Your useful garden tools

17 years ago

Beyond the usual pruners and clippers, I've found a few things that have made my gardening much easier. What tools or clever gadgets have you found useful? I thought an exchange of ideas might be helpful for all of us.

This first one is an O-Cedar outdoor broom I found at OSH. I have a rough-surfaced patio that gets a ton of leaves dumped on it every fall from a trash silver maple. This is the only broom I've discovered that does the clean-up without a lot of effort. The bristles are a stiff plastic, thicker than normal bristles, and the handle is very comfortable.

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The next is an inexpensive pair of "garden claws". I don't like those noisy blowers, and I found these for under $10. They scoop up dead leaves easily, and are lightweight enough that they're easy to work with.

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I have trouble finding shoes to fit, but finally found these 'muck shoes' at a discount website. They're men's shoes actually, but I have wide feet and the extra-small fits me perfectly. They're comfortable and very non-slip, which is critical for clumsy people like me!

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I have one of these and it's been misplaced. I know it's around somewhere, so I need to hunt around for it. It is more bowl-shaped than a regular trowel, and has a serrated, pointed edge (not sharp enough to be a real danger) that helps dig through our heavy clay soil. It doesn't take the place of a regular trowel, but I find it particularly useful in weeding my crowded garden beds.

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Comments (6)

natal
17 years ago
Have to get one of those Soil Scoops! How cool! I've worn away about 1/2" on my favorite trowel. I use it for everything.
Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca
17 years ago
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Heres my helper! His name is diesel, he loves to dig and trample plants, chase bugs and eat worms. If he wasnt so cute hes be the worst helper ever! Lol

I also need the soil scoop. I like my plastic tub from gardeners. com , i use it to weed .
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aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
17 years ago
Too cute, can I borrow Diesel next spring to dig holes for me, tell him I'll pay him in doggie treats :o).

Annette
stage_rat
17 years ago
I don't like leafblowers either! I mow up most of my leaves, but I rake some too. I have a couple of lids to 5-gallon buckets, so I use those as my big leaf-grabber scoops.

Another non-tool tool: I finally got an old mailbox set up in the veggie patch, and that's been great for holding supplies that I would have to run into the house to get; twine/t-shirt strips for tying up veggies, plant tags, pencils, sharpie, scissors, medicine bottles to hold seeds, extra gloves. It helps me get things done when I first notice the need, because the supplies are right there and I don't put off the task until the next time I go to the house (and then forget to get the supplies)

When I'm making a new bed, I shovel up the sod and dirt and wait a few days for the roots to weaken, the soil to dry some, and hopefully for the worms to leave. The soil clinging to the roots is the best soil in the yard, (what's under it is almost pure sand) so I have to get it off. What works best is a hand tool that has 3 blunt tines on one side, and a triangular shape on the other. I sit on the ground (better for your back) and bash at the dirt side of each chunk, usually with the fork side. The dirt comes off pretty easily. I couldn't find a photo showing just this tool, but if you follow the link and look in the upper right of the photo, that's my tool.

I find that if I can't be organized, I can at least have so many trowels I'm bound to find one soon! It doesn't have to be a nice one, it just has to be there! I grab them at garage sales or on sale in stores, so I can find one in any likely spot--where I was working last in the front, where I was working last in the back, ditto for the veggie patch, where I keep my extra soil, and where the trowel is actually supposed to live!

Here is a link that might be useful: tool
susie_gardener_2007
17 years ago
One of my best tools is an old red wagon I bought at an estate sale. It's so much easier to haul rocks or tree limbs or whatever, from one side of the yard to the other pulling this wagon than pushing the wheelbarrow.

I need some of those muck shoes. We've had so much rain I don't think the yard will ever dry out and we're expecting more rain.

Susie
kathi_mdgd
17 years ago
My favorite tool is the Hula Ho,no more having to bend this OLD body to weed the gardens,and also my Ames scoot along garden cart.I can sit on it and roll around the gardens.

For shoes i wear crocs,with socks,can't stand to feel dirt in my shoes on bare feet.
Kathi