Rough Around The Edges? No Thanks.
Make sure your garden edges look great!
One of the easiest ways to give your garden an attractive, finished look is by giving it nice, clean edges. Straight lines or rolling waves; there’s no right or wrong here, it’s all up to you as to what kind of look you’re after.
It’s a good idea to map out where you’re going. Some people like to mark it off with string and stakes, while others will just use their garden hose as their guide (though if you go this route, be sure to let others know what you’re up to, so they don’t decide to water the begonias while you’re midway through the task!).
You can create your edge manually or with power tools. Regardless of how you decide to dig, be sure to check for any electrical or gas lines before you break soil.
The best time to dig is when the soil is moist, either after a rainfall or watering. Not only will it be easier on you, but the end result will look much nicer, too.
If you decide to go the manual route, use a sharp, clean tool; a shovel with a rounded tip is a good choice. While you can do curved lines manually, straight lines are far easier to do this way. A power edger will obviously be less labour-intensive, but it will also cost more, and if you opt to purchase it as opposed to renting, you will need to store it. Weigh the pros and cons and decide which is best for you.
Once you’ve cut your edges, remove the turf completely. At this point, you can go back along the edge with a sharp pair of shears and make sure that everything is cut clean.
The BigYellowBag Advantage
We recommend using BigYellowBag Black Garden Soil in your garden and on your lawn. It has light and fluffy properties because it’s comprised of black loam, peat loam, compost and manure. Having light and fluffy soil makes for very easy edging. Loam is a soil type comprised of sand, silt and clay in the right ratios to allow it to drain and retain just the right amount of moisture – not too much and not too little. It’s also packed with essential nutrients and organic matter to give your grass the proper ‘food.’ This makes it a perfect medium for growing and digging. The deep, rich colour of the soil also gives a gorgeous contrast to your lawn to help accent the sharp edge.
If you want, you can put in decorative edging, too. This is a great time to really tap into your creative side. Do you have a bunch of old CDs? Wine bottles? The possibilities are endless as to what you can use to give a unique touch to your garden at this point. (For more ideas on decorating in the garden, check out this blog post.)