Edging is a very important finishing touch that make all the difference between a good-looking lawn and a great one. Edging provides a lawn with a well-manicured look that cannot be achieved using any other means.
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There are several lawn edging benefits besides looking great, including reducing weeds and improving its overall health. Furthermore, edging provides cleaner lawn lines, with tidy weed-free borders that won’t distort the shape and structure of lawn edges, which keep both lawn and garden looking good in every season.
Summary of lawn edging benefits
- The border is kept crisp and neat
- Provides a barrier for plant roots, preventing flowering plants from growing into the lawn
- Mulch and other material such as gravel are kept in check
- Prevents turf grass growing into flower beds and other areas
- Enhances overall design by defining different areas of the garden
- Prevent weeds growing into flower beds
- Acts as a visual barrier as people cannot walk in areas with edging
Ragged and untidy lawn edges spoil a nice lawn. After maintaining the grass by mowing to make the lawn look tidy, neat and beautiful, ensure the lawn edges also appear crunchy and well-ordered by neatening them up. Characteristics of a lawn not looking good, include grass growing into the surrounding borders.
Using a pair of lawn-edging shears can solve the problem by cutting away any long grass that is starting to intrude into the borders. It is recommended doing this after every mowing. The job can be done standing up without bending by using long-handled shears.
Edging also offers protection to garden bed from unwarranted pass through as it creates a visible barrier that keep people out of areas they are not supposed to be walking.
The goal of lawn edging is to improve the look of lawn and make it easier to maintain. Lawn edging is both aesthetic and functional in this application. The lawn achieves a well-manicured look, creating a clean line for mowing and trimming.
An Essential Structural Component in Landscape Design
Edging is a vital structural element in landscape design as it is a revenue generator. Installation of a quality lawn edging presents an excellent opportunity to produce bonus revenue. In fact, edging can be sold as a stand-alone project for enhancement work.
A good quality edging can be seen from afar—that nice sharp bed-line really defines the garden and makes a great impression.
Edging is not only a necessity, but also an icing on the cake. It helps make your home look its best—giving a home a much more finished and professional look.
Uneven Lawn Edges
A sharp spade, or a half-moon edging iron can be used to correct broken, ragged and uneven lawn edges by re-cutting them into shape.
Good straight lines can be achieved using a short plank of wood or resemblance as a cutting guide. A garden hose produces perfect wavy edges. For the perfect looking lawn, re-cutting the edges should be done once a year, more so if the lawn is on light, sandy soil as this disintegrate away easily.
Broken Lawn Edges
Broken edges make mowing and edging a difficult endeavor besides making the lawn look untidy. Quick and easy repairs improve the look of lawn and make mowing easier.
Edging Equipment
The right kind of equipment consideration include the size of the lawn equipment will be used, how often you plan to edge the trim the lawn, and your budget. For example, a frequently used lawn will require more powerful equipment to best suit the job.
A small lawn that doesn’t require spending a lot of time edging, a pair of vertical cutting shears will do just fine. An electrical or gas-powered edger will come in handy for more than a quarter acre of lawn or lawn used often.
One of the critical decisions having to make is deciding between electric and gas-powered models. Electric models require implements that typically reach a distance of 100 to 150 feet from an outlet. If distance extends beyond this, you may need to invest in a gas-powered tool—also suitable for a large lawn that calls for a lot of trimming, since it tends to be smaller and more mobile than electric powered ones.
You can go for a horizontal trimmer than can be used for both edging as well as trimming by turning the trimmer at an angle that allows cutting horizontally.
My wife and I have been considering getting our lawn edged when we redo the landscaping later this year, so it is nice to learn why it is actually beneficial. I actually did not know that it could help prevent weeds from growing in flower beds. That must really help with regular gardening, so I can see why edging is a popular practice.