Edges on flower beds give any landscape a crisp and clean look, although after you’ve dug up old plants, spread new dirt and tilled the soil, dug more holes, and finally planted new flowers, the last thing you want to think of is more work!
Even if you have a long-established garden, an edge on your flower bed can help the health and appearance of your plants. Edges on flower beds will help keep weeds and grass out, saving you extra work in the long run!
If you are looking to give your flower bed a good edging but don’t know where to start, keep reading to learn how to edge flower beds.
Edge Flower Beds vs. a Lawn
While edging a flower bed is similar in many ways to edging a lawn, there are a few key differences between the two.
You can use a weed whacker to edge your flower bed, but weed whackers are generally not going to give you the clean and tidy look you are looking for. They are designed to be used on straight edges.
Most flower beds have curving edges. This is because landscapers choose flowing or soft curves when designing flower beds. Rounded shapes are more natural, and will readily look more integrated into the rest of the landscape.
The ideal technique for edging a flower bed doesn’t just involve cutting a line between the grass and the bed. Flower beds look best when the bed is slopes upwards and away from the curve. Throughout the day, this method naturally casts a shadow which gives a truly defined look to your flower bed’s edge.
How to Edge a Flower Bed
As mentioned before, you can use a stick edger, but the line will not be as crisp or thorough. There are two main methods to edge a flower bed.
- A Half-Moon Tool: While a manual tool may not be as efficient as a motorized piece of equipment, a half-moon tool will provide your flower bed with a curved, flowing, and very clean look at an affordable price. Your edge will be easy to customize with this tool!
- A Bed Edger: This machine can be used for any garden or flower bed, or even islands in a larger lawn. Bed edgers are very maneuverable, and have large tires to protect your lawn. They are designed with multiple purposes! They can redefine existing beds, cut new trenches, lay mulch, and even install metal or plastic edging. They’re especially useful for large yards!
While the operation of the each tool is different, the same basic instructions for both are the same.
Before you start, you may want to call the utility company to make sure that there are no lines running under your intended path. You’ll also want to check if there are any drainage pipes which need to be avoided, as well!
- If you are cutting a new edge, mark your edge using a garden hose or spray paint.
- Start cutting your trench at one end of your flower bed.
- Follow your line to the other end of the flower bed – or back to the beginning if you are edging an island.
- Install any edging materials, stake them down, and then backfill them.
- Sweep away any debris, especially grass that you may have uprooted! Grass can easily take root again if left roots-down, so turn them upside-down unless you want to use them for patches in other parts of your lawn.
- You are done!
Tips!
- If you’re using a manual edger, you may want to consider edging in the morning or after rain, as wet soil is easier to dig into than dry!
- Bed Edgers can be loud, so make sure to use appropriate safety equipment!
- Try to keep your curves as loose as possible. If you design them to have narrow, tight curves, you’ll have a lot more work to do when mowing your lawn! You’ll need to reposition your lawnmower more frequently along a tightly curved flower bed edge.
How to Use a Bed Edger
Believe it or not, Bed Edgers are very easy to use. All you’ll need to do is to position the machine at the desired starting location and then turn it on. From there, the bed edger will do all the hard work for you!
Northside Tool Rental
If you are preparing to edge your flower bed and are looking for a bed edger, check out Northside Tool Rental’s Bed Edger. You’ll be done edging your flower bed in no time at all! We have five convenient locations around Atlanta so that your next rental is just around the corner!
