6 Best Landscape Edgings For Vegetable Gardens Old Farmers Swear By
Discover 6 traditional landscape edgings old farmers trust. Learn how materials like stone and wood can define beds, stop weeds, and boost your harvest.
You spend a weekend turning compost and amending a new garden bed, only to find creeping grass invading it a month later. A good garden edge isn’t about looks; it’s a functional tool that saves you hours of weeding and protects your soil investment. The right border defines your growing space, contains your valuable topsoil, and creates clear, efficient pathways for you and your wheelbarrow.
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Why Practical Garden Edging Matters on a Farm
On a working farm or homestead, every choice has to earn its keep. Garden edging is no different. Its primary job is to create a hard stop between your cultivated beds and the surrounding turf or weeds. Without it, you’re in a constant battle against encroaching grass runners and aggressive weeds that steal water and nutrients from your vegetables.
A solid border also contains your resources. It holds mulch in place during a heavy rain, preventing it from washing into your paths. It keeps your carefully built-up soil from eroding away, which is especially critical on even a slight slope. This isn’t just about neatness; it’s about protecting the time and money you’ve invested in building healthy soil.
Finally, practical edging defines workflow. It creates permanent, easy-to-navigate pathways for foot traffic, carts, and wheelbarrows, reducing soil compaction in your growing areas. When you know exactly where the bed ends and the path begins, tasks like planting, weeding, and harvesting become faster and more organized. A clear boundary is the foundation of an efficient garden.
Natural Fieldstone: A Timeless, Rugged Border
If your property is blessed with an abundance of rocks, fieldstone is the most logical and cost-effective choice. It’s a one-and-done material that will outlast you and the garden itself. Using what the land provides is a cornerstone of sustainable farming, and turning a nuisance (rocks in the field) into an asset is a classic farmer’s move.
The main advantage of fieldstone is its permanence and natural aesthetic. The stones absorb heat from the sun during the day and radiate it back at night, which can slightly extend your growing season for heat-loving plants like tomatoes and peppers planted along the edge. They require zero maintenance once placed and won’t rot, warp, or leach anything into your soil.
The tradeoff is labor. Hauling and setting heavy, irregular stones is hard work, and it can be tricky to create a tight, gap-free wall. Small gaps can become havens for persistent weeds. For a more stable border, it’s best to dig a shallow trench first to give the base layer of stones a solid footing.
Untreated Cedar Planks for Classic Raised Beds
Enhance your grilling with these USA-made Western Red Cedar planks, adding a subtle smoky flavor to salmon, vegetables, and more. Easy to use on the grill or in the oven, they also create a beautiful presentation.
For building raised beds, nothing beats the simplicity and effectiveness of untreated wood. Cedar is the gold standard because of its natural resistance to rot and insects. This means you can build sturdy, long-lasting beds without introducing harmful chemicals into your vegetable garden’s soil.
Using planks creates a clean, defined growing area that’s easy to work in. The raised height can save your back, improve drainage in heavy clay soils, and allow the soil to warm up faster in the spring. Always use untreated wood for vegetable gardens. The chemicals in pressure-treated lumber are designed to kill living organisms (like fungi and insects) and have no place near the food you plan to eat.
The primary downside is cost and lifespan. Cedar is more expensive than pine or fir, but it will last significantly longer—often 10-15 years, depending on your climate. Even so, it is not a permanent solution and will eventually need to be replaced. For a sturdier build, use thicker 2-inch planks and secure the corners with galvanized deck screws.
These 3-inch deck screws resist rust and corrosion, ensuring long-lasting performance in outdoor environments. The star/torx drive prevents stripping for secure fastening, and a T25 star bit is included.
Reclaimed Brick for a Thrifty, Durable Edge
Old brick offers a fantastic combination of durability, character, and low cost. You can often find it for free or cheap from demolition projects, old patios, or online marketplaces. Giving this material a second life is both resourceful and environmentally sound.
A brick edge provides a solid, low-profile barrier that effectively stops grass from creeping into your beds. It’s heavy enough to stay put and won’t decompose. You can lay bricks in several ways: flat for a wider top, on their side for a taller barrier, or angled for a classic sawtooth pattern. For the most stable and effective edge, dig a shallow trench, fill it with a bit of sand for leveling, and set the bricks tightly against each other.
The main challenge is the labor involved in sourcing and laying them. It takes time to find a good supply and even more time to install them correctly. If not set properly in a trench, individual bricks can heave during winter frosts, creating an uneven and less effective barrier over time.
Woven Wattle Fencing: A Rustic, DIY Option
Wattle is an ancient fencing technique that uses flexible, freshly cut saplings or branches woven between upright stakes. It’s a beautiful, rustic option that can be made for free if you have the right materials on your property. Willow, hazel, and other pliable young trees are ideal for this purpose.
This type of edging is perfect for containing leafy greens or loose mulches like straw. It provides a breathable, natural-looking border that adds immense character to the garden. It’s a fantastic way to put pruned branches and cleared brush to good use, turning waste into a functional and attractive feature.
Wattle is not a permanent solution. Its biggest drawback is its limited lifespan; you’ll likely need to replace it every three to five years as the wood decomposes. It’s also not a solid barrier against determined grass runners, which can find their way through the woven gaps. Think of it as a charming, short-term corral rather than a permanent fortress.
Mounded Earth Berms: The Simplest Soil Edge
The most basic edge of all requires no materials other than a shovel. A mounded earth berm is simply a raised ridge of soil separating the garden bed from the pathway. You create it by digging a shallow trench for your path and piling the excavated soil onto the edge of the bed.
This method is free, fast, and infinitely adjustable. It’s the perfect solution when you’re establishing a new garden on a tight budget or just need a temporary boundary. The sloped sides of the berm also create a slight microclimate, which can be beneficial for certain plants.
The obvious downside is maintenance. Berms erode from rain and foot traffic and need to be reshaped at least once a season. They offer little defense against aggressive, spreading weeds or grasses, which will happily colonize the sloped soil. It’s a functional but high-maintenance choice best suited for temporary beds or gardeners who don’t mind the extra upkeep.
Galvanized Steel: A Low-Profile, Lasting Edge
For a clean, modern, and incredibly durable edge, galvanized steel is an excellent choice. It creates a razor-sharp line between bed and path that is nearly invisible once installed. Its greatest strength is its ability to create an impenetrable underground barrier that stops even the most aggressive turf grasses, like Bermuda grass, in their tracks.
Steel edging is thin but rigid, easy to install, and will last for decades with no maintenance. It won’t rot, crack, or warp from sun or frost. Because it’s so low-profile, it doesn’t get in the way of lawnmowers or create a perch for pests. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it solution for those who prioritize function and longevity.
The primary drawback is the upfront cost, which is higher than most other options. Some may also find the look too industrial or sterile for a rustic garden setting. However, if your main problem is invasive grass and you want a permanent solution, the investment in steel edging pays for itself in saved time and labor within a few seasons.
Edging to Avoid: Materials That Won’t Last
Not all edging materials are created equal, and some are downright bad for a vegetable garden. Making the wrong choice can waste money, harm your soil, or create more work for you in the long run.
Steer clear of these common but problematic options:
- Pressure-Treated Lumber: The chemicals used to preserve this wood (like copper azole) can leach into your soil. While modern treatments are considered safer than older arsenic-based ones, there’s no reason to risk contamination in a food garden.
- Railroad Ties: These are often soaked in creosote, a toxic preservative that is harmful to soil life and can be absorbed by plants. Never use them near edible crops.
- Cheap, Black Plastic Edging: This thin, rolled edging is tempting due to its low price, but it’s a poor investment. It becomes brittle from sun exposure, gets pushed out of the ground by frost heave, and is easily damaged by a string trimmer. You’ll be replacing it in a year or two.
The goal is to choose a material that is both durable and inert. Anything that breaks down quickly or has the potential to leach unwanted substances into your soil is a liability, not an asset. Always prioritize soil health and long-term durability over a cheap, short-term fix.
Ultimately, the best garden edging is the one that solves your specific problem—whether that’s containing soil, stopping grass, or simply using the materials you have on hand. Choose the option that best fits your land, your budget, and the amount of time you’re willing to spend. A smart choice upfront leads to less work and healthier vegetables for years to come.
