Can You Mow Over Lawn Edging? [Mow Strips 101]

Can You Mow Over Lawn Edging? [Mow Strips 101] Lawn edging, also called garden edging, is a great way to add some extra flair and unique touch to your yard. It comes in many shapes and sizes so that you can add a distinctive and polished look to your garden. But can you mow over lawn edging? We have looked into this to get the answer to this critical question.

The short answer: you can, but you should not. Mowing over lawn edging risks breaking or otherwise damaging your lawnmower blades. If your lawn edging is even with the ground, you are probably all right. But, if you have a raised or a rugged edging, mowing over it is not ideal. Instead of mowing over lawn edging, it is better to create a mow strip.

Let’s take a closer look at what a mowing strip is and how you can create one to give your yard an effortlessly luxurious look.

What is a Mow Strip?

A mowing strip, also known as mowing strips or edging strip, is a lawn edging that is even with the ground so a lawn mower’s wheels can ride along the edge. Having a mow strip gives your freshly mowed lawn an even and refined look while also hopefully minimizing the weeding you have to do.

Some other potential benefits of mow strips and garden edging are:

  • Minimizing runoff
  • Separating different areas
  • Adding a unique touch
  • Blocking weeds
  • Keeping pests at bay

Because each garden is different, the benefits of mow strips and garden edging depend on your situation. Black and Decker have a simple and easy to follow guide on how to add a mowing strip, check it out here.

How Wide Should a Mow Strip Be?

A mowing strip is generally from six to twelve inches wide. At six inches wide, a mow strip is mostly for aesthetic but also for dividing garden beds from your lawn. On the other end of the spectrum, at around twelve inches, your mowing strip takes on a dual purpose and can serve as a sidewalk or walkway.

While anywhere in the spectrum serves the typical mow strip purpose, it is essential to consider what purpose you want the mowing strip to serve.

Can You Mow Over a Paver?

Like with paver garden edging, you can also mow over pavers of pavement walkways or paths if they are even with the grass or set into the grass. However, it is best to mow around them when possible. This is because there is still the risk of dulling, breaking or otherwise damaging your mower blades.

If you are concerned about damaging your blades while crossing over a large area of pavement, it is a good idea to turn off your blades or your mower as a whole if possible. If you are using something like a push mower, shutting off the mower and pushing it across long sections of pavement is ideal for giving your blades a long life.

What Kind of Lawn Edging Can You Mow Over?

While it is not recommended to mow over lawn edging of any kind, pavers, brick, concrete, and stone are the most ideal for being mowed over. This is because they are generally flat and hardy enough to not break under the weight.

However, because they are so hard, they can also easily damage or break your mower blades.

Finding an edging with a flat surface, you can bury to be flush with your yard is the most important aspect of edging you can mow over.

In contrast, mowing over a more flexible and less sturdy lawn edging, such as plastic, can destroy both the mower’s blades and the lawn edging.

If you have already mowed over your garden edging and are concerned you may have dulled or damaged your mower blades, check out our article on where to sharpen your lawnmower blades.

What is the Best Kind of Lawn Edging?

Lawn edging with concrete path and huge hedge row

There is no “one size fits all” or overall best kind of lawn edging. When picking out a type of lawn edging, there are three primary things to take into consideration.

Price

How much do you want to spend? If you are looking for something that looks good but is relatively cheap, plastic or poly ($.35 to $1.00 per linear foot) might be for you.

If the price is no matter and you want to go all out, landscaping timber ($10 to $15 per linear foot) or Stone ($12 to $18 per linear foot) may be a good choice.

If you are not installing the edging yourself, then it is important to take labor costs into account.

For more information on the price of garden edging, check out this article.

Purpose

Why do you want to edge your garden? Is it for ambiance or effect? To keep weeds, grass, and pests out? Do you want to be able to sit on the edging? It is important to take into account to make sure your edging accomplishes what you need it to.  For example, if you want to be able to sit on edging to pick produce from a garden or to be able to trim your flowers, a small rubber edging is likely not for you. A thick, raised brick or stone edging may be a better option.

Place

Where is the edging going to go? Will it be a high or low traffic area? If it is a high traffic area, be careful to consider how likely it is people may trip over the edging. Will it divide up your garden? If you think you know where you want the edging to go, you can dig a trench (ideally about six inches deep), so you can see where the edging will go. This will not only help you imagine the future of your garden but also generally the first step in installing edging.

Curious about other garden edging options? Check out our article on 11 types of edging for gardens you need to know.

Mow Strip Upkeep

After a mow strip is made, whether, by you or professionals, it generally needs minimal amounts of upkeep. The primary maintenance you would need to do on the mow strip itself is if it begins to breakdown overtime. Stones and pavement may crack, or shift and rocks may fall out of place. That is just the effects of time, and the best course of action is usually to replace it or otherwise fix it.

Other upkeep would be keeping an eye on your mower and its blades. The better you keep up your mower, the better you can cut your yard. Regardless of whether or not you mow over your edging, it is important to keep your lawnmower in good condition.

For inspiration and more tips for keeping lawn edging looking good, check out this post from Lowe's.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while it is not ideal to mow over lawn edging and mowing strips, it can be done. Flat, hardy materials such as stone or concrete are best for mowing over or making mow strips. When making mow strips, a width of six to twelve inches is suggested.

Regardless of materials and budget, there are limitless possibilities when it comes to mowing strips and lawn edging. While there is no one “best” lawn edging, it is important to take price, purpose, and place into consideration when choosing a lawn edging that is a good fit for you.

Need more inspiration? Check out these beautiful ideas!

For more information on different kinds of lawn edging, check out more of our articles:

Rubber garden edging 

Metal garden edging

Plastic garden edging

Railway Sleepers garden edging

Aluminum garden edging

One comment

  1. You made a good point that I should know the purpose as to why I would need lawn edging. I think I would need mine so that my grass wouldn’t creep up to the main walkway towards my front door. It’s always a bummer to me whenever I see my grass accidentally trampled on by my visitors, especially during the holiday season.

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