How to the pros create such nice edges in their beds?

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 21:40:59 -0500, Kevin Miller wrote:

How to the pros create such nice edges in their beds?

You use a foot edger to create the original edge. Lawn companies maintain
the edges with either a power edger ( blade type edger ) or with a string
trimmer ( weed eater ). I personally string edge and I re-cut the edge
once a year with a foot edger.
To use a string trimmer to edge is a bit difficult to learn to do, but it
saves a good deal of time and not to mention one less piece of equiptment
to buy.

--
http://yard-works.netfirms.com

Thanks for your response... It seems the ones I have now the mulch
gets all over the place (mower, rain, etc.) and at my work where it's
done by pros it always stays nice and in place.....

On Wed, 23 Apr 2003 03:26:43 GMT, "Timothy"
wrote:

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 21:40:59 -0500, Kevin Miller wrote:

How to the pros create such nice edges in their beds?

You use a foot edger to create the original edge. Lawn companies maintain
the edges with either a power edger ( blade type edger ) or with a string
trimmer ( weed eater ). I personally string edge and I re-cut the edge
once a year with a foot edger.
To use a string trimmer to edge is a bit difficult to learn to do, but it
saves a good deal of time and not to mention one less piece of equiptment
to buy.

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 21:40:59 -0500, Kevin Miller
wrote:

How to the pros create such nice edges in their beds?

An ice scraper with 6 -8 " wide blade can be used. Also a
trenching shovel. Mark out the cutting area with a piece of scrap
garden hose or piece of chain. Heavy rope might work (2").

A trick for large areas... layout the chain, hose, or thick rope,
and use a can of bright colored (flourescent okay), to paint
over the hose. Remove hose and you'll have a nice outline to
follow when cutting.

From the outside of the area facing in..... make your cut straight
down...as you wish to make the outside wall of the area vertical.

Recommend making your cut at least 4 inches. You wish to go past the
level of grass root activity.

Now from the inside of the area facing out (towards the vertical cut)
cut away the dirt / grass material at a more horizontal angle....
somewhere around 75 degrees to flat.

Pile the dirt or organic material back inside the area to provide
extra height or cart it away for use elsewhere.

Once you've cut the edge with the large blade, you can refine the
curves with a smaller blade... Again a trenching tool with it's
curved blade is ideal for this.

As mentioned a string trimmer works well, or a hand shears
(depending upon area).

hth

After I prepare my beds and get them settled, I dig with a hand trowel around
the entire perimeter and remove the soil so there is a distinguished separation
from the turf. I maintain it using my edger, but now if the soil or sod is wet
or it gunks up the blade. I sometimes use a string trimmer if the sod is wet.
About once a month I go back in with the hand trowel and scoop any soil which
fell back into the trench and trim the sod.


On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 21:40:59 -0500, Kevin Miller wrote:

How to the pros create such nice edges in their beds?

On Wed, 23 Apr 2003 00:23:11 -0500, Kevin Miller wrote:


Thanks for your response... It seems the ones I have now the mulch gets
all over the place (mower, rain, etc.) and at my work where it's done by
pros it always stays nice and in place.....
sniped

I suspect that your edges are not deep enough. I tend to cut them at 3 /
3.5 inches deep. I also grade the beds so theres a trench of sorts along
the edge. This trench catches and holds the mulch and the edge is deep
enough to discourage the lawn from invading the bed.
If you find edges a bother to maintain, I'd suggest that you install a
permanent edge. There are many material out there to choose from. My
favorite to use at the moment is Trex benderboards. They are made from
recycled plastic bags/bottles and recycled wood. They will last 40 years
out of the ground, 20 or so in the ground. They go for 85 cents per foot
around here. Good luck with your edges...........

--
http://yard-works.netfirms.com

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 21:40:59 -0500, Kevin Miller
wrote:

How to the pros create such nice edges in their beds?


There are many ways. I use a weedeater turned so the string vertical
and walk backwards slowly. With a little practice you'll get
professional and sharp edge. No special edging equipment needed. (I
leaned this technique from an experienced Mexican gardener in LA.)

On Wed, 23 Apr 2003 17:28:39 +0000, Phisherman wrote:

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 21:40:59 -0500, Kevin Miller
wrote:

How to the pros create such nice edges in their beds?


There are many ways. I use a weedeater turned so the string vertical and
walk backwards slowly. With a little practice you'll get professional
and sharp edge. No special edging equipment needed. (I leaned this
technique from an experienced Mexican gardener in LA.)

I too also do this, but the average gardener may find it a bit hard to
learn how to do it. I suggest that they learn somewhere in the back yard
where no-one can see 80)
People will also find that it's much eaiser to do with a straight shaft
string trimmer. When edging sidewalks and other concrete areas, they
should be on the concrete side. It's best to whip the crap out of the
concrete than the lawn. People should also expect to use a good deal of
string doing this. The smaller the string size the faster it goes.
--
http://yard-works.netfirms.com

On Wed, 23 Apr 2003 17:28:39 GMT, Phisherman wrote:

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 21:40:59 -0500, Kevin Miller
wrote:

How to the pros create such nice edges in their beds?


There are many ways. I use a weedeater turned so the string vertical
and walk backwards slowly. With a little practice you'll get
professional and sharp edge. No special edging equipment needed. (I
leaned this technique from an experienced Mexican gardener in LA.)

I used to do this till a rock came up and beaned me. I still have the knot ten
years later. I strongly suggest wearing some sort of eye protection when doing
it this way. It missed my eye by an inch.

V

"animaux" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 23 Apr 2003 17:28:39 GMT, Phisherman wrote:

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 21:40:59 -0500, Kevin Miller
wrote:

How to the pros create such nice edges in their beds?


There are many ways. I use a weedeater turned so the string vertical
and walk backwards slowly. With a little practice you'll get
professional and sharp edge. No special edging equipment needed. (I
leaned this technique from an experienced Mexican gardener in LA.)

I used to do this till a rock came up and beaned me. I still have the
knot ten
years later. I strongly suggest wearing some sort of eye protection when
doing
it this way. It missed my eye by an inch.

Pros have edging machines to do the job. I do it with a sod lifter

http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page...=10523&categor
y=2,42578,40769

It probably isn't intended for edging, but it works great and also serves
its original purpose of lifting sod from areas that you want to cultivate.

On Wed, 23 Apr 2003 18:39:38 GMT, "Timothy"
wrote:

I too also do this, but the average gardener may find it a bit hard to
learn how to do it. I suggest that they learn somewhere in the back yard
where no-one can see 80)

When I first started doing lawns I used a power edger, I got pretty good
with it and I could edge almost any lawn at a normal walking pace. Later
I also used a string trimmer- sometimes also with a metal blade- but it
was never as fast or as neat as with the edger