Chloe Zhang
Plastic edging is a great way to keep your garden or yard looking neat and tidy. It is inexpensive, easy to install, and can be completed in a few hours. Plastic edging is also a good way to keep mulch in place and prevent weeds from spreading. To install plastic edging, you will need to measure the desired area and dig a trench. Then, place the edging into the trench and secure it with stakes and connectors. Finally, fill in the empty space around the edging with dirt and water the area to settle the soil.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Digging a trench | Dig a trench around the garden bed and cut away any roots. The trench should be 2-4 inches deep and only about 1-2 inches wide. |
| Filling the trench | Fill the trench with soil and install edging stakes at 3-6 inch intervals. Use a rubber mallet to drive each stake at a slight angle from the lower outside face of the edging to the other side. |
| Watering | Lightly water the area with a garden hose to settle the soil. |
| Using connectors | If the trench is longer than one roll of plastic edging, use the connectors that come with the kit. Slide the connector onto the end of each roll so that the ends meet in the middle. |
| Using stakes | Hammer in landscape stakes at 3-5 foot intervals. Place the stake into the soil so that it is next to the top of the edging, with the pointed tip towards the "V" shape at the bottom. |
| Using plastic coupling | Tie pieces together with plastic coupling to secure corners or odd angles together. |
| Compacting the soil | Compact the soil by stomping along the edging with your feet. |
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What You'll Learn
Dig a trench and fill with soil
To install plastic edging, you'll need to start by digging a trench. The trench should be deep enough that the plastic edging doesn't stick up out of the ground, usually around 2-6 inches deep and only about an inch or two wide. Be sure to keep the dirt you've dug out to one side, as you'll need it later.
Once you've dug the trench, cut away any small roots that are in the way using pruning shears. You can leave any large tree roots and cut a notch in the edging to accommodate them. Line the edging up with the roots to ensure it's in the right place.
Now you're ready to place the edging into the trench. Push the edging firmly into the trench, ensuring that the lip on the bottom points towards the garden bed rather than the lawn. If your edging came in a roll, you may need to unroll it a day or two before installation to allow it to flatten out.
Finally, fill in the trench with the soil you removed earlier. As you backfill, force the edging against the wall of the trench and pack the dirt in as you go, using your feet to stomp along the edging and compact the soil. Keep adding soil until it's slightly higher than ground level, as it will settle with the first rain or watering.
If you want to add some extra security, you can use edging stakes to anchor the edging in place. Place a stake every 3 to 6 feet along the edging, hammering them in at a slight angle so that they don't come loose with frost. You can also use plastic coupling to secure corners or odd angles together.
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Use stakes to secure the edging
Plastic edging is a great way to give your garden a neat and tidy look. It's inexpensive, easy to install, and can be done in a few hours. If you want to secure your plastic edging with stakes, here's what you need to do:
First, you'll need to measure the perimeter of your garden bed to determine how much edging you'll need. Use a flexible measuring tape or string to measure the desired path for your edging. Once you know the required length, you can purchase your plastic edging from a gardening centre or home improvement store.
Now, it's time to install the edging. Start by digging a trench around your garden bed. The trench should be 2-6 inches deep and slightly wider than the width of the edging. If your edging came in a roll, it's a good idea to unroll it and lay it out for a day or two beforehand to allow it to flatten. Place the edging in the trench with the lip on the bottom pointing towards your garden bed. Fill the trench with soil, packing it in firmly as you go.
Next, you'll secure the edging with stakes. Stakes provide stability and ensure that your edging stays in place. You can use wooden or metal stakes, but make sure they are long enough to reach the ground at a slight angle. Place a stake every 3-5 feet along the edging, right next to the top, with the pointed tip facing downwards. Use a mallet or hammer to drive the stake through the edging at a 45-degree angle. Be careful not to hammer the stake directly above the edging, as this can cause the edging to move out due to frost.
Finally, water the area lightly with a garden hose to settle the soil. You can also stomp along the edging with your feet to compact the soil further. Your plastic edging should now be sturdy and secure, providing a clean finish to your garden.
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Pack soil down with feet
Plastic lawn edging is a great way to keep your garden looking neat and tidy. It's also a practical and inexpensive way to distinguish your garden bed from the rest of your lawn. To install plastic lawn edging, you need to start by measuring the perimeter of your garden bed to determine how much edging you'll need.
Once you have your measurements, you can begin installing the edging. Dig a trench around your garden bed that's about 3-6 inches deep and slightly wider than the width of the edging. Place the plastic edging in the trench, making sure that the lip on the bottom is pointing towards your garden bed and not the lawn. Use a shovel or spade to backfill the trench with soil, packing the dirt in as you go to keep the edging firmly in place.
Now it's time to compact the soil. This is where packing it down with your feet comes in. Stomp along the edging with your feet to compact the soil and keep the edging in place. You can also use a rubber mallet to gently tap the soil down for extra security. Make sure the soil is slightly higher than ground level, as it will settle with the first rain or watering.
If you want even more stability, you can install edging stakes. Place the stakes in the soil next to the top of the edging, with the pointed tip facing the "V" shape at the bottom. Then, use a mallet to hammer the stakes in place. Stakes can be installed every 3 to 6 feet along the edging, or at a minimum of every 20 feet. Water the soil lightly with a garden hose to settle it, and your edging should feel sturdy and secure!
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Water the edging to settle the soil
Watering the edging is an important step to settle the soil and keep your plastic edging in place. This is how you do it:
Prepare the trench
Dig a trench along the edges of the bed with a round-point shovel or spade. The trench should be at least 3 inches deep for plastic edging to fit. This helps secure the edging underground but allows for an extra half-inch to one-inch space above to help maintain uniformity around your garden's perimeter.
Lay the plastic edging
Unroll the plastic edging and lay it outside for a day or two to keep it straight. If your edging came in a roll, you may want to unroll it a day or two before you install it to allow it to flatten out. Place your edging in the trench.
Backfill the trench
Use a shovel or spade to backfill behind the edging with the soil you saved when you dug the trench. As you backfill, force the edging against the wall of the trench and pack the dirt in as you go, so that it keeps the edging firmly in place. Compact the soil by stomping along the edging with your feet. Keep adding soil until it’s slightly higher than ground level, as it will settle with the first rain or watering.
Use a garden hose to water the edging and walk alongside it, watering the soil on both sides. This will help the soil settle in tight on both sides. Lightly water the area with a garden hose to settle the soil. The edging should feel sturdy all the way around.
Final touches
After watering, pull the rest of the soil from the bed even with the edging, and add a little more soil to the grass side, as watering will have made it settle. Add more soil to areas that need more support and to low-lying spots to raise the edging. You can even lightly step on the dirt to pack it down even more if necessary.
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Use plastic coupling to secure corners
Plastic edging is a wallet-friendly and relatively easy way to make your garden bed or lawn borders look neat and tidy. It can be installed in a few hours and is a great, low-cost project that can be done with basic household tools.
If you want to secure the corners of your plastic edging, you can use plastic coupling. Plastic coupling can be used to tie pieces together at odd angles. You can also use landscape stakes to secure the corners. Place them every 3 to 6 inches along the perimeter, and use a mallet to install them from the inside of the garden or flower bed. Hammer the stakes in at a 45-degree angle to avoid the edging being forced out by frost.
Before installing plastic edging, it is important to measure the desired area to determine how much edging you will need. Use a string or a flexible measuring tape and run it along the desired path. Plastic edging typically comes in a coil, so it is recommended to unroll it and lay it outside for a day or two before installation to allow it to flatten.
To install the edging, start by digging a trench 2-4 inches deep and about 1-2 inches wide. Line your edging up as you see fit, then use the spare dirt you saved to fill in the empty space around your plastic edging. As you backfill, force the edging against the wall of the trench and pack the dirt in as you go. Compact the soil by stomping along the edging with your feet. Keep adding soil until it's slightly higher than ground level as it will settle with the first rain or watering.
Water the area lightly with a garden hose to help the dirt settle. The edging should feel sturdy all the way around. You can even lightly step on the dirt to pack it down more if necessary.
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Frequently asked questions
If your plastic edging came in a roll, it may be a good idea to unroll it and let it sit for a day or two to allow it to flatten.
You can secure your plastic edging by hammering stakes into the ground at a 45-degree angle. You can also use plastic coupling to tie pieces together.
Place your stakes every 3 to 6 inches along the perimeter.
After placing your stakes, water the edging to settle the soil. You can then add more soil to any areas that need more support.
