Now's a great time to get those garden bed edges in order!
Whether you're creating a new bed for spring planting, or refreshing an existing bed, it's a pretty simple job to get that nice, crisp edge.
I'm personally not a fan of edging materials, but that's a matter of personal preference and garden style. Cutting in the edge gives me the look I want and an easy to mow edge.
What you want to do is make a lop-sided "V" shape -- use a shovel or edging tool to cut straight down along the grassy edge. Then use a shovel or hoe to make an angled cut on the garden bed side. Scoop out the extra soil and grass. Your garden will look like my pic at this point (pre-mulch). Finally, apply your mulch, filling up most of the V-groove. I like to stomp down the mulch in the groove to make a pre-compacted strip that my mower wheel can run over. I'd show you a pic of this, but I haven't got my mulch delivery yet! You can keep this edge sharp throughout the season by using an edger or string trimmer held vertically. Mine has a rotating head that makes this easy.
Don't edge your grass at an angle with the string trimmer - cutting the grass this short stresses it out and will degrade your edge.
You'll need to re-cut in the edge every 2-3 years.
Will you be re-edging your gardens this fall? How about creating all new beds? Let me know if you'd like to here my prefered method of creating a new bed so it's all ready for planting next spring.
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