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Cool
Tools
Fire at will!"Gardeners know what solarization does to plants. The weed torch acts as an instant solarizer. You don't have to set the plants on fire; just heat them up. My weed torch (about $40 at www.leevalley.com) uses a small propane tank and is very easy on the back. (There is a larger model available, but on uneven ground, it's hard to roll a big propane tank around.) If you're as lazy as I am, get a 12-year-old boy to visit. They think playing with fire is really HOT, and you won't have to do a thing except follow the lad around with a water hose and douse him when he becomes overly zealous. Unfortunately, the torch works only on annual weeds. It will burn the others, but they come back more lush and beautiful than ever (you might consider putting that 12-year-old on retainer). Exercise caution near mulch or dried leaves, unless, of course, it's a good day for a bonfire." -- Janie F., Bartonville
Click on the image to enlarge.
Trigger happy"I've gardened for 40-plus years with Sharpshooter shovels. I
keep a Sharpshooter in the front, back and in-between gardens, but it*s such
a great all-around gardening tool, I'm wishing for a dozen more. It's just
right for digging, edging, weeding, or even chopping off branches. My
husband sharpens it occasionally, but I think it*s cheaper to get a new
one. I still have my original one. I've acquired two more since then. I
always keep a Sharpshooter in my trunk for emergency digging! -- Tina L., Bartonville "The Sharpshooter is a friend and jack of all trades workhorse. No weed too is tough for such a strong and dependable worker. It makes short work of digging out unwanted two-year-old tree seedlings, but can be gentle as a lamb in digging holes for baby plants entering the garden for their first day. On Master Gardener work projects, it will always be first in the trunk. The Sharpshooter is for the person who needs something more than a girlie weeder." -- Celia C., Plano Quick on the uptake"I live on 10 acres of post oaks and cedar elms. All the leaves those trees shed (250,000 per oak) seem to fall in the flower beds around my deck. I developed carpal tunnel syndrome in my wrist from raking leaves and a bad back from bending to pick them up. Then I bought a Black and Decker Leaf Hog from Home Depot. It's a vacuum that mulches leaves and small twigs (up to 1/4" in diameter) and blows them into a bag or trash can. It's great for getting into crevices around rocks and decks and for reaching under shrubbery. I just vacuum the leaves into a trash can and then empty the finely mulched leaves back into the beds. The Leaf Hog can also be used with a blower attachment. Since it's electric, it's very light, but the cord can be a disadvantage. I always seem to wrap myself up like a mummy. Nevertheless, of all my garden toys, the Leaf Hog is my favorite!" -- Pam M., Argyle
Click on the image to enlarge. Take the edge off"I was never able to use a string edger, because they were just too heavy for me. Then I bought my "Neuton Cordless electric Trimmer" ($200 to $240 from Country Home Products), I love it. I just grip the handlebar and it goes. It uses a 24-volt battery that is charged after every use (you can leave it plugged into the charger for six months at a time). It hasn't quit on me yet, and I have a large area where I use the Neuton. It has 10-inch wheels, so it's easy to roll, even on rugged terrain. It uses twisted cord spools, and mine came with three spools that should last all season." -- Fay S., Nocona A little dab'll do ya"This is the #1 weed killer applicator (or in another language below that: Le Premier Applicateur D'Herbicide Sans Vaporisation). I like the second one better myself. Anything that says Le Premier makes me look twice. It has a twist cap (or bouchon visse) and a see-through strip and handy measuring scale, and it has a sponge thing on the other end. It eliminates ALL back bending. There is no spray and no drifting. One touch kills the weed. The applicator head accurately controls flow of weedkiller. It uses all liquid weed killers. There's no leaking and no mess (that's more than you can say for some puppies). You can use it in your gardens and flowerbeds (or Jardins et plates-handes). It is over 3 feet long, which allows you to reach into most gardens without walking onto the soil or bending over. For patios and driveways (Terrasses et allees--I just love that one), just run the wet sponge along the weed and grass growing up between the stones. It's that simple. For use in lawns (or Pelouses), one fill of your WEEDeezy will kill over 1,000 weeds (bad gardener if you've got that many weeds). Use it to do your whole lawn or selectively as new weeds appear. Keep it handy so you can just pull that baby out and zap those suckers. WEEDeezy is made by a Canadian company (which explains all that French)." -- Phil W., Flower Mound
Two-wheeler"This 2-wheel, 10-cubic foot, fiberglass wheelbarrow (Ames True Temper Big Ten) is lightweight and well-balanced. It's so easy to load into a truck that it's perfect for those Master Gardener projects around the county, and with its bright orange color, it's impossible to leave behind. Garden centers have them for $100-$150, but they can be found on sale for about $60." -- Linda W., Flower Mound
Dig + be dug in return"My favorite garden tool is a small shovel (child's shovel). I get them at flea markets and in the children's tool section at garden centers. My shovels have wooden handles and metal blades. They are about 3 feet long. They are also very light weight and easy to carry around. I use the little shovel like a hand spade. It's just the right size for a gallon plant, and I don't have to bend over. I love these tools. (Have two. Always losing one. Have to have two.)" -- Judy R., Highland Village |
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