How to Make a Mowing Strip

A paved strip between grass and beds or borders means you can mow your lawn without worry of damaging plants or trimming afterward. The ground-level strip enables the blade to cut freely. And making it 12 inches wide provides a stable path to walk on or a dry perch for while working in the bed.

Rubble, a mix of irregular fieldstones, and broken concrete chunks provide ideal materials for creating a mowing strip. There’s likely a shattered sidewalk or driveway ready for recycling and perhaps free for hauling. Road-base gravel is a rough-edge, unrinsed material that also works well as a base for the mow strip. The quantity of materials necessary for the project depends on the length of your bed and the width of the strip.

Gather Materials

Here’s a list of what you’ll need:

• Waterproof work gloves
• Flour or powdered chalk
• Coarse sand
• Road-base gravel
• Rubble (with at least one flat side) or fieldstones
• Quick-setting concrete mix
• Hand brush or broom
• Garden hose with spray attachment
• Decorative items, such as colored sea glass, sparkly rocks, or other treasures
• Sheet plastic or burlap