Walk behind edging circles

Joetee · Jul 21, 2019

I am planning to edge and mulch around my trees which have never been done. I have hard ground. I prefer to make the initial cut with my walk behind edger and then use the half Moon shovel to lift and loosen up the sod to remove it.

Question 1, Does this sound like a good plan?

Question 2, What is the smallest diameter circle can I cut nicely with the walk behind edger?

I already own the edger and use it for straight cuts just fine.

takervader · Jul 21, 2019

I cut with the shovel and then finish off the edge with an edger. I typically go out to the drip line on a small tree and try to gauge where the grass is starting to grow well for a mature tree.

Joetee · Jul 21, 2019

So before I add the mulch, should I put down something to keep vegetation from growing?
If I use a weed eater and cut the grass down to the ground then cover with mulch, would the roots still grow through the mulch?

hal · Jul 21, 2019

Mark your edging with a paint marker, or do it with your weed eater or edger, round up everything in circle, weed eat it down to the ground after a couple of days, mulch.

Joetee · Jul 21, 2019

Thank you. This sounds easy.

Mark Stark · Jul 21, 2019

If you're a Roundup guy, certainly wouldn't hurt to hit the area with it before paying the mulch.

Joetee · Jul 21, 2019

Mark Stark said:
If you're a Roundup guy, certainly wouldn't hurt to hit the area with it before paying the mulch.

Is Roundup strong enough under the mulch to keep the grass from growing back in a couple months?

hal · Jul 21, 2019

It will kill what exists, through photosynthesis, you can put a pre-emergent down before the mulch to slow down weeds and/or other products, like ground clear, to keep it weed free for a while.

Joetee · Jul 21, 2019

hal said:
It will kill what exists, through photosynthesis, you can put a pre-emergent down before the mulch to slow down weeds and/or other products, like ground clear, to keep it weed free for a while.

Ok great. Thank you

Smithlawns86 · Jul 21, 2019

Joetee said:
Ok great. Thank you

I would NOT recommend ground clear or a similar sterilizing treatment near the drip line or roots of desired trees or plants. Read the instructions carefully on any chemical product. The type of grass under the tree makes a difference in my approach. If possible without root damage I physically remove as much turf as possible. If you have Bermuda you want to be more thorough or aggressive to keep it from coming back through the mulch. Fescue isn't as likely to come back from cutting and spraying. Round up quick pro does nicely and roundup proMAX will be effective longer but is not as aggressive as ground clear.

Joetee · Jul 21, 2019

That's good to know considering there are many roots above ground in the grass. This is why I'm edging and mulching in that area.

takervader · Jul 21, 2019

I put down a weed barrier of some kind before the mulching step. So long as youre not going so far out that the tree can't get nutrients or the roots breathe, a piece of black landscape fabric or black plastic, then toss the mulch on top.

Otherwise you're picking out weeds from now on.

Smithlawns86 · Jul 21, 2019

Breathable landscape fabric is the best if you go that route. Plastic will do good at keeping weeds dead but does not allow the plant/tree roots to breathe and get water. It’s unhealthy. Make sure it is done well otherwise when you trim around it and pull weeds in the future it will show.

Joetee · Jul 21, 2019

I've used landscape fabric years ago. Don't like it much in months that follow. Always seems to show itself. This tree is big. Large roots exposed all around it in maybe a 12 to 14 foot diameter.
Does it matter how deep the mulch is as long as it's not piled up against the trunk which I see all the time but have read it's not good?
Or should I cover the roots first with top soil before mulching maybe 8 inches deep?

Smithlawns86 · Jul 21, 2019

A little dirt won’t hurt but with no fabric the mulch. Depending on the type. Will decompose overtime anyway and add to the dirt layer. Start with 3” as a good mark on the first mulch and add no more than 1” per year after.

Joetee · Jul 22, 2019

Smithlawns86 said:
A little dirt won't hurt but with no fabric the mulch. Depending on the type. Will decompose overtime anyway and add to the dirt layer. Start with 3" as a good mark on the first mulch and add no more than 1" per year after.

Thanks. That's just what I needed to know.

Walk behind edging circles

Joetee

takervader

Joetee

hal

Joetee

Mark Stark

Joetee

hal

Joetee

Smithlawns86

Joetee

takervader

Smithlawns86

Joetee

Smithlawns86

Joetee

Top Contributors this Month

Recommended Communities