How to Make a Neat Edge Between the Lawn and Flower Beds

Cut a handsome, narrow trench between your lawn and flower beds for a neat, natural edge. You'll get great looks, easier mowing and less invading grass without the installation hassles of most edging or the brown paths from chemical sprays.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Garden Spray Paint
• Garden Spades
• Hoes
• Carts Or Wheelbarrows
• Metal Files

1. Draw a line that separates your lawn from the adjoining bed. Use garden spray paint to create a gentle curve, straight lines or any combination that pleases your eye.

2. Choose a square-head spade to cut the edge and a hoe to smooth out the edge. Make sure your tools are sharp.

3. Stand on the lawn where it meets the bed. Get in close so that the lawn side of the trench will be no more than three inches from the bed edge.

4. Hold your spade at about 45 degrees, with its sharpened head on the edge line. Put your foot on the head and guide it at a 45-degree angle 3 inches into the soil.

5. Lift out the grass and soil and toss it into your wheelbarrow. Take a step to one side and make another cut and toss to match the first. Continue down the line you've drawn until the entire edge is dug out. Set aside any healthy pieces of turf to patch bare spots elsewhere and compost the rest of the debris.

6. Use your hoe to smooth both sides of the trench. It should be 3 inches deep, sloping up to 3 inches wide at the top. Let the lawn grow right up to one side, with the garden bed meeting the other side.

7. Maintain the neat edge with regular scrapes of your hoe to cut out lawn or plants that try to cross the trench. Keep the edge as dry as possible to suppress weeds.

Tips & Warnings

• Do this project the day after a rain or good soaking to make digging easier.
• Keep a file handy to sharpen your spade and hoe - let the tools work at their best so you can, too.

[sassy270380]

on 11/15/2007 do you remove the black edging material after you make the drench between your flower garden and the lawn?

on 11/22/2005 Use a garden fork to perforate the lawn-side line of the trench, then connect the dots with your spade!

on 11/22/2005 I learned this after my parents seperated and I had to do the outside work.
Depending on what kind of border your using (in my case it is the regular black stuff), you take a sharp square cut shovel and stick the blade in half way. Repeat this about an inch in front of the cut you made and take out the remaining dirt. Then, slide the trench into the crater you made and fill out the remaining space to steady the trench. It's a lot of work, especially in summer, but it pays off with a nice, clean-cut garden to look at every day.