Crochet: Can blocking correct overall tension as well as curly corners???

[LittleBells]

Hi, I'm making a blanket and as it's progressing I can see that the bottom inch is slightly looser than the rest of the blanket.

I am planning on blocking, if I slightly stretch when I pin it out will this help loosen the tighter bit? Or will edging do that? And do I block before I edge, or edge and then block?

Thanks for any suggestions!

My very first granny square blanket was a hodge lodge of tension differences as I was trying to learn. (Not that I'm any better yet).
I put on the edging before blocking as I knew nothing about blocking. Then I finally did the blocking after looking at a wavey and bubbly blanket for a few weeks and it nearly resembles a proper one.

So my advice is block as you described after you've added the edging and are finished all your hook and needle work.