The best tools for edging mulch beds using plastic edging

So you are looking to install your mulch bed after you’ve carefully planned it out, decided where to add your mulch and have all the plastic edging materials. Then you turn to the internet and ask yourself. What are the tools I’d need for edging my mulch beds? It’s not like I cannot use my bare hands!

Look no further, read on and skip the fluff so you get the job done with the tools you need and not with the ones that are simply just a waste of money.

Why use tools for edging mulch beds? Is it necessary?

Using tools for edging mulch beds is not necessary. However there are all sorts of complications that arise when you don’t have the right tool for the job.

A bit like cooking soup in a saucepan or drinking water out of a bowl, there are scenarios where the right tools are more than necessary. Especially when you want your DIY mulch edging ideas to turn out just how you envisioned.

Maybe your garden edge will come out crooked or you’ll end up breaking nail. Sometimes to be most efficient and create the beautifully laid out mulch on a crisp, clean border. Using the right tools is what you need to do.

By all means if you think you don’t need the tools for the job – go ahead and use alternatives. This all depends on your experience, how serious you are about your mulch edging and whether you can live with the result being slightly imperfect.

The best mulch edging supplies for installing plastic edging

String or hose

You’d need a bendy, long piece of strong or hose to measure the distance of your edge you want to lay with mulch edging.

Simply lay down the string or hose across the length of the edge and then cut it where the edge ends or mark it with a felt tip.

Now you know the exact length of edging you need to buy so you don’t waste money. Measure it with a tape measure and look for lengths on the packaging of your plastic mulch edging that match.

Tape measure

A tape measure will be what you will use to measure the length of string or hose that was used to find the length of the edge

It is wise to not use a tape measure to directly measure the edge as tape measures tend to kink, creating an inaccurate reading.

Also, finding a tape measure long enough may be an issue and measuring the length of your edging in parts may create in inaccuracies that result in you buying too much or too little plastic edging

Doing things the right way makes life easy for yourself in the long run!

Rubber mallet

You may wonder, why would you need a rubber hammer? Well, rubber mallets are used to drive things into the ground accurately and without damage.

Your plastic mulch edging likely would have come with stakes or pins so you can secure your barrier in to the soil through the built in holes in the pack

Make sure you use a rubber mallet rather than a hammer as hammers may break the stakes as they are made from harder steel.

You don’t want to break some of your stakes so you cannot secure your edging. Read more up on installing plastic mulch edging efficiently and accurately here to make sure.

I think you’d agree, having edging coming out over time and not following the curved shape of your edge would be annoying!

Radius edger

The radius edge is a great time saver for creating the edge between the grass and the mulch in your garden before you lay down the plastic edging

You can create perfect straight lines and even curved lines if you need to

This tool made the list because it beats using a shovel or handheld spade to create the edged in your garden by a long shot

Plus, who wouldn’t want to create a plush, seamless finish in your mulch beds while using a cool looking tool?

For a great choice found on Amazon, Check out the Fiskars Long Handled Steel Edger

Where do you buy tools for edging mulch beds?

Some of the easiest places to look for gardening tools in general are Amazon, a local gardening store or even the company website of the tools listed in this video like Stihl

However a simple google search of what you’re looking for should reveal some of the best results.

But I understand, some people want to save a pretty penny from time to time.

For some cost effective ideas, try asking a neighbour or a friend if they have any of the tools mentioned so you could borrow. Or look for them second hand on websites like Ebay and craigslist!

Hand tools for edging mulch beds

Sometimes you need to get down on your hands and knees to edge your mulch beds. That’s why I came up with this exclusive list of items you can use to make the edging process that bit easier.

This will be useful if your mulch beds are particularly small so they require a lot more careful attention. Lets start with these clawed gardening gloves.

When you are adding mulch or digging up beds during the process, don’t sit there and ruin your fingers! Broken nails, dirty nails, insect bites and parasites are all problems that arise when you don’t wear gloves. Clawed gloves fix all those problems.

Rummage through the soil without worrying and use your hands as spades. What’s more is if you are a hands on person and like to feel the work you’re doing. Clawed gardening gloves are for you.

When digging up dirt on your hands and knees it’s useful having a tool that can do multiple jobs. Dig up the channels for your mulch edging using the forked side of the tool and put the dirt back in place with the spade.

Even if you don’t use this tool directly for edging your mulch, the tool is certainly versatile. You may even bring it out next year for an entirely different gardening project.

Coming at probably my favourite handheld tool for mulch edging is the sidewalk crack weeder. You don’t have to use this tool for weeding but in the same way you can use the steel blade to carve out the edge of your mulch beds.

Once carved out, it makes it super easy to add in edging and create those seamless, clean borders that make your garden look stunning.

Corner edging tools for landscaping

When it comes to edging your corners of your lawn or even your mulch beds. It is often difficult to get a tool with a straight edge to do the job. I find any type of long bladed handheld shear at being super effective when getting in those corners.

For really sharp corners, simply angle the blade downwards so you have a shorter length of blade to work with and carefully go around the corner.

For wider angled corners you can go along your edge and slightly change the angle of the blade every cut. Over a large distance, a series of angled short straight lines will look like a curve.