[Paulj]

So for various reasons I have neglected the edges of my plot in terms of keepting them neat, and my next door but one plot neighbour who kindly mowed my grass paths for me, said that if I would give my edges a go he would carrying on mowing the strip through the summer.  Fairs fair I thought, so I had a go at the main 12m strip last night, giving it all a trim with some long handled shears and the half moon shaped tool (not sure what it is actually called!).

I still think it looks messy and now I've started I would like to get it much neater and keep it that way, but without removing chunks of soil a the very edge I don't think I can make it neater.  The soil is at the same height as the grass and most of the grass is couch grass.  I did a fairly good job of getting rid of all of the roots in the actual plot last winter, but now they are creeping back from the edge.

What's the best way of stopping this - can i just take out a few chunks of soil which houses the roots and chuck it away, thereby creating a groove between the edge of my patch and the grassy pathway?  I don't think it is particularly wasteful because when I did try to rip out the roots from the chunks of soil that came up I dound the roots were pretty well tied up in the chunk.

or is there a better way of keeping the edge clean?

[fatcat1955]

I use old scaffold boards buried on edge leaving 50mm above the grass. I treat the boards with preservative and find they last on average 5 years.

[Dopey113]

I dont use carpet, and i would like to have grass along my paths (it would look a lot better and be lass muddy as well)



This is my first full year, as you can see this was the start of me making a path, its full of weed and some grass now, can i put grass seed down? like a hard wearing type


Sorry to push in on your post, but we both want the same kinda thing

[Kleftiwallah]

I use strips of galvanised metal 'gleaned' from the skip of a fabricator down the local industrial estate.   Bent through 90 degrees stops it disappearing down into the ground.

Cheers,    Tony.