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Gaining a perfect lawn isn’t just about regular mowing, weeding, aerating and plenty more besides; it’s about the finishing touches that give it the edge.
While you spend time tackling dandelions and crabgrass, removing thatch and fertilizing your lawn, there’s one task that often gets forgotten. The secret to a beautiful lawn is neat edges, with a clean line defining the lawn and its borders.
Defining the 3-inch lawn edging rule
This method involves creating a clean, crisp vertical edge with a sharp drop that separates your grass from the soil in your borders. In simple terms, it involves making a narrow 3-inch trench between the two areas.
The vertical cut is deep enough to prevent grass from creeping over into your borders, as the 3-inch cut should sever most grass roots. It also creates a small gap between the turf and the soil that casts a shadow, further defining the space.
While many gardeners, myself included, turn to a manual edging tool or an electric lawn edger, the 3-inch rule requires a sharp spade, such as Fiskars Long-Handled Digging Shovel, $29 at Home Depot. It’s this simple tool that can help define the boundary, and give the perfect finish to your lush lawn.
How to achieve the 3-inch edge
1. Mark out a clear line to follow on the edge of your lawn. You could use a rope or chalk.
2. Take a sharp spade and cut 3 inches into your turf, keeping the blade straight for a vertical cut.
3. Continue working along the border to form a neat line that separates the lawn from your beds.
4. Now work back along your vertical line and position your spade at a slight angle back towards your lawn. Remove a narrow edge of soil from beneath the turf. This technique should prevent the grass from growing back into the bed.
5. Tidy up any loose soil and grass trimmings, then stand back and enjoy your hard work.
How to maintain a neat lawn edge
After each mow, go along the edge of your lawn with some long-handled edging shears, such as Fiskars Long Handle Swivel Grass Shears, $34 at Home Depot. Use the shears to remove the edges that your lawnmower didn’t reach. Keep a check on the neatness of the vertical edge and trench, and recut the edge when needed.
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