HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW? (WITH RAKES AND HOES AND SHOVELS AND SHEARS AND GLOVES, OF COURSE!).Byline: Barbara De Witt De Witt, uninc. town (1990 pop. 8,244), Onondaga co., central N.Y., a residential suburb of Syracuse. Staff Writer If you've ever had a shovel snap in two while digging a hole, injured your back raking leaves or ended a day in the yard with blisters on your hands, you know it's worth investing in the right gardening tools. It's the wrong tools that have given gardening a bad rap, says Ben Allen, executive editor of gardening and home improvement books at Meredith Publishing/Better Homes and Gardens Books. ``You should buy tools that fit the need and always inspect them first, making sure that wood handles are free of cracks or knots because that's where they'll snap under pressure,'' says Allen, who adds that ``hoes, for instance, should come up to your nose when held upright. If the handle length is correct, and you use only your hands and forearms to move it forward and backward, you won't be bending ... and you won't have a backache back·ache n. Discomfort or a pain in the region of the back or spine. .'' Professionals such as Greg Sudbury at Classic Landscaping and Nursery in Reseda prefer tools with fiberglass handles because they're extra-strong for big jobs. ``Fiberglass tools stand up well and I've never seen one break,'' says Sudbury. Shovels are the biggest problem, but small hand tools can break, too. Liz Kimmel, manager of Sperling Nursery in Calabasas, says trowels - the tool used for planting small bedding flowers - are sold in myriad colors and designs, but too often the novelty styles bend and break because the metal is too thin and the handle is attached with a pin inserted through the center of the plastic or wood handle. ``When it comes to small gardening tools, you want one that's made from a single piece of metal so the handle won't break,'' she stresses. Now, about those blisters. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. veteran gardener Allen, ``You need gloves to protect your hands from blisters, especially while raking, but they also protect you from splinters splin·ter n. 1. A sharp, slender piece, as of wood, bone, glass, or metal, split or broken off from a main body. 2. A splinter group. v. splin·tered, splin·ter·ing, splin·ters v. and dirty fingernails.'' His glove of choice is smooth leather because he thinks it provides the best fit (they should be snug like dress-quality gloves) as well as the most protection. And he's also found that clay soil (which is common in the Valley) washes off easily with a garden hose. Kimmel, however, likes a knit fabric glove with the entire palm coated in rubber. ``It's designed for tool-gripping, allows the top of the hands to breathe and is washable wash·a·ble adj. Capable of being washed without fading or other injury: washable wool. wash , which is why it's our most popular glove.'' Other ways to avoid blisters, splinters and sore hands, says Allen, begin at the hardware store. ``Be sure to slide the handle of rakes, shovels and hoes through your hands, making sure there are no splinters, cracks or rough spots, and then check the grip. If the handle is too big or too small, you'll have trouble holding it and gardening won't be a good experience,'' Allen explains. Ready to go to the hardware store? Don't be overwhelmed. If you're inexperienced and/or have a small yard, you don't need to buy the store. According to Allen, a beginner's tool kit should include a classic rounded-tip shovel for digging holes for rose bushes and other plants, a flexible metal leaf Metal leaf is a thin foil used for decoration. It is also called Composition leaf or Schlagmetal. Metal leaf can come in many different shades. Some metal leaf looks like gold leaf but does not contain any real gold; this is often referred to as imitation leaf. rake (long for leaves on the lawn, short and narrow for cleaning out flower beds), a steel garden rake for spreading and leveling soil and moving around mulch mulch, any material, usually organic, that is spread on the ground to protect the soil and the roots of plants from the effects of soil crusting, erosion, or freezing; it is also used to retard the growth of weeds. , small gravel and stones for landscape projects, a basic trowel that's curved enough to hold soil, a hand edger to clean the gutter between the sidewalk and lawn, hand pruner (bypass type) for cutting roses and other plants, hedge shears and a galvanized gal·va·nize tr.v. gal·va·nized, gal·va·niz·ing, gal·va·niz·es 1. To stimulate or shock with an electric current. 2. metal watering can with a long, thin spout to water hanging plants. He also advises choosing a professional-quality hose because it's thicker and won't kink like regular garden-variety hoses. When it comes to deciding on a hose length, Allen says to measure from the faucet to the farthest plant. For small yards and plenty of exercise, consider a manual (also called a reel) lawn mower mower, farm machine used for cutting grasses and other hay crops. Mowers, drawn by or attached to tractors, or self-propelled, have superseded scythes. The mower is essentially an adaptation of the much earlier reaper. The first commercial mower was patented in 1847. . According to Allen, the latest models aren't as heavy as they used to be. For serious gardening and landscape projects, you'll need more tools in your kit. This is the time to consider a power mower, as well as other power tools such as edgers for large lawns. And mow regularly. ``If you let the lawn get too tall, you'll have to use a manual mower to fix it, as power mowers can't adjust to that height. And most importantly Adv. 1. most importantly - above and beyond all other consideration; "above all, you must be independent" above all, most especially ,'' says Allen, ``keep the blades sharp so they cut the grass rather than whacking it. Look at the ends of the grass for a clean cut. If it's ragged, it's very dull and the grass will have to recover from the injury as well.'' Allen says other tools to add to your kit include a cushion for the knees while weeding or planting, a hose attachment to make spraying easier, and a square shovel (called a spade) for landscaping projects such as brick edging and laying sod. Also consider a hand core-aerator. This tool will pull out little plugs of grass when you step on it, allowing air, water and fertilizer to circulate better. ``You'll know you need one when you turn on the sprinklers and water starts running down the street instead of penetrating the lawn,'' says Kimmel. She also suggests investing in a bigger variety of pruning pruning, the horticultural practice of cutting away an unwanted, unnecessary, or undesirable plant part, used most often on trees, shrubs, hedges, and woody vines. tools, such as an anvil anvil Iron block on which metal is placed for shaping, originally by hand with a hammer. The blacksmith's anvil is usually of wrought iron (sometimes of cast iron), with a smooth working surface of hardened steel. type of hand pruner for thicker branches on plants such as hydrangea hydrangea (hīdrān`jə): see saxifrage. hydrangea Any of approximately 23 species of erect or climbing woody shrubs that make up the genus Hydrangea (family Hydrangeaceae). , wisteria wisteria (wĭstēr`ēə) or wistaria (–târ`–), any plant of the genus Wisteria, and fruit trees. For tall trees For the Hotel in Teesside see Hotel tall trees Tall Trees is a nightclub located on Tolcarne Road in Newquay, Cornwall, United Kingdom. The club has been voted as number 1 club in the south west for the last two years running by the Ministry of Sound magazine and dense bushes, you'll need loppers Loppers are a type of scissors used for pruning twigs and small branches. They are the largest type of manual garden cutting tool. They are usually operated with two hands, and the handles may be around 65 cm long to give good leverage. , which are essentially long-handled pruners. Not only do they come in several handle lengths, but some are designed for left-handed gardeners and many new styles have ergonomically correct curved handles, while others have handles that swivel to make it extra-easy. Sudbury stresses the importance of testing pruners and loppers with a few ``air clips'' at the store. ``Clippers should not be cumbersome to use. They should cut clean and exact and you'll be able to feel it even if you're just cutting air. On the other hand, a lower grade will be either a little too tight or too loose (and it will get worse), resulting in bushes with a messy, chopped appearance,'' explains Sudbury. Other new toys for the tool box include the Korean hand plow, a scythe-like tool with a very sharp point designed for piercing the ground before planting; and the Hula hula, traditional Hawaiian dance usually performed standing with symbolically descriptive arm and hand movements and gracefully sensual undulations of the hips; it is also done in a sitting position. hoe hoe, usually a flat blade, variously shaped, set in a long wooden handle and used primarily for weeding and for loosening the soil. It was the first distinctly agricultural implement. The earliest hoes were forked sticks. , a long-handled hoe with a stirrup-like piece of metal instead of the standard sharp-edged rectangle shape. It's a style that Kimmel says is easy to use for cultivating the soil and doesn't require as much physical effort as a conventional hoe. The bottom line, however, is personal preference. ``Every gardener has a different taste and need, so try them out to see what feels good before purchasing,'' Kimmel summarizes. Allen adds that shoppers should always inquire about warranties, especially with higher-priced tools, while Sudbury says to look at literature accompanying the tool - even the hangtag hang·tag n. A tag attached to a piece of merchandise giving information about its composition and proper care and use. - for information on what it's made of and what it's designed to do. Regardless of the size of your tool kit, protect the investment. ``Wipe off pruners, loppers and saw blades after each use and sharpen them regularly. Keep power tools clean and oiled. Store all tools indoors, away from dampness,'' says Allen. GETTING STARTED ... Here's a basic shopping list for maintaining your garden: Gloves Shovel Garden fork Flexible leaf rake Trowel Hand edger Hand pruner (bypass type) Hedge shears Lawn mower (manual or power) Watering can Garden hose GETTING SERIOUS ... When you decide to take on a landscaping project or just try something new in your garden, you'll want to consider adding these tools: Knee pads or cushion Garden spade Hoe Hand pruner (anvil type) Hand core-aerator Loppers Power mower and edger Hose attachment CAPTION} Photo: (1 -- cover -- color) TOOLS OF THE TRADE The right equipment makes gardening easier (2 -- 3 --color) From ``Better Homes and Gardens Step-by-Step Yard and Garden Basics'' (4 -- color) no caption (rose) John Lazar/Staff Photographer (5 -- color) no caption (Lawn mower) Courtesy of Toro Toro may refer to:
Box: (1) Getting Started (see text) (2) Getting Serious (see text) CAPTION(S): 5 photos, 2 boxes |
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