Funky Junk Interiors

Well hello there spring!

It feels so good to be mowing that greener than green grass once again! And of course, play in the flowerbeds.

Today I even painted house trim! I do love my sunshine.

But one thing never fails…

Come spring, barely before the snow has melted, my original post How to edge flowerbeds like a pro starts to gain some traction.

And I truly know why it continues to do well.

For one, edging flowerbeds  dramatically changes my own yard from ho hum to an instant show stopper. And I will use this method until the end of time.

Now know, I am so not a professional gardener by any means. I’ve even removed all my flowerbeds from my back yard in an effort to feel more accomplished in a yard I could upkeep on my own!

However, the front yard flowerbeds are indeed intact so my home remains to have some pretty curb appeal.

So once spring arrived, while I mowed my lawn a few times already, the flowerbed edges looked frayed once again, and it was time to clean them up.

Since the flowerbed edges were already cut, they just needed sharpening up which is much easier than starting fresh!

So I’d like to share how quickly this clean up method works and how pretty the results are, complete with short video sharing the entire easy process!

No flowerbeds yet? I suggest to start at Part 1.

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Part 1 – How to edge flowerbeds like a pro

Part 2 – Keeping flowerbed edges freshened up like a pro (you are here)

See video below at end of this post.

How to freshen up flowerbed edges like a pro

 

You’ll need:

(this post contains affiliate links)

hand garden tools (fork and trowel)

Half moon edger

Weed trimmer (I love my battery-run version here)

Knee pad

Weed bucket

How-to:

This post is based on the fact that you already have flowerbeds. If you don’t, learn how to cut them at:

Part 1 – How to edge flowerbeds like a pro HERE

1. Using a half moon edger, create a fresh cut along your existing flower bed edges to sharpen them up.

Once spring transpires, your flowerbed edges will have a fuzzy look.

Most of this is due to the grass growing. However you will also note, the soil levels out, becoming level with the lawn, which reduces the sharpness of what it can be.

The key is to achieve a sharp edge and get a trench back in place.

I simply go along the flower bed edge with a half moon edger and slice off the very least I feel I need to. Just enough to create a sharp edge once again.

Slicing the edges is like cutting into a cake. It isn’t difficult, because your edge is already there. But it’s worthwhile because this will make ALL the difference in the world!

If you cut after a rainfall, your soil may be softer to work with.

2. After slicing the edges, pound soil off turf chunks.

I then pound out the soil from the sod pieces, and place into the compost upside down, so they don’t reroot. Or throw into your applicable green container for recycling.

3. Trim grass by clipping the grass edges horizontally and vertically.

Now with edges cut, it’s time to give the grass its final trim, much like a haircut.

The grass edge is trimmed horizontally so it’s level with the lawn, and vertically so it looks completely clean looking directly down onto the edge while standing up.

You can use garden edgers like I have in these pictures, or a weed trimmer if careful.

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To use a weed trimmer:

Turn the weed trimmer head upside down, and run the line against the edge. Stand in one place, and test it out by moving very slowly, ensuring you aren’t too far away nor too close so it chews into the sod. The key is to achieve that razor sharp cut with a line going a million miles an hour.

It’s possible! I upkeep my edges for the rest of the year like this. But it does take some practice so you don’t chew up the edges.

I also use THIS light duty battery operated weed trimmer. The head rotates so I can hold it upright while the head cuts upside down. It works fabulous.

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4. Gather up most grass clippings by hand, then use a garden fork to spread the rest out to compost.

5. Dig your shovel into the cut, then lift up the soil towards the back, creating a fresh trench.

6. Smooth out the new soil mound with your hand or garden fork, and you’re done!

The 2 minute video below this post will show you the entire quick process!

In spring, the fuzzy edges before the refresh.

In spring, right after the refresh!

Stunning difference isn’t it?

How to mow:

Something I still get asked is how one mows around the beds.

I simply mow as close as the mower can get to the flowerbed edges, then trim things up with a weed trimmer after the fact.

Weeding and general upkeep

1. After weeding, fluff up soil with a garden trowel.

2. Rework the trench so your flowerbeds maintain that soft uphill mound of soil.

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VIDEO ABOVE

Click above to see a short 2 minute video of the entire process!

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How’s your garden looking these days? Think you’ll try these tips?

Read both Flowerbed Edging posts from HERE

Read all my Garden Posts HERE