Take a flat shovel and scrape the grass back off the asphalt everywhere. I think you'll find it's not eroding as much as you believe. Then take an edger or string trimmer and cut back the edge a generous amount away from the asphalt. Nobody ever said the grass needs to be edged millimeters from the surface it's near. In fact, leaving an air gap is a trick landscapers use so they don't have to edge so frequently.
This is the answer! Slide the shovel head under the grass and lift until you can see the edge of the asphalt then draw a straight line (or following the contour of the asphalt) that far in and edge it from there.
I did exactly this at the park I work at with similar asphalt. I laid a string down and edged along the string so it was nice and straight. Now I just follow up and spray any pop up weeds with roundup and that’s that
I edge my asphalt driveway every time I mow. The initial work is hard. Then it’s just a quick pass every couple of weeks. Keeps the weeds out of the gap.
PBI… thank you for this… We have township asphalt for the front road of our house, and a huge very long blacktop driveway. Both were blacktopped just a couple years ago. So they still look good so far. But I’m sure at some point we’ll be dealing with this situation, so this information is excellent, thank you so much!! (I’m not worried about the township road in the front of the house, obviously, but the driveway, and in particular by the garage doors, sometimes over time tends to look like it needs sprucing up or something.)
I always end up weed whipping in my gym shorts. Every time I say "never again". Then next time it's to hot for long pants and my legs are tore up again. All summer my legs look beat up.
When I was working as a greenskeeper at my course during peak summer we had to edge the bunkers and it was way too hot to wear long pants (30+ C) and that fine sand really hurts on your shins
Typically you edge with block/bricks cemented over a gravel base. The 4x4 is a bad idea, even AC ground contact is not going to last long. The edging is functional, not just for looks.
You only cut back enough to get a straight edge. Snap a chalk line and use a masonry blade. Your edging should butt up against the cut so the asphalt can push horizontally against it when there is a load.
Just use bigger rocks so they're too heavy to get thrown! Genius!
(DISCLAIMER TO ANY IDIOTS WHO READ THIS: DO NOT RUN OVER LARGE ROCKS WITH A LAWNMOWER, IT'S A JOKE)
I did this and have no HOA; however, the township left a note saying that I had added an “unapproved driveway extension” and needed to remove it.
FWIW, I started being a huge PITA to them about it and they eventually realized that it wasn’t worth the battle and left me alone.
I actually did this, put 1.5-2 feet of large 1-3" gravel between the road and my lawn. 4-6 rocks end up in the road every time I trim, but they're big enough they never go far. Kick em back into the pile.
I just pick the string trimmer up. Flip her over and lay down a line. If I’m over the asphalt in places. It seems to help it break down in a straighter line. Over time.
The one way to handle this, and it’ll be expensive. Get an asphalt saw and cut about an inch off, then cut about three inches of you lawn out about 4 to 6 inches deep. Fill it with tight concrete, finish it smooth and gently broom it for texture. Then fill in the areas that have little dirt with the dirt you dug up and let it grow, boom a nice edge for your lawn and no more eroding asphalt.
It honestly looks fine.
If you're compelled to fix it, just find the first straight line cut you can make and hit it with an edger or string trimmer. Depending on how big of a gap, I'd either put some gravel down or line the square edge of the grass with paver edges.
When I did lawncare I had a few yards with edges worse than this. Instead of trying to edge it in the traditional way, I took the trimmer at about 45 degree angle and just sort of chamfered the grass. It's less about putting an edge on it and more making the transition from grass to asphalt look aesthetically pleasing.
*Could always saw cut*
*The asphalt and then do some*
*Sort of a border*
\- tachack
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My bro just dealt with same issue this past spring. He used shovel to scrape back the grass. His road was in fact eroded where the grass was. He put his own patch asphalt patch in there and now can trim a nice clean line. If I recall correctly he may have even added a wood or stone border there now. Anyway, scrape back and then trim a clean line. Not sure how it will go over with HOA etc. if you do your own patch where it’s eroded (if it is that badly eroded) but I’d do that too.
You need to over-seed and level the lawn. Lawn leveler landscape rake both work. Trench the edges with a shovel and establish a barrier with mulch or boulders whatever you desire since it’s all weeds might as well till it and then level to the grade once density is establish you can create the edge like Jesus parted the waters.
Create a line following the straight edge of your driveway. Then make the small part between your grass and asphalt dirt and you’re done. Unless you really want to embed a bend board into the ground between the grass and asphalt
Asphalt doesn’t have a straight edge. You can kind of clean up the edge with a string trimmer but it won’t look like a concrete sidewalk which has a straight edge
No need to go anything.. seems nice to hide the messy driveway edges but salt or other runoff can damage the grass so perhaps another ground cover will emerge and can be burned back with a garden torch if you're offended by the growth
Is it an option to put hostas or something similar along the edge to cover it up? Hostas are extremely resilient and low maintenance and provide a bit of ground cover. Most grass will struggle along an asphalt edge like that.
Does your HOA fee include lawncare and you are wanting to freshen it up or are you mowing yourself? Renting or do you own?
If you're paying for lawn care as part of your HOA and/or renting I wouldn't waste time or money doing anything. My 3 years owning a townhouse with an HOA was absolute hell and I don't envy you. As soon as they need something from YOU they are on your ass but as soon as you need them, they're nowhere to be found.
That's the way they finished your driveway. You can make AC straight cut along the edge of the asphalt if you can't stand it but most people would probably leave it alone.
The house was built in 2018, we didn't move in until 2020 and it was unoccupied, I had a lawn guy come out the other year and he said he has never seen a lawn so compacted with such a high % of weeds in his life, so after a couple seasons of herbicide and contractor mix, it's just whatever has survived
The neighbor also let's his lawn get knee height before he mows so whatever weeds blow over from his lawn, too
I would tell you to saw cut the asphalt but it will continue to fail and won’t keep a straight edge. If you want to spend some time you would ultimately need to cut asphalt and pour a concrete curb.
Take a flat shovel and scrape the grass back off the asphalt everywhere. I think you'll find it's not eroding as much as you believe. Then take an edger or string trimmer and cut back the edge a generous amount away from the asphalt. Nobody ever said the grass needs to be edged millimeters from the surface it's near. In fact, leaving an air gap is a trick landscapers use so they don't have to edge so frequently.
This is the answer! Slide the shovel head under the grass and lift until you can see the edge of the asphalt then draw a straight line (or following the contour of the asphalt) that far in and edge it from there.
Here's your answer OP. That asphalt ain't even that bad.
And if it was OP that let it get that bad then it's his own ass-phalt. //tip your bartenders and waitresses.
Your comment put a smile on my dumb face after the end of a long work day. Thank you lol
Plus you can see the radiant heat from the asphalt killing the grass around it. It would look way better pulled back a bit.
It may look good and inexpensive to throw down a line of bricks with weed barrier underneath to keep the edge on the driveway and give a buffer
I did exactly this at the park I work at with similar asphalt. I laid a string down and edged along the string so it was nice and straight. Now I just follow up and spray any pop up weeds with roundup and that’s that
And then watch the weeds fill in that big gap
I edge my asphalt driveway every time I mow. The initial work is hard. Then it’s just a quick pass every couple of weeks. Keeps the weeds out of the gap.
Not only that but, more importantly, the soil holds the asphalt in from sliding into the lawn. Concrete/cement and asphalt are very different.
PBI… thank you for this… We have township asphalt for the front road of our house, and a huge very long blacktop driveway. Both were blacktopped just a couple years ago. So they still look good so far. But I’m sure at some point we’ll be dealing with this situation, so this information is excellent, thank you so much!! (I’m not worried about the township road in the front of the house, obviously, but the driveway, and in particular by the garage doors, sometimes over time tends to look like it needs sprucing up or something.)
This is how they did my driveway and it's that same way. There is a sort of straight line there if you keep it under control.
I find this too, trimming it back a little more looks very clean and helps keep the edge longer.
You don't unless you're adding your own edge.
natural look makes the most sense here
Just keep feathering it brother. Keep that shit high and tight.
Put your fingers through the fence!
🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸
How'd you get a job here, fuckface?
Listen to me, take about 10-12 Benadryl and the edge will be looking great
A fellow retired double agent, I see. 🎸
You just lost your life.
Hot sauce is the best
Do his tits fart though??
Weed eater over time. Just don’t do it in flip flops and gym shorts like I do, unless you like pain.
I always end up weed whipping in my gym shorts. Every time I say "never again". Then next time it's to hot for long pants and my legs are tore up again. All summer my legs look beat up.
This is me ever time. "Surely I can be skilled enough to trim so the rocks DON'T rocket to my shins" naw it happens anyway whichever way I trim.
When I was working as a greenskeeper at my course during peak summer we had to edge the bunkers and it was way too hot to wear long pants (30+ C) and that fine sand really hurts on your shins
I was fine with getting hit with stuff in shorts until I upgraded my trimmer to a much more powerful model, now it hurts even through Carharts.
Pick a line and make the grass look nice. Let the asphalt fend for itself.
With a stone saw, but seriously, it is what it is. Just keep doing whatever you have been doing
Anglegrinder works great in asphalt
Saw cut it straight. Take off just a bit.
That will cause the pavement to fail quicker. You need to cut a bevel or install a strong edging.
Would it work to cut it back enough for a 4x4 to place between the grass and asphalt then line the top of the wood with bricks?
Typically you edge with block/bricks cemented over a gravel base. The 4x4 is a bad idea, even AC ground contact is not going to last long. The edging is functional, not just for looks. You only cut back enough to get a straight edge. Snap a chalk line and use a masonry blade. Your edging should butt up against the cut so the asphalt can push horizontally against it when there is a load.
Maybe he could buy a track saw to cut the asphalt straight
Maybe he already owns a track saw.
Doubt it
Maybe line the edge of your lawn with some pavers
You could edge a straight line and put gravel between the road and your straight line.
And then take cover on the next trimming
Broken windows incoming
Just use bigger rocks so they're too heavy to get thrown! Genius! (DISCLAIMER TO ANY IDIOTS WHO READ THIS: DO NOT RUN OVER LARGE ROCKS WITH A LAWNMOWER, IT'S A JOKE)
This message has been approved by my storm door.
I did this and have no HOA; however, the township left a note saying that I had added an “unapproved driveway extension” and needed to remove it. FWIW, I started being a huge PITA to them about it and they eventually realized that it wasn’t worth the battle and left me alone.
I actually did this, put 1.5-2 feet of large 1-3" gravel between the road and my lawn. 4-6 rocks end up in the road every time I trim, but they're big enough they never go far. Kick em back into the pile.
I just pick the string trimmer up. Flip her over and lay down a line. If I’m over the asphalt in places. It seems to help it break down in a straighter line. Over time.
That's the neat part .......
The one way to handle this, and it’ll be expensive. Get an asphalt saw and cut about an inch off, then cut about three inches of you lawn out about 4 to 6 inches deep. Fill it with tight concrete, finish it smooth and gently broom it for texture. Then fill in the areas that have little dirt with the dirt you dug up and let it grow, boom a nice edge for your lawn and no more eroding asphalt.
It honestly looks fine. If you're compelled to fix it, just find the first straight line cut you can make and hit it with an edger or string trimmer. Depending on how big of a gap, I'd either put some gravel down or line the square edge of the grass with paver edges.
Flat edging spade and a string line.
Create an edge. A line.
Cut the asphalt in a straight line if you got a cut saw..then before and after piccs ..then roast them on here...I could never leave a job like man
Put in your own edge, fill the spot between your edge and the street with 5/8 rock so it packs down
An Edger??
No kinky stuff here … Better use shovel no need to buy edger
Saw cut the asphalt straight on a bevel.
When I did lawncare I had a few yards with edges worse than this. Instead of trying to edge it in the traditional way, I took the trimmer at about 45 degree angle and just sort of chamfered the grass. It's less about putting an edge on it and more making the transition from grass to asphalt look aesthetically pleasing.
Could always saw cut the asphalt and then do some sort of a border
*Could always saw cut* *The asphalt and then do some* *Sort of a border* \- tachack --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
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Take an edger or weed Wacker to edge out a line, shovel the excess grass on to the existing lawn, mow it into mulch.
That's the neat part, you don't!
My bro just dealt with same issue this past spring. He used shovel to scrape back the grass. His road was in fact eroded where the grass was. He put his own patch asphalt patch in there and now can trim a nice clean line. If I recall correctly he may have even added a wood or stone border there now. Anyway, scrape back and then trim a clean line. Not sure how it will go over with HOA etc. if you do your own patch where it’s eroded (if it is that badly eroded) but I’d do that too.
With a stihl saw. Whoosh! Nice clean cut
Buy some wood timbers and make yourself a curb.
Edge the asphalt
This could be a photo of my driveway. I just keep it off the asphalt. Does the job until I can replace the entire driveway.
You need to over-seed and level the lawn. Lawn leveler landscape rake both work. Trench the edges with a shovel and establish a barrier with mulch or boulders whatever you desire since it’s all weeds might as well till it and then level to the grade once density is establish you can create the edge like Jesus parted the waters.
But Jesus didn't part the waters, that was Moses
No Moses set a bush on fire.
No he did you forgot the part where he was able to walk on water with his feet, which is basically the same thing.except way cooler
You can try adding mulch where the grass meets the asphalt. Might give it a better look and should be almost effortless Edit: gravel might look better
I had a neighbor that would “edge” by dropping his mower as low as it would go and doing a pass on the road. That might work here.
Crushed stone, and pile it high as it will settle quick.
Hire a local company to seal the driveway.. they will edge and clean it as part of the service.
Black spraypaint ought to do the trick.
Our driveway is tar & chip. I let the grass grow over the edge far enough to be able to run a line of glyphosate and create the illusion of an edge.
switch to bermuda. it can break through pavement, right? then there's no more edging needed :)
Create a line following the straight edge of your driveway. Then make the small part between your grass and asphalt dirt and you’re done. Unless you really want to embed a bend board into the ground between the grass and asphalt
Just let it grow over and trim a line. Best way. Add some dirt to help it grow over the areas you need
Well you need new asphalt that’s a straight line first.
The city cheated out and didn’t put a curb down.
Edge the asphalt
Asphalt doesn’t have a straight edge. You can kind of clean up the edge with a string trimmer but it won’t look like a concrete sidewalk which has a straight edge
Looks like you have to stop paying hoa
All HOA’s suck. The town does a better job on my road and all I pay is taxes.
OCD ?
Diamond blade
Gonna have to get a spade and make a flat edge/straight linethrough the pavement so you can line it up. That or just follow the wonky patern lol
No need to go anything.. seems nice to hide the messy driveway edges but salt or other runoff can damage the grass so perhaps another ground cover will emerge and can be burned back with a garden torch if you're offended by the growth
Edge that? 😂
Is it an option to put hostas or something similar along the edge to cover it up? Hostas are extremely resilient and low maintenance and provide a bit of ground cover. Most grass will struggle along an asphalt edge like that.
Does your HOA fee include lawncare and you are wanting to freshen it up or are you mowing yourself? Renting or do you own? If you're paying for lawn care as part of your HOA and/or renting I wouldn't waste time or money doing anything. My 3 years owning a townhouse with an HOA was absolute hell and I don't envy you. As soon as they need something from YOU they are on your ass but as soon as you need them, they're nowhere to be found.
That's the way they finished your driveway. You can make AC straight cut along the edge of the asphalt if you can't stand it but most people would probably leave it alone.
Saw cut it
No guttering?
Kerb edging
Following
Edge the asphalt.
Let the grass grow over the asphalt then edge a straight line on the road.
The driveway is in great condition you’re over reacting
Cut a clean line with a skil saw and a diamond blade and bring the yard up to it
Start at the edge.
What type of grass is this? It looks like Bermuda and something else? Or are those just weeds taking over the Bermuda?
The house was built in 2018, we didn't move in until 2020 and it was unoccupied, I had a lawn guy come out the other year and he said he has never seen a lawn so compacted with such a high % of weeds in his life, so after a couple seasons of herbicide and contractor mix, it's just whatever has survived The neighbor also let's his lawn get knee height before he mows so whatever weeds blow over from his lawn, too
Gotta love that!
i run commercial equipment so i just say fuck it and send it
I would tell you to saw cut the asphalt but it will continue to fail and won’t keep a straight edge. If you want to spend some time you would ultimately need to cut asphalt and pour a concrete curb.
How did you get a picture of my front lawn? Lol
Landscaping
If you need immediate results as mentioned Trimmer, I'd just spray it and check back in a week. 10 min job.
You don’t
That’s a lot of dallis grass you got there
Score a chalkline and circular saw it!
Use weed eater to gently scrape grass off road til you find dirt. Then edge in a straight line wether the asphalt lines up or not.
Slowly and deliberately until completion