If you are installing a garden edging for the first time, you may realize that it is not an easy task especially if you decide to do it without the help of a professional gardener. Doing the installation yourself may help you cut cost. Here are some guides to help you do the right ways:

1. Pick the right material for your climate and garden – Materials that are made of wood usually last not more than 10 years that is why it is not advisable to places which has harsh weather condition. Garden edging made of steel are also prone to rust. Other choices of materials for garden edging include plastic, rubber, stones, sea shells, brick or concrete pavers, gravel, metal, and aluminum.

2. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions – Manufactured garden edgings usually come with manual instructions so you can find it easy to install. Plastic materials are one of the easiest and safest to install because they are flexible. They come in fence or roll styles. Steal materials come in various colors. Although steal materials hold up easily on trenching and soil, they are dangerous to maintain. They have the chances to get accidentally cut by mowers.

3. Natural and recycled materials are also excellent garden edging – If you feel using not using conventional materials for your edging, you may visit garage sales and junkshops for some inspiration. You may also find materials right in your backyard, like old bottles and chunks of woods. The installation does not necessarily require professional help. Just a word of caution, if you have pets in the house or younger kids who loves to play by the garden, natural edging like spading is not perfect because they may not last long. Also spading usually lasts not more than a year, so you need to redefine your garden edging every year.

3. Before installing the garden edging, mark a clean edge separating your lawn and plant or flower bed. To make sure the height of the edges are all the same, place two stakes at opposite ends of the plant bed and tie a string between them. Spray weed killer on any grass or weed that pops out before they grow many and tall.

4. The trench is where you will place the edging so make sure that its depth coincides with the thickness and height of the edging material and the depth of the supporting foundation. The depth of the trench is usually between 4 to 6 inches deep. Sand makes an excellent foundation for edging. Remove any dirt or grass roots from the sand, then, shovel sand into the trench and smoothen it. You may be tempted to just pound the edging using a hammer into the soil but remember that if you do this, the edging will eventually resurface.

5. Level the edging. Ideally, garden edging’s height is about half an inch above the soil. With that height, your garden edging will already stand out but not become the first thing that will catch attention when people look at your lawn.

Using Wood For Garden Edging

Wood garden edging creates a natural, quaint, and rustic look to your garden. This material is also popular among garden owners who prefer eco-friendly materials in their landscaping. Wood edging “lends” numerous effects to a garden. Varying lengths of lumber placed into the ground can create a rustic effect. While, horizontal and long beams can create a clean and minimalist landscape.

Eco-minded garden owners usually prefer using wood as garden edging. However, the downside of wood is that it is prone to withering and usually doesn’t last for more than 10 years. Some garden owners recommend woods like cedar, cypress, redwood lumber, and other types of hardwood to be effective edging because these types of wood are rot resistant and soil rated. On the other hand, professional landscapers often use landscape timber as wood garden edging. Landscape timbers are used railroad ties or similarly shaped piece of wood measuring about 4 inches by 4 in cross section and 8 feet. Aside from edging to plant or flower beds, landscape timbers are also used in terraces and retaining walls. To withstand harsh elements, landscape timbers are treated and can last at least seven or eight years depending on application of wood treatment and the climate involved. According to some garden owners, the longest lifespan of a landscape timber is 20 years.

When you buy wood for garden edging, choose edging that has already been treated for contact with the soil to prevent wood from early rotting. The depth of the trench should depend on how tall the edging is. Make the edging stand 1 inch higher above the grass. You can do this by giving a 1 inch allowance when you make the dugout for the trench. Make sure the bottom of the trench is in level by laying part the edging inside. If there are spaces that are higher, level and flatten the surface. Using a 2-by-4 firmly stamp the ground compact in the bottom of the trench as final touch.

Secure wooden stakes on the edging 1 inch below the top edge using common nails and a hammer. Stakes should be apart not more than 4 feet apart from each other. If there are edging that needs to be cut to fit the space, use a hand saw or circular saw. Seal each ends with a sealer after the cut to prevent withering.

Position the edging in the trench with the stakes facing the plant bed. Drive the stakes into the ground using a sledgehammer. Fill in the space on the side of edger reverse the plant bed with loose soil. Stamp down the loose soil to compress it into the ground and against the wood garden edging.

Wood garden edging can be bought at garden/home centers. Aside from redwood, cedar, and other types of hardwood, you can also try wooden garden edges made of compressed wood or pressure-treated lumber. Compressed wood is made by compressing wood chips together to create a stronger type of wood. This type of wood is durable and cheaper and more uniform than conventional wood, thus you do not need to cut edges for uniformity.

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