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mjm_nj

Landscape Border what do use?

mjm_nj
13 years ago

I had a landscaper do some beds and planting two years ago. He was a friend of my brother in-law and was helpful in explaining what I should do to maintain it. Last year I added mulch and recut the outline of the beds with a shovel as he had showed me although he recommended a special tool. I think I did ok, but the lines I cut in the ground didn't hold up as well as they did the first year when they did it, grass and weeds started creeping up. I asked him about using something to trim the outline of the beds and he said not to bother. I don't really want stone or those block trim. I see they have these rubberized,asphalt or plastic strips that you can jam in the ground and shape to the beds. Would they work well or is what I am doing the best unless I want to use the stone. can suggestions are much appreciated.

Comments (10)

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    13 years ago

    Yeah, they work. IMO, not a great look but I'm not a fan of plastic in the garden. The only time I use edging is to contain a paved area and its underlayment. And it can make it difficult to mow if they are not installed flush with the lawn.

    I much prefer to edge manually but it does require some extra maintenance. First, it needs to be done more often than just once a season......depending on the type of turf grass, perhaps as often as every third or fourth mowing (or monthly). And it helps if the tool you use is very sharp. I use something called a lawn shark that is apparently no longer made but a straight edged spade or shovel works just as well, as long as it is kept sharpened. Shove it straight down along the lawn edge 4-6 inches, then mound the soil/mulch back towards the planting bed, creating a small trench. The trench will keep the grass roots from migrating and contain any mulch.

  • theresa2
    13 years ago

    I'm not sure from your post how the landscaper told you to cut the outline, but here's how I do it. I dig a trench about four inches wide by four inches deep, then I hard pack shredded mulch into the trench filled to grade. This slows the migration of weeds into the planting bed and allows for easy mowing. At least once a year you'll want to pull weeds that have migrated into the trench. Replace mulch as it breaks down.

  • sunnyca_gw
    13 years ago

    I have brick laid in cement in front. Easy to mow right up to it. In back I have that & I added a mini rose garden & I used some about 10 in. wide edging in brown & got at Home Depot & it works fairly well, still have to do some hand edging but it works it's way down in the soil so I've had to go along & dig it up & move it up a couple of times in last several years. Doesn't keep grass out as well as brick or stone in cement tho. Even they will get some grass in as birds & other critters move through & have seeds on them or wind blows it in. Can't win. Good Luck

  • flora_uk
    13 years ago

    If you edge manually as gardengal48 suggests (and I agree) a better tool than a shovel or spade is a half moon edging iron. Once it's done you can maintain it with edging shears for at least a season. It shouldn't need constantly redoing, only once a year or so. But, of course, it does depend on your lawn grass and whether it is a real creeper.

    This is a bit of a matter of taste. I'm used to UK gardens where there is almost always a clear sharp edge between lawn and bed defined by a 3" vertical edged V shaped gully. This stops the lawn invading the bed and the bed washing onto the lawn. Consequently I can't get away from the feeling that a bed on the same level as the lawn, unless there is a brick or stone mowing strip is a bit of a mess. But that's just a cultural thing.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Edging a lawn

  • mjm_nj
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks for all the help and the link, the landscaper told me to do exactly as gardengal48 described. He did say there was a tool, but a shovel will work. Maybe I need to try again and get the proper tool. The trim I was looking as wasn't plastic it was maybe an inch thick and I think it was asphault or rubberized something... Last summer was rough trying to get the hang of things. The property is very old the lawn is probably mostly weeds or undesirable grass that does creep quickly. I have been trying to rehab what is already here and ad new things at the same time. This year am going to try to get the lawn going and get my Privet hedge back to muster. Can I ask what you guys do in the spring when you redo your beds. Last year I redid the lines of the bed with a shovel, then I sprinkled preen over the beds to try to cut down on the weeds and I added maybe a little over an inch or two of new mulch over the old.

  • whitecap
    13 years ago

    Perhaps I don't grasp the problem, but couldn't you sink metal edging along the contours of the beds, leaving it perhaps an inch or so above the soil? It wouldn't be very visible, and your weedeater would make short work of the grass trying to creep over the edging.

    My beds are edged with river rock. Looks nice, but the grass creeping through the spaces between the rocks and into the beds is very hard to reach. I'm going to sink a metal edging against the rock. I've seen it installed, and it doesn't look all that difficult.

  • mjm_nj
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I have not seen metal edging. but that was the idea, just something to hold the shape and keep the grass at bay that isn't to noticable.

  • whitecap
    13 years ago

    Steel edging is priced at BigBox at about $1.20 a linear foot. You can get some tips on instruction at the Col-Met website. The hardest part is probably cutting it to the length you need, but I'm thinking that can be avoided by overlapping, if necessary.

  • steelplayer
    13 years ago

    Here is some natural steel edging I used in a couple of spots. Used a local steel supplier to have it sheared to size and layed it in. So far it looks great. I have used it all over the place but only have this pic.

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:12508}}

  • slama.wbgarden
    13 years ago

    Do you know Invisible curb? It is plastic but very good, very easy installation.

    Here is a link that might be useful: garden design galery

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