Finding Level Running a 2x4 & String Garden Bed

Disclosure: This article was originally a partnered post with Pennington Seed. 

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As highlighted in my last post, I installed a stone-lined bed at the rear of my yard.  While I won’t go into too much more detail about the bed itself, I will tell you about installing the stone border edging to that bed.  (To read more about the progress in my yard, click here >> Learning How to Landscape aka Building But with Plants.)

As I mentioned I built my bed up slightly (as opposed to digging it out).   And while I was not so much concerned with leveling the bed – side to side, I did pull the grade of the bed into  “plane” with the two intersecting fence sections.  To help with this, I set each end of a super 2×4 (two 8ft 2x4s screwed together at the end) on the 2×4 frame, one each of the adjacent fence sections.  Supporting it at the center, I gave myself a visual point of reference, which I used as I proceeded with work.

Below this super 2×4, I pulled a mason’s line between two stakes I set at each end of the bed.  At about three inches off the ground, and trying to compensate for mulch build up over time — again a reference point, but this time for the height of which I wanted my stone border’s top edge to reach.

Cultivated Turf Stone Border EdgingI used a garden hose to outline a snaking bed line, while ensuring I met the wife’s specifications that the bed be at least somewhat symmetrical.  Planting the stone edging was otherwise not scientific.  I tried to pick stones that would look (in some cases, lock) good together side by side.  With each stone, I simply trenched to the point where the stone would yield my designated three-inch exposure.

Now, it would have been lovely not to have disturbed the grass’s edge while installing this border.  But of course that was not happening.  I needed soil both behind and in front of each stone to compact and hold it into its place along the border.  Fortunately, I know the exact product to use for this type of follow-up fix.

Patching with Pennington’s One Step Complete

In the post, Building Moxie Visits the Grass Seed People, I picked a “pet” lawn care project.  I chose the heavily tire-tracked front lawn of my wife’s flip project (as pictured there).  That work was contingent, however, on rework of the home’s lead walks.  And unfortunately, as of today, that work is not yet complete.  (Am I still doing it? – *man shrug* – dk.)

Anyways, for now, I am grabbing a bag of Pennington’s One Step Complete.  I mean, I already had experience working with it.  Check Kenneth Highnight of Pennington in this guided “tutorial” in test plots >>  How to Plant Grass Seed.  The results from my participation in that experiment, I reported here >> Pennington’s 1-Step Complete :: An Experiment & Results.

6.25 Pound Bag Pennington 1 Step Complete Shade Mix

I chose the mix designed for Dense Shade areas.  I chose the Shade Mix, despite the bed itself being installed in an area of modest sun, for its ability to survive under shade conditions.  This blend only requires 2 to 4 hours of daily sun, which by later estimates may be about right for this time of year.

Would This Article Also Help?  Installing a Tile Landing (& Raising a Door Sill) :: Adding a Tile Landing to a Carpeted Room

Close Up Stone Border Edging Tilled Earth

Close Up Pennington 1 Step Complete Installed

A 6.25 pound bag proved perfect for the area outlining my bed.  In laying down a thin matting of mulch product, like I was to do – I actually learned a little bit more by reading the back of the bag.  Step 3, which instructed me to water, reads:

  • Water thoroughly.
  • Keep moist.
  • Mulch turns dark green when properly watered; light green means add more water.  (<< I mean – how much easier could it get?)

Stone Border Edging Installed 1 Step Complete Installed

For more on watering a lawn, please see our articles: How to Grow a Healthy Lawn, and also – Tips for Watering a Lawn.

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I have many overseeding opportunities at my own house. For this, I will of course be using Pennington’s Smart Seed (Sun & Shade Mix).  These unfortunately must wait till I finish with other portions of my landscape work, but still expect more updates on this and others with their premium seed. ~jb