Understanding how to edge a flower bed properly can dramatically improve your garden's appearance. Here's what you need to know.
Time A full day
ComplexityBeginner
CostVaries
Introduction
Transform your garden with this project on how to edge a flower bed using metal edging. A polished landscape is just a few steps away.
A very easy way to define a flower bed or a walkway is with landscape edging. Edging comes in many materials, including plastic, wood and my personal favorite- metal.
Besides helping to define a garden’s edge and keeping things such as dirt, mulch or stones in place, metal edging has many upsides. It is easy to calculate, and the actual material is flexible, which means it takes curves easily. It is also relatively easy to cut with a cut-off wheel and angle grinder and comes in a few different colors to choose from.
Installing metal edging is an easy project with the physical demand of being on your hands and knees for the duration. With all landscaping projects remember, slow and steady wins the race. Wear kneepads, pace yourself, plan for more time than you anticipate and drink lots of fluids as you go. Happy gardening!
Tools Required
- Garden tiller
- Knee pads
- Lawn edger
- Metal shears
- Rake
- Rubber mallet or dead blow
- Shovel
- Utility knife
Materials Required
- 2x4 scrap wood
- Black Metal Edging: 8 Ft. Long X 4” Wide sections
- Landscaping paint
- Wood stakes
Project step-by-step (6)
Step 1
Lay out the area
Before cutting your lawn, you will want a visual reference to ensure placement. Define a specific line where you plan to install your metal edging by spraying with a colored landscape marking spray paint. This spray paint is designed for use in an inverted position for marking construction and landscape projects. It works great on exterior surfaces such as concrete, blacktop, gravel, soil and grass.
Step 2
Cut the sod
Using a lawn edger or square shovel, cut into the grass following your spray paint line to cut into the grass or dirt where the metal edging will be installed. It helps to swivel or rock the edger or shovel back and forth to make room for the metal edging to fit in.
Step 3
Remove sod, weeds and roots
Before installing the Metal Edging, clear away any grass/sod, pebbles and rocks from the planned garden section or walkway. You may want to rent a small garden tiller to help with hard-to-remove roots.
Step 4
Mix in compost and/or topsoil
Mix in compost or topsoil before installing the metal edging to the new flower bed area. I find it easiest to lay out all the bags and cut them open in place. Then, come back through with a shovel or rake and turn over the dirt.
Step 5
Stake the edging into place
Before placing the metal edging in the ground, clip off the attached stakes. This is where metal shears come in handy. You will use the metal stakes to secure the edging in place and in tandem with the next one.
Use a 2×4 as a buffer between the dead blow hammer and the metal edging when seeding the metal edging into the ground. By striking the metal edging directly with a hammer, you risk bending, denting, chipping and damaging it. Hammer it down until there are about two inches of metal edging above grade. Once the edging is positioned where you want it, secure it using the metal stakes provided through the openings on the ends of each piece of edging. Overlap the edging to allow you to secure both pieces using the same stakes.
To install the metal edging along a curved line, use wood stakes to position the curve where you want it. Then, drive the metal edging into the ground with the hammer and 2×4 and secure it with the accompanying metal stakes. Be sure to remove the wood stakes when you’re done and push dirt into the metal edging for additional support and stability from both sides.
Step 6
FAQ
Can I make right angles with metal garden edging?
Yes, metal garden edging will take sharp angles from 45 – 90 degrees well. Use a 2×4 and a dead blow hammer or rubber mallet to gradually bend the metal to the desired position. Take your time, and know it takes many hammer strikes to get the metal to the desired degree. Do not use a metal hammer, as it will likely chip the paint finish on your metal edging.
How deeply should I bury my metal edging into the ground?
How deeply you bury your metal edging depends on what and how much you want to hold back and in place. If you are not adding dirt, stones or mulch to the area you are edging, the edging can go deeper, revealing an inch above ground. If you are adding height to the flower bed via mulch, stones or dirt, you may not want to go so deep. A good guideline is to bury it where two inches are visible aboveground. If you use four-inch wide metal edging, it will get you at least halfway down— maybe a little more. Be aware that because metal edging is so thin, it can also be a trip hazard.
How do you cut metal landscape edging?
You can cut your metal edging with an angle grinder and a cutoff wheel. Take all necessary safety precautions, such as wearing eye protection and long-sleeve shirts, to avoid getting burned by hot sparks. The cutting should be performed in a well-ventilated area so that hot metal sparks will not have a chance to ignite loose debris.
