You might have heard of mow strips before. Indeed, you might even have them in your yard. These barriers, also known as curbing or edging, are made of concrete, brick, pavers or plastic. They separate one area of your yard from another. Often mow strips are used to delineate where your lawn stops and a garden plot begins. They provide aesthetic appeal as well as several practical purposes: a stable surface for your lawnmower wheels, a barrier to keep weeds and even desired plants from spreading into your lawn, and a way to isolate herbicides or fertilizers.
But mow strips have special applications for fences. Since these can be of great help to the average homeowner, we thought this week we’d look at these advantages.
Protect Your Fence from the Ground
Installing a mow strip beneath your fence prevents the fence from directly contacting the ground. This is especially important for wood fences, which are prone to rot and bugs. If wood touches the ground – especially untreated wood – it’s like issuing a party invitation to termites.
Protect Your Fence from Yard Tools
At Buzz, it pains our hearts to see fences fall victim to mowers and weed whackers. But that’s what happens when the fence sits directly on the lawn. The grass grows up tall by the fence, the frustrated homeowner tries to mow it down, and next thing, that perfect fence is nicked.
Thwart Fido
Lots of dogs dig. If you have a terrier or any dog in the Spitz family, you know this well. And just look at the way Dachshunds are built: perfect for tunneling under a fence. But install some concrete curbing and Fido won’t get far. Same for non-pet guests, such as skunks, moles and raccoons.
Prevent Erosion
Even if you don’t have a digging dog, erosion still happens. Rain, wind and time can all chip away at that nice dirt underneath your fence. Concrete mow strips are much longer-lasting.
A Level Grade
Not all yards are perfectly flat. In fact, few are. But installing mow strips provides a level grade for your fence line to follow. Who wants a bumpy fence line?
Defines Actual Fence Lines
What if you suddenly find yourself fenceless? A storm or other act of God destroys your old fence and now you’re planning for a new one. If you had mow strips under the old fence, you’ll know exactly where your fence line is.
Convinced?
Are you ready to talk to us about mow strips? We recommend a width of eight inches and a height of six inches – that’s three inches below grade and three above soil grade. Give us a call today and we’ll discuss how mow strips can improve your yard and protect the investment you’ve made in your fence.
Photo courtesy of https://www.flickr.com/photos/74885095@N07/
