The first thing to do is roll the top edge over because if you don't you have something that will slice you open before you remember it is there. That does take a bit of time, but a sheet metal brake would help if they weren't so expensive. A search online for Sheet Metal Brakes might get plans to make one, however.
It is easier to put the flashing in the ground if you can dig a trench deep enough, and that is what Janet Macunovich does with the plastic carpet runner she prefers over the flashing. I made my sand as wet as possible, inserted a spade as deep as possible and wiggled it to make a slit and then inserted the flashing into that slit. Sometimes I had to go back with the spade to make the slit wider so the flashing would go down.

Hi Kimmsr,

Well, I got a start: I started digging, but my back will not hold out for all the hundreds of feet of garden bed I have - I decided I'm going to rent a mini-excavator. Here's what I got on the weekend 7 lots of it is not deep enough.

{{gwi:673107}}

Cheers,
Gail