How to Make a Trench Border in Your Garden

Making a trench around garden areas in your yard can save you a lot of time down the road. Even if you don't want to go to the trouble of installing edging, a trench will serve the same function and is a bit easier to do. Besides defining the gardening areas, the trench helps keep weeds or grass from creeping over, provides a place for excess rainwater to flow and keeps you from mowing into the garden.

Things You'll Need

• Spray paint
• Hoe or shovel

Instructions

1. Decide where you want your garden areas to be versus your lawn and what kind of style you want. You could develop box shapes areas with straight lines and more formal areas or create a free-flowing area with curves.

2. Use spray paint to mark the borders of your garden areas. This gives you a better feel for where everything will be. Step back and look at it. If you need to make any changes to the lines, this is the time to do it.

3. Dig along the painted line. Use a flat edged shovel to dig straight down as you face the garden areas. Go to a depth of 4 inches. You are just making a slit in the ground, not removing any dirt.

4. Stand on the garden side of the trench and repeat the digging process. This time, dig down 4 inches at an angle. Place the shovel 4 inches in toward the garden from the first slit cut in the soil. Angle the shovel about 45 degrees and dig down. Remove the soil as you go along. Continue until you dig the trench all the way around the garden areas.

Tips & Warnings

• For a more attractive look, fill the trenches with stones, shells or other well-draining hard objects.

References

• Backyard Landscape Ideas: Flower Bed Edging