Lawn + Garden Projects
How to Add a Mow Strip
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BLACK+DECKER B+D Contributor 120 Projects
Mowing strips are often considered aesthetic improvements, but they are actually excellent ways to prevent ugly and unhealthy edge compaction in a lawn. They also provide many other benefits for both the lawn and beds and garden plots they butt up against. Not only do these strips provide a stable surface for the wheels of lawnmowers, they also block aggressive weeds and plants such as ivies from invading the lawn, and likewise they prevent strong and healthy turfgrasses from growing into tidy garden beds. Lastly, they form a barrier that prevents runoff—that may contain fertilizer, herbicides, or pesticides—from moving between garden bed and lawn. So the question is not whether to add a mowing strip but rather, why would you not? The trick to installing a mowing strip that looks sharp and serves the purpose of a stable platform for your mower’s wheels is twofold. First, you should use a solid, strong edging material. Bricks are a great choice, while mulch is less so. Second, you need to make sure the strip itself is reasonably level and firm. Those aren’t hard objectives to achieve if you work steadily and check the strip as you move along. If you lay a brick mowing strip like the one discussed in the steps shown here, it’s easy to adjust any mistakes by simply pulling out the offending brick or bricks, adjusting the surface below, and then replacing the bricks. In the same vein, you can fix any unevenness that occurs in settling over time by simply resetting the bricks in their place.
