (with supervision if it's your first time). Aim for a flat top and straight sides. Step back to check.
+50 coins
Be a Force for Others
Sharing what you learned — and helping someone with it — earns bonus coins and your badge.
Elders' hedges grow into monsters because nobody can reach them anymore. Walk down the block. See one that's gone wild? Knock. Offer to shape it. Free or for tips. They'll smile every time they look outside for a month.
🤝 Reshape an overgrown hedge or trim an elder's yard
The wild hedge, the unedged walkway, the wall the grass is climbing. Bring tools, bring time.
+40 coins (Force for Community)If you liked this, you might love a career as a Landscape Pro or Tree Care Tech.
Landscape pros run their own crews, earning $40k-$80k+. Arborists (tree care, certified) earn $42k-$78k with steady year-round work. Parks and grounds maintenance for cities and colleges = pension-eligible careers with benefits.
String Trimmer & Hedge Trimmer — Unlocked!
Edges, lines, and shapes — all yours. One last skill in Rocky's Shop.
0 coins earned