Granite Cobblestones for Garden Edging

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If you prefer garden edging that are eco-friendly, one of your choices might be granite cobblestones. Granite cobblestones are rectangular-shaped blocks made from granite, a type of ingenuous rock and often used in paving for its rustic charm. However, because granite when installed on trench creates durable edging and adds beauty to gardens, granite cobblestones became a popular choice for garden edging. They are available at home improvement shops and garden stores. Granite cobblestones come in different colors like pink, white, black, orange, and gray.

Granite cobblestones just like other garden edging materials will help keep grass and your perennials from interacting. However, this type of edging material is quite expensive especially if you have a large garden.

There are many other materials that you can use as garden edging like metals, aluminum, and steel but none of them can give the rustic and eco-friendly effect granite cobblestones can only give. Granite cobblestones usually last a long time as garden edging. You do not need to replace them like once a year. They are not vulnerable to weathering because of rain and snow. They are good investment to your garden.

If you really want to cut cost but cannot give up the idea of using granite cobblestones in your garden edging, here are some options:

1. Buy recycled or reclaimed granite cobblestones – Recycled or reclaimed granite cobblestones usually come from the streets of some historic cities like Chicago and Philadelphia with colors like gray, deep purple, brown, and red.

2. Install new granite cobblestones few at a time – If you do not want reclaimed granite cobblestones, you may buy new ones but few at a time as you can afford them. You can temporarily use natural stones on spots that hadn’t been edged yet with cobblestones and replace them with the same color and size of granite cobblestones when you already have the budget. Just remember to inform the home improvement store that you will be keeping their number for future purchase.

3. Watch out for discounts – Some home improvement shops hold annual sale on granite cobblestones. You may plan ahead the purchase and make the sale when the discount scheme arrives.

3. Do the installation yourself – Installing granite cobblestones is easy. First, you need to make an outline of your desired course of edging with stakes, strings or a garden hose. Then, make two parallel lines along that outline. Measure the thickness of your cobblestones and space the parallel lines equal to the thickness of the cobblestones.

Using a garden trowel, dig a trench between the lines. Dig a trench to a depth equal to the width if the cobblestones. Using a spade, smooth out the bed of the trench and tamp it with a 2 X 4 to compact the soil.

Add at least a one inch layer of crushed rocks to the bed of the trench. Fill the gaps of the crushed rocks with sand. Then, gently insert the granite cobblestones one by one into the trench until you edged the whole area of the plant or flower bed. Using a rubber mallet, carefully tap the top edges of the cobblestones to settle the pieces into the gravel bed.

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Considerations When Edging Your Garden

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Garden edging provides a protective space for your garden beds, keeping away pets, annoying grass, and other elements that may destroy your plants. If you are installing your edging for the first time, you may be overwhelmed by the wealth of garden edging ideas that you may pick from websites and garden magazines. To help you choose the right edging for your garden, here are some factors you need to consider:

1. Garden Design – Your material for edging should fit your garden design. For example, if your garden is English style garden, you should use English styled materials for your edging like natural blocks of gray stone, wrought iron, and natural wood. You can also use natural willow branches and dwarf garden flowers for a country and formal English garden feel.

If your garden design is formal, your flower beds will have straight edges. You will need standard materials for this type of design. Wrought iron edging is one of the popular edging for formal garden design. They are not only long lasting but also very durable and stand with any type of climate.

If your garden is informal, your flower beds will have curves. You will need edging that is easy to install and flexible. Plastic and steel are just some of the cheaper materials for informal type of garden design.

2. Cost – Cutting cost doesn’t mean you will sacrifice the quality of edging for your garden. There are actually plenty of budget-friendly materials you can use for edging if you just look around. For example, you can visit junkyards for materials that you can recycle and use as edging. You can also use low-growing plants like forget-me-not, baby’s breath, and lilac as garden edging.

3. Functional Requirements – Edging’s main function is to protect your garden bed from lawn grass, annoying pets, rabid lawnmowers and playful kids. It should also keep the mulch from washing away because mulch serves as protection to your flower or plant to grow healthy.

There are edging that are not appropriate to use when you have kids in the house like steel edging. And there are also edging that cannot stand cold winter season like low quality of wood edging. To fully utilize your edging, choose a material that is appropriate to the climate you have in your area.

4. Ease of Installation – There are edging materials that require professional help in installing like wrought iron edging. And there are also edging materials that are easy to install like plastic, steel, wood, and natural stones. If you want to make the installation yourself, make sure that the edging that you buy is easy to install and not hazardous if you do the work all by yourself.

5. Decorative Requirements – Decorative products like fencing, benches, and walk paths should be considered when choosing material for edging. You should maintain your garden’s theme by buying the right material that accentuates your furniture and other decorations in the garden.

6. Garden Path Design – Garden edging should also accentuate your landscape path. Your choice of color, texture and material should match the walk path to create a gorgeous combination.

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Awareness Is Your Best Defense When Bugging Out

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The day or night that you feared would come and that you’ve planned for has finally happened. It is now bug out time. You’ve bought all your gear and the supplies you’ll need to exist wherever you’re headed.

What’s left now is something that you can’t buy. It’s awareness. You have to stay aware when you’re bugging out. It’s the key to your survival. You can’t afford to let your guard down – not even for a second – because if you do, you could end up getting hurt or even losing your life.

One of the threats that you’ll have to face when you’re bugging out is the potential danger from predators. You could run into animals that would love to make a meal out of you.

Animals like bears, coyotes and bobcats have been known to attack people in opportunistic moments as well as for no reason at all. Some people believe that animals only attack when they’re hungry or to protect their young, but that’s not true.

Animals of all sizes will attack if they’re startled or scared. They’ll attack if they’ve been hurt or they’re ill. They’ll also attack because animals are territorial. You have to be on the lookout for them as well as the two legged kind of predators – humans.

In a world that’s governed by law and consequences, people still hurt others. They steal, they attack, they kill. Now imagine what those kinds of people will do when society has collapsed.

They’re only going to get worse. That’s why awareness is the key to you making it out alive against both kinds of predators. You need to make sure that not only do you have a secure area once you arrive at your bug out destination, but that you’re secure as you’re traveling.

You do that by scouting the area. Do perimeter checks of your arrival location and do perimeter checks as you’re traveling. Make sure no one is following you on foot or in a vehicle.

Pay attention to people who are acting weird or those who are acting secretive. Be aware of what’s going on with the weather. By knowing whether or not bad weather is coming, you’ll be able to get to shelter before you get caught in it and have to deal with things like hypothermia. Mylar blankets and tents are great to have in your bug out bag because they are lightweight and can give needed warmth under extreme weather circumstances.

You also want to be aware of the weather so that if you’re traveling near a creek or river, you don’t get caught up in any flood waters. Be aware of what’s going on with your supplies, too.

Pay attention to the amount of water you have or the purification means that you have on hand. Keep alert with your food supply. If you’re traveling with friends or family, stay alert to their physical and emotional well being.

Someone who’s ill or is suffering from shock can give your position away or draw attention to you and make you a target. Some preppers like to have a 5-hour energy on hand in their bug out bags so that if they happen to be in a moment where being alert is extremely important, they won’t be prone to drowsiness.

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