Garden edging tape for beds, lawns, flowerbeds

To fence beds, flowerbeds and paths you need to use some kind of material. In regions where wood is cheap, boards are often used, and in others you can see anything: slate, metal, ondulin, etc. All that is left from construction or repair. But slate is fragile – stepped on – broken, wood quickly deteriorates and loses its appearance, metal – strong and durable, but traumatic. In general, all these materials are not ideal. There is another kind of fence – curb tape for beds made of plastic. It can also be used for flower beds, flowerbeds, for fencing the lawn, paths.

Advantages and disadvantages of curb tape

Pay attention! Curb tape is durable and convenient to use. It is sold in rolls. The width of the tape – from 10 cm to 60 cm. The length of the roll – from 9-10 meters to 30 meters. In color it can be black or green, sometimes dark gray, red, yellow. It can be used to fence beds, lawns, flowerbeds, to form a clear boundary separating different plantings, paths, etc.

Not to be confused with plastic edging in the form of fences, etc. We are talking specifically about plastic tape. Ready-made curbs look good, but they are fragile – hit with your foot, broken. They also easily crumble if you hit them with a trimmer or hit them with a lawnmower. It’s different with tape. You step on it, it bends, then falls back into place. You hit it, it springs back. But this is if the curb tape is dense.

The disadvantages of this curb are not so many – it is necessary to buy it, then dig in. Just install on top of the pegs – it will not give the desired effect. So, if you decide to try out this type of fencing for the beds, you will have to do earthwork. You will need a shovel and a few hours of time.

Scope of use

Curb tape for beds can be used anywhere in the vegetable garden, garden, plot, where you need to separate plants, fence them, divide the soil, etc. Here are some examples:

• a fence for a flowerbed or bed;
• in a flowerbed to separate planting zones for different plants;
• in a rockery to separate stones of different sizes or colors;
• to separate paths;
• to limit the root circle of trees for better watering and fertilizing.

The use of curb tape for beds and flowerbeds makes the site more neat and well-groomed. This plastic fence performs not only a decorative role, but also practical. For example, from the fenced bed fertilizer does not go anywhere, it is well kept mulch and nowhere scattered. Easier and with watering: water remains inside, does not erode the edges, does not flow out onto the paths.

Another advantage of using plastic curb tape for fencing beds and flower beds – it helps to limit plants that multiply by root shoots. From cultivated plants it is raspberries, mint. If we talk about weeds, then buried 15 cm deep, it helps to fight with wheatgrass. Its roots are mainly located at a depth of up to 10 cm. If you bury the plastic strip at 15 cm, inside the bed he will not penetrate – through the plastic roots do not sprout. And this is another plus of this fence.

What to choose in width

Choose a curb tape for beds should be chosen by density. It should be strong, dense and, at the same time, elastic. Try the sample to wrinkle, bend, stretch. With a good quality plastic edge, nothing will happen.

Immediately it is worth rejecting cheap options. They are usually thin, poorly hold the ground, can break and crumble. It is simply not worth spending money on them – after the first winterization, nothing remains from them. Only fragments of plastic, which no longer hold anything and only spoil the appearance.

Choose a curb tape should be at least from the middle price range. It comes in different widths – from 10 to 60 cm. The width is selected based on the area of use:

• For fencing beds and flowerbeds, a width of 15-20 cm is suitable. It is buried 10-15 cm deep, leaving 5 cm at the top. This keeps the soil/mulch from spilling out and keeps the water when watering in place.
• If you want to fence the root zone of trees, it is better to take even wider – 30-35 cm or more, depending on the variety and size of the tree, soils, water table, etc.
• To mark the paths, a width of 15 cm is enough. It is also desirable to bury it, but you can not to such a great depth.

These are far from mandatory recommendations. The data are collected according to the results of use, according to the feedback of those who have already used the curb plastic tape. You can experiment yourself or voice your experience in the comments.

If you plan to use a lawnmower or trimmer for the inter-row, take the densest tape you can find. It will spring back on impact and nothing will happen to it. You can tell the density by touch, but what if you’re buying online? How can you tell how dense the tape is? The first indicator is the thickness. Some manufacturers specify it. The second is the weight. The more a roll of the same width and length weighs, the greater the density of plastic. Well, and, understandably, you can read reviews. Usually the negative points are described and it will be possible to understand how much this type is suitable for your purposes.

Does the appearance affect the properties of the tape

Strange as it may seem, but the appearance of plastic curb tape affects its qualities. There are three types of curb tape for beds:

• flat with a mesh surface;
• flat with a smooth surface;
• wavy (often called wave).

Of these three options, the most “unimportant” is the wave. It holds its shape worse, sagging, faster destruction. Of the even ones, it is better with a mesh surface. This option is more durable, better holds the load, without consequences survives the winter. Of course, everything depends on the quality of plastic, its density, but “on average” reviews are exactly like this.

There is also a plastic tape for curbs with different “contrivances”. For example, there is a variant with an openwork edge. Of course, you need to look at the quality of plastic and density, but this type can be used to fence “ceremonial” flowerbeds. This is if other decorations on the site in approximately the same style.

Of the more practical options – tape with a reinforced edge. This can already be more useful – it will be stiffer to hold its shape. It is important only that under load (if you step on a foot, for example), the thick edge does not burst. This option with a border is ideal for obtaining a clear border between the lawn and gravel, path. Only mount this type flush with the ground or slightly raised above the ground by 1-2 cm.

How to install the curb tape

As already mentioned, for the fencing of beds, flowerbeds, a wide curb tape is better suited. 20 cm is the optimal size for these purposes. Along the perimeter of the flowerbed or bed, dig a trench about 15 cm deep. One side of the trench should be flat – the curb tape is pressed to it.

It is more convenient to bury it with two people. The edge is fixed in some way (hammer in a peg, to it staples to attach the edge of the tape), then one pulls, the second pours the trench, tamping the soil with a foot. This is how an even curb is obtained.

If you work alone, it will not be possible to stretch well, there will be some bends. This is not just an aesthetic defect – soil, water, mulch can pour out/spill out. If there are no helpers, there is another way. It is necessary to sew the tape into a ring (drill holes with a drill, tie with wire), find metal or wooden pegs. Spread the tape around the proposed bed, hammer two pegs in the end of the bed on one side, take the other two pegs, stretch the tape, hammer them. The trick here is that you can alternately pull the pegs out, better tensioning the tape. When it’s level, you can dig a trench, slide the plastic down the pegs, bury it. It is guaranteed to get an even curb. The stakes can then be pulled out so that you don’t hurt yourself inadvertently.

To form fences around already growing trees, they are dug up, forming a trench of the required depth in a circle. In the trench we put the tape. It is better to make two turns, on the upper edge to fasten with a stapler and staples. In this form, the fence stands strong enough, but additionally you can fill with earth. As you can see, all actions are of the same type, not complicated. The most difficult thing is the need to move the soil. The same tape, the same techniques, help in the design of the site in front of the house, lawn. At a small cost, the result is pleasing. Especially if you take into account that the service life of the curb tape is several years.