Maya Ellison
Black plastic edging is a practical, inexpensive, and quick way to upgrade your garden. The process is simple and can be done in a few hours. To install black plastic edging, you will need to measure the desired area, prepare the edge by digging a trench, lay the edging, and secure it with stakes. You can use an old ax and a hammer to cut through any roots and create a clean edge. The edging should be placed with the V facing the bed and only the top half or third of the circle should be visible above the ground. Once installed, you can add water to settle the dirt and hold the edging in place.
How to Install Black Plastic Edging
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic edging usage | Creating a bed that is perfect the first time |
| Plastic edging type | Commercial-grade edging, 5.5 inches wide or more |
| Plastic edging preparation | Digging or rototilling a 6-inch deep trough along the bed |
| Root handling | Cut or work around them by cutting notches in the edging |
| Edging placement | The "V" at the bottom faces the bed, not the lawn |
| Edging adjustment | Curve and loosely install the piece, cut to fit with a serrated bread knife or utility knife if needed |
| Edging connection | Use connectors for lengths longer than 20 feet, ensuring equal insertion into both adjoining pieces |
| Soil usage | Pull down loose dirt on the bed-side and push under the bottom "V" edge, forcing the edging up |
| Soil stomping | Push outward on outward curves, stomp to hold in place, then install stakes |
| Stake installation | Place pointed tip into the "V", with the short, bent part facing down |
| Watering | Use a garden hose to water the dirt, allowing it to settle firmly and holding the edging in place |
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What You'll Learn
Preparing the ground
Once you've prepared the trench or slit, lay out your edging along the desired path. If your edging came in a roll, it's a good idea to unroll it a day or two beforehand to allow it to flatten. Curve the edging piece by piece, loosely installing it with the "V" at the bottom facing the bed. Cut the edging to fit using a serrated bread knife or utility knife if needed. If your bed edge is longer than 20 feet, use the connectors provided in your kit. Slide one end of the connector into the top circle halfway, and then slide the next piece on, ensuring you don't push most of the connector into the first piece.
Now, before adding any soil or filling in gaps, install the stakes. Place the pointed tip of the stake into the "V" at the bottom of the edging, with the short, bent part facing down. Starting 3 inches from the beginning of the edging, hammer the stake into the ground. Where the edging curves outward, stomp on it with your feet to hold it in place and prevent it from flattening the curves. Pull down some soil to fill in the gaps and pack it down firmly, ensuring only the top half or third of the edging circle is visible above the ground.
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Placing the edging
To place the edging, start by measuring the desired area to determine how much edging you will need. Use a string or flexible measuring tape and run it along the path you want your edging to follow. If your edging came in a roll, unroll it a day or two before installation to allow it to flatten out.
Next, you will need to dig a trench to insert your edging. The trench should be 2-4 inches deep and only an inch or two wide, just enough to accommodate your edging. Keep the dirt you dig out nearby, as you will need it later. If you encounter any tree roots, try to work around them, and only cut them if absolutely necessary.
Once your trench is dug, lay your edging along the trench line. The edging should curve along loosely, with the little curled-up "V" at the bottom facing the bed, not the lawn. If your bed edge is longer than 20 feet, you will need to use connectors to join multiple pieces of edging. Make sure to slide the connector pieces into both ends of the edging, so you end up with four inches of the connector in each piece of edging.
Now, push the edging outward where it curves away from the bed, pulling soil down to it and stomping on it with your feet to hold it in place. Before adding more soil, install the stakes. Place the pointed tip of the stake into the "V" at the bottom of the edging, with the short, bent part facing down.
Finally, use the spare dirt you saved earlier to fill in the empty space around your edging. Water the dirt with a garden hose to help it settle firmly, holding your edging in place. You can lightly step on the dirt to pack it down further if needed.
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Adding stability
Firstly, it is essential to choose high-quality, commercial-grade black plastic edging. Cheaper alternatives are often more susceptible to frost heave and may not come with the necessary stakes for stability. Commercial-grade edging is typically wider, measuring five-and-a-half inches or more, and is less likely to be flimsy.
Before installing the edging, prepare the ground by digging a trench along the desired path. The trench should be deep enough to accommodate the height of your edging. As a rule of thumb, dig the trench 2-4 inches deep, ensuring it is only an inch or two wide. This trench will provide a secure place for your edging and will prevent grass roots from invading your garden bed. Keep the dirt from the trench nearby, as you will use it later to fill in the space around the edging.
Once the trench is prepared, lay out your edging along the trench line. If your edging came in a roll, it is advisable to unroll it a day or two beforehand to allow it to flatten. Line up the edging as desired, ensuring it follows the curve of your garden bed. Use a serrated bread knife or a utility knife to cut the edging to the desired length if needed.
Now, you can start installing the stakes that come with your edging kit. Place the pointed tip of each stake into the "V" at the bottom of the edging. The stakes should be installed three inches from the beginning of the edging. Use a hammer to gently tap the stakes into the ground, ensuring the short, bent part faces downward.
Finally, use the dirt you kept aside to fill in the empty spaces around your edging and stakes. Water the area with a garden hose to settle the soil and ensure your edging feels sturdy all around. If needed, add more soil to areas that require additional support or to raise the edging. You can lightly step on the dirt to pack it down further.
By following these steps, you will add stability to your black plastic edging, ensuring it remains securely in place and effectively separates your garden bed from the surrounding lawn.
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Dealing with roots
Firstly, when preparing to install black plastic edging, it is essential to measure the perimeter of the garden bed and dig a trench that is 3-6 inches deep and slightly wider than the width of the edging. This trench-digging process will likely involve dealing with roots. Use pruning shears or a small axe to cut away any small roots that are interrupting the trench path. Leave any large tree roots and instead cut the edging to accommodate these.
When you encounter a giant tree root, you can work around it by cutting a notch in the black edging, allowing you to continue as if the root was not there. This technique ensures you can maintain the integrity of the tree while also achieving a neat and functional edging installation.
After cutting away any interrupting small roots and accommodating any larger ones, remove the roots from the trench area. This step ensures you have a clear space to work with when placing the edging.
Once the trench is clear of roots and ready, place the black plastic edging firmly into the trench, ensuring that only the top rolled edge is above the surface level. It is important to ensure the edging is not placed too high, as this can cause issues with lawnmowers and the spread of grass roots.
Finally, fill in the trench with soil, packing it down and ensuring the edging is secure. Now, you can install edging stakes to provide additional support and ensure your black plastic edging is securely in place, even with the challenge of roots!
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Finishing touches
Now that you've installed your black plastic edging, there are a few final steps to ensure a neat and secure finish:
Firstly, stomp your outward curves. Push the edging outwards and pull the soil down to it, packing it firmly with your feet. This is particularly important where the edging curves away from the bed and out into the lawn, as it will want to flatten the curves.
Next, install the stakes. Place the pointed tip of the stake into the "V" at the bottom of the edging. The end you hit with a hammer is bent at a 90-degree angle; ensure that the short, bent part is facing down.
If you have any remaining plastic edging pieces that you haven't used, neatly roll them up or stack them together for future use. These will come in handy if you ever need to replace or add to your edging.
Finally, water the soil around your edging. Use a garden hose to water the dirt, allowing it to settle firmly and hold your edging in place. You can lightly step on the dirt to pack it down further if needed.
Your black plastic edging is now complete and will provide a clean and tidy finish to your landscape.
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Frequently asked questions
You can prepare the ground by digging a trench that is 2-4 inches deep and 1-2 inches wide. Keep the dirt from the trench to fill in the empty space around the edging later.
Black plastic edging can be cut using a serrated bread knife or a utility knife.
Lay the edging into the trench, curving it along so that the whole piece is loosely installed. Then, fill in the empty space around the edging with the dirt you kept from digging the trench. Finally, water the dirt to allow it to settle firmly.
It is recommended to buy commercial-grade edging that is 5.5 inches wide or more. Additionally, ensure that only the top half or third of the edging is visible after installation to prevent damage from lawnmowers.
