Any seasoned gardener would suggest that you define spaces for your plants first and then make edges to divide the spaces before you redesign and reorganise your garden.
This may seem like a daunting task if you are a gardening novice. But if you do a bit of research, you know that you can easily remedy this by using in ground garden edging. The only task left to do would be to create the edges to use your edgings on.
Adding well-defined lines to your garden spaces provides a finished look and creates a sense of clarity in your space. It also makes maintaining your garden beds easier.
However, with a few tricks and tips, even a gardening novice like you can create perfect edges for your garden on your own. Below are four easy steps to create crisp lines for your perfect garden beds.
Steps to Create the Perfect Garden Edge
Create an edge
The first step, cutting the edge, is always the hardest for gardening novices because you may not know the tools you should use to do this. You can either do the in ground garden edging manually or buy a tool to create the edges.
If you have a small space, you could try doing it manually with either a spade or a half-man edger.
Before you start:
- Make sure you have outlined your space with the use of a hose.
- Once you have outlined your space, use your edger by sticking it in the ground so it is straight. Wiggle it a little bit and move along the line you have made.
- Do not fling the dirt out before you have completed the outline you have made because you will not have a clean and perfectly sharp edge.
If you have a bigger space, you can purchase a machine that will simplify the task. These machines are blades on wheels that roll easily along to cut a continuous line into the soil. The wheels of this kind of tool make it easier to cut perfect curves, and you can see what you are doing, so revising the line becomes easier as well.
Remove the surface soil.
Once you create the edge, you should deepen the cut to about 4 to 6 inches to remove the surface soil with its matted, dense vegetation, usually grass. This depth is also perfect if you are laying in ground garden edging of your choice.
Don’t forget to cut the inside of the bed if you are making a new garden bed to define the space and create a right angle where you will add mulch. Once you have loosened the soil, you can easily remove it by hand. You can then lay your garden edging if you will be using one.
Trim the edge
To make your edges razor-sharp, you can run your garden shears vertically on edge to cut any stray grass blades from the edge.
Again, remember not to disturb the right angle you have created where you will be adding mulch to help suppress the weeds. If you want to maintain razor-sharp edges, make sure to trim it two or three times every season.
Mulch the bed
The final step is to add mulch to your new garden bed from the edge of the grass you have created and create a gentle slope towards your plants. Mulch functions to preserve the soil’s moisture, enhance the soil’s nutrients, remove the residual effects of pesticides and suppress the growth of weeds.
Now that you have created the perfect edge for your garden beds, don’t forget to maintain it by adding mulch about twice a year and trimming your edges, especially the stray grass blades.
