TL;DR
Here's a quick self-test: Push a standard screwdriver three or four inches into your soil where you plan to install edging. If it goes in without much resistance, you're good to go. If it barely dips into the ground, keep reading - Gotcha #1 is especially for you.
Gotcha #1: Hard, Compacted, or Bone-Dry Soil
Customers in arid climates, such as the desert Southwest and parts of California, occasionally find that the staples bend during install before they reach stable soil.
When soil is bone-dry it can be harder than it looks. This is the most common reason 2xEDGE Staples don't perform as expected.
Dry clay, caliche, and desert hardpack can be nearly impossible to drive a staple into without some prep.
The fix, if your soil is dry
A deep watering 24 to 48 hours before installation can make a significant difference. Soil that feels like concrete when dry will soften enough after a good soak to accept a staple cleanly. Some customers in dry climates have installed successfully this way.
When pre-watering won't help
If your soil is structurally compacted such as hardpan that doesn't meaningfully soften with water or ground that's been packed down for years under rock, gravel, or heavy foot traffic, watering to soften things up before installation may not be enough. In these cases, 2xEDGE may not be the right product for your project.
Gotcha #2: Existing Pathways Built on a Prepared Base
This one catches people off guard because the ground looks completely fine from the surface.
If you're installing edging alongside an existing pathway that was originally built with a rock base, compacted gravel or decomposed granite beneath it, that prepared base often extends several inches beyond the visible edge of the path.
When you try to drive a staple in close to the path edge, it can hits the rocky base below and bend the staple before it reaches stable soil.
What to do
If you're working next to an existing pathway with a prepared base, try installing your lumber a few inches farther from the path edge, where you're more likely to be working in undisturbed native soil. If the rocky base extends too far out to make this practical 2xEDGE may not be the right solution for your site.
Gotcha #3: Sidewalk Blurble (Yes, Blurble)
City sidewalks are poured into wooden forms. Sometimes wet cement oozes out beneath the form before it sets, creating a blob of hardened concrete a few inches below the soil surface - and right along the sidewalk edge. You won't see this "blurble" from above. You'll know it's there when your staple hits something solid and won't sink any further.
This situation comes up often in the narrow strip between the sidewalk and the curb typically called the parking strip. It doesn't always happen on just the sidewalk side; some customers find concrete irregularities along both the sidewalk edge and the curb edge of their parking strip, requiring adjustments on two sides of their install.
What to do
Before you commit to your lumber layout, test a staple for depth in a few spots along the sidewalk and curb edges. If it won't go to full depth, shift your board in a quarter to half an inch and try again. Most customers who encounter blurble can resolve it quickly this way. The slight variation in staple spacing that results doesn't affect performance.
Going into a parking strip or sidewalk-adjacent installation prepared for blurble (test first, adjust plan if needed) report that their project was drama-free. Customers who miss this step tend to spend extra time troubleshooting mid-install and can end up adjusting their entire layout on the fly. Test first and enjoy a no-drama installation.
For more on parking strip installs and what customers have navigated, see our parking strip landscaping guide.
Gotcha #4: Rocky Soil, Tree Roots, and Buried Debris
Rocks, roots, and old buried debris. It's the stuff you don't find until you're mid-installation. Issues like these don't usually derail a project, but they can require some improvisation.
Should you hit a rock or a root while pounding in a staple try repositioning it a few inches in either direction. Staple performance won't be affected if spacing is uneven in spots where buried obstacles are present.
Tree roots deserve a special mention, especially in parking strips with established trees. Most tree roots grow horizontally in the top few inches of soil which is exactly where staples need to go. If your install area has a lot of visible surface roots that are so dense that clear ground is hard to find, 2xEDGE may not be the best solution for your edging needs.
So, Is 2xEDGE Right for Your Project?
If you did the screwdriver test and your soil passed, you're almost certainly fine to proceed with 2xEDGE for your edging project.
If you're still not sure, here's a simple way to think about it:
Soil is workable, standard lawn or garden install: Go for it.
Dry climate, soil is hard right now: Pre-water 24 to 48 hours before installation and try again. We have heard from customers in dry climates that this approach led to an install with no issues.
Installing next to an existing pathway: Test with a screwdriver in a few places near the path edge before you commit to a layout. If you hit resistance, try shifting outward toward native soil where a rocky substrate is less likely to be.
Installing next to a sidewalk or curb: Test with a screwdriver along both edges before laying out your lumber. Sidewalk "blurble" is common and easy to work around once you know to look for it.
Hardpan that doesn't respond to water, or a pathway on a deep prepared base: 2xEDGE may not be the right edging product for your site.
Now You Know
Questions? I'm here for you and happy to help. Get in touch.
If you're ready to go, the How to Install page walks you through everything from project planning to installation basics.
What To Read Next
Parking Strip Gardens: Tips for Landscape Edging Success
How to Install Landscape & Garden Edging That Stays Put
Photo Credit
Many thanks to the fantastic photographer who shared the terrific image included in this article.
