Understanding Gardening Tools

These are the fundamental tools necessary for gardening. They do not contribute to air or noise pollution, cost virtually nothing to operate, and require little cleaning and maintenance. Yet with a little people-power, these tools perform any task in the garden.

Cultivating tools primarily move around soil. They have a metal head and wooden, metal, or plastic handle. Look for carbon steel or stainless steel heads. If kept clean and dry between uses, carbon steel should not rust. Stainless steel is more expensive, but is rust-proof and makes work easier as soil falls away from it. Coatings on blades can wear off over time, making them a questionable expenditure. Wooden handles, such as hickory, are generally strong, and unlike metal or plastic, can be replaced if broken. Buy a handle that is of a comfortable length for you to use.

Forks loosen soil, cultivate, move bulky materials, such as weed piles and manure, and they lift root crops. In short, forks are versatile. Most forks have four, sturdy, metal prongs attached to a wooden or metal shaft. The best quality forks are those with the prongs and neck forged from a single piece of metal. Avoid forks pieced together or welded. Short-handled hand forks lift up plants and work well for knee-level weeding.

Hoes cultivate, weed, and form seed rows. They may have long or short handles with a blade attached. There are several types of hoes with specific uses. A Dutch hoe or scuffle hoe works well to remove small, surface weeds around plants. A combination hoe has prongs on one side for breaking up soil and a blade on the other for chopping or moving around soil. A triangular hoe creates V-shaped furrows. Hand hoes have short handles and small, narrow blades for cultivating between closely spaced plants.

Rakes create an even and level soil surface as well as rake debris. A forged metal, toothed head, attached to a wooden or metal handle, pulls material. Those with the most teeth work the fastest, because they cover more ground each time you rake. Flathead rakes last longer than bow-head types. Lawn rakes compared to cultivating rakes, are lightweight, and have flexible tines designed to move light debris such as leaves or mown grass.

Spades and shovels dig and turn soil. Splurge on a stainless steel one if you can, as it takes a lot of strain out of digging. A rounded spade turns over soil, while a pointed shovel digs into the ground as well.

Trowels are mini-shovels, great for digging small transplanting holes. They are especially handy for working in containers.

Other cultivating tools include pronged and tooth-wheeled models. The prongs or teeth break up the soil, but work well only after the soil has already been cultivated, and only to a shallow depth.

Pruning tools cut woody growth. Pruning is necessary to keep many plants in their prime . Short- or long-handled pruners, saws, and knives are examples of hand-held pruning tools.
Pruners work like scissors to snip branches. Buy pruners that give a clean, crisp cut. Ragged edges can leave plants open to infection. Get the best-quality stainless- or carbon-steel blade you can afford. Bypass pruners are the most versatile. Anvil pruners, unless kept very sharp, crush stems. Coated grips are worth the expense; they are more comfortable to use than bare steel.

Loppers are long-handled pruners used to cut branches in hard-to-reach places. The leverage created by the long handles makes cutting small branches a snap, and the shears can handle limbs 2 inches thick or more.

Tree pruners cut high branches. They work on a lever system, and some models can extend your reach up to 15 feet high. For most jobs though, a ladder and loppers will suffice.

Saws prune heavy branches. Of the several types available, a Grecian saw is one of the most versatile. It has a curved handle and teeth designed to cut only as you pull towards youself, making it easier to use in tight spaces. Bow saws work quickly, but are unwieldy to use in close quarters.

Knives have many uses in the garden. Use them for pruning, taking cuttings, grafting, and harvesting. A good pocket knife with a sharp, carbon-steel blade is a fine investment.

Shears can trim hedges, snip grass, cut back perennials, or create topiary masterpieces. Look for those with straight, sharp blades on sturdy wooden handles.

Lawn-care tools control where and how your grass grows.

Edgers make a clean cut at the border where grass meets another ground cover, such as pavement or planting beds. A sharp, half-moon-shaped head slices away sod. A sharp spade or garden knife does the same job.

Hand-held weeders such as ball weeders or a notched asparagus knife are useful for popping weeds out of the lawn without tearing up the turf.

Push-reel mowers may be a relic whose time has returned. Rotating blades cut grass evenly and provide a workout at the same time. Compared to motorized models, they are cheap to purchase, and they don't have any operating costs, except for occasionally sharpening the blades. Push-reel mowers also don't emit pollutants from burning fuel.

Spreaders apply fertilizer to lawns. There is a shoulder-carried version in which you turn a crank to spin granules out onto the lawn. But the more useful option is a hopper on wheels that you push. Most let you adjust the rate of application to your needs.

Save water through Planning

Most of us have more water than we know what to do with. Even in and regions there are occasional deluges of rain. Rainbarrels are not a new idea, but still a useful one. Position clean, empty barrels beneath downspouts or up on blocks around the garden. Barrels, positioned a few inches above the ground, can incorporate spigots and drip tubing for a cheap, gravity-flow irrigation system. A barrel positioned high above the ground creates strong water pressure, and far-flowing water. This time-honored method is excellent for flower or vegetable gardens.

Lawns are water hogs. They also consume their share of fertilizer, mowing time, and expense. Compared to native landscaping or a xeriscaped yard they are a ludicrous luxury. (Xeriscaping is the landscaping art of combining drought-tolerant plants, garden design, and water-conserving tactics to create a low-maintenance landscape.)

Consider reducing water and other bills by creating a smaller lawn. You may even find that by enlisting the services of a paid professional landscaper, you could save buckets of money. Or try gradually replacing some of the grass with less thirsty landscape plants.

Be aware of which plants require the most water. Group them together so you don't waste water on plants that don't need it. Plants such as rhododendrons, azaleas, and ferns need more water than cacti. Also, if your yard has a naturally moist microclimate, put the water hogs there, not on the driest point of the property. Consider landscape points of interest that doesn't require water, such as a dry creek-bed of rock. Make it appear wet by varnishing the rocks. Position sprinklers to avoid watering sidewalks, streets, decks, and other structures; they won't grow.

Water Loss Means We All Lose

In a perfect world every drop of water you put on your plants would run straight to the roots and would be used immediately by the plant. But we have to deal with water loss. Knowing how to reduce it saves water and money.

Moisture is lost from the soil in several ways, but you can cut these losses. By incorporating lots of humus into the soil, you will lessen the amount of water that percolates through the soil and out of reach. Humus is a water magnet. A lot of water is also lost through evaporation from the soil surface. Thanks to capillary action through the soil, which draws water up from below, evaporation can deplete water from deep in the ground. Keeping the soil surface covered with mulch (see pages 109111) protects against this. Another line of defense against evaporation is to get less of the soil surface wet in the first place. This means replacing a sprinkler with a drip system, soaker hose, or individual water containers for landscape or large vegetable plants. Finally, transpiration, the way in which plants metabolize water, can steal amazing quantities of water from your soil. One large shade tree on a hot sum mer day can transpire several hundred gallons of water. Misting plants on hot, dry days helps limit the amount transpired and reduces plant stress.

As mentioned, air evaporation is also a major water waster if you use an overhead sprinkler. Water early in the morning or at night for the least water loss. If you want to keep your water bill down, never water during hot, windy weather.

How Much Water Is Just Right?

While there is no one answer to the question of how much water is just right for all gardens, there are some useful general guidelines. The most efficient and cost-effective way to water any plant is to fill the entire root zone with water, and let the soil become almost dry be fore the next watering. The amount of dryness depends on the plant. Let the top 2 or 3 inches dry out for most established plants. Let the soil around a large tree dry down several inches, but keep new or tiny plants moist to the top inch or so of soil.

Water most plants deeply and infrequently. When using a sprinkler, measure how many inches of water you apply by setting jars at intervals along sprinkler pathways. This will also tell you if the sprinkler gives even coverage.

Remember soil type affects how much water is necessary. Water sandy soils more frequently than clay soil. To make sure you are delivering enough water to where it is needed, use a soil probe or shovel before you water to determine the extent of dryness. Repeat the process after watering to see how deeply the water has penetrated into the soil.

Lawns. Use an overhead sprinkler. Water to a depth of at least 6 inches as soon as grass fails to spring up after walking on it. Avoid frequent, shallow waterings as they lead to shallow roots, which are far more susceptible to heat or drought. Aeration, or removal of soil plugs, helps send water to the root zone. Renting an aerator every other year or so also will help to reduce thatch build-up and combat compaction.

Vegetables, Bedding Plants, and Perennials. Water 6 to 12 inches deep every four to ten days for established plants. Don't wait for plants to wilt before the next watering. Wilting slows growth and reduces crop yields.

Soaker hoses or drip irrigation are efficient ways to water here. They can save up to 60 percent of the water used by a sprinkler. Place mulch over the hose to prevent evaporation.

A cheap version of drip irrigation is container watering. Bury a container, such as a plastic 1-gallon milk jug that has had 2 or 3 holes punched in the bottom, next to or between individual plants. Keep the containers filled with water and allow them to seep water directly into plant root zones. Tailor the size of the container to the size of the plant.

Sprinklers are not the best for vegetable gardens because they waste a vast amount of water. More water lands on the leaves, where it evaporates, than anywhere else. Hand watering is as much a waste of time as it is water. Unless you stand there for a few hours with a water wand, you cannot wet the soil deeply enough to do a worthwhile job.

Cultivate unmulched soil to increase water absorption. Crusted soil forms a barrier against water penetration.
Trees, Shrubs, and Landscape Plants. Water throughout the drip line of plants for the most efficient intake of water. Soaker hoses (see page 31) allow you to wind around individual plants. They are great for such shrubs as roses that are susceptible to moisture-loving disease organisms. Since no water rests on the leaves the diseases can't establish their spores. To allow water to slowly seep down into the soil, mound a ridge of soil around the outside of the drip line to form a basin and fill with water. Remove this soil during rainy weather to prevent waterlogged roots.

Plants on landscape berms. Check and water more frequently since they have more exposed soil from which water may evaporate.

New woody transplants. Water thoroughly both the nursery soil within the root ball and the native soil surrounding it. Failure to do so may prevent the roots from venturing into the surrounding soil, which can eventually kill the plant. Dead plants are an investment wasted.

Plants in containers. Water as soon as the surface feels dry. Keep a close eye on thirsty plants such as fuschias, which often need watering once or twice daily in hot, dry weather.

Watering your plants

If you still use a lawn sprinkler to water a vegetable garden or landscape planting, or if you use an overhead watering system on hot, windy days you are wasting water. The idea of watering is to deliver an adequate amount of water to plant roots, no more, no less, and nowhere else.

There are several factors that determine how much water you need to apply and the best method of application. For starters, rainfall is a factor. No matter what plants you are watering in what type of soil, the amount of watering necessary depends on how much nature already supplies.

Another factor is the soil type. Remember that sandy soils drain quickly and that clay holds moisture for a longer period of time. These are functions of how the water moves through the soil, which affects its availability to plant roots. One inch of water applied in sandy soil will percolate down 12 inches. In good loam 1 inch of water will go down 6 to 10 inches, and in clay it will penetrate about 4 or 5 inches. Once water has filtered down beneath plant root zones it is effectively gone.

Finally, consider the plants you are watering. Some plants need much more water than others. New plants, from seeded lawns to bedding transplants and burlap-balled shrubs, require lots of frequent watering to establish their roots. On the other hand, established native plants need very little rainfall supplementation; they have naturally adapted to the area. Some plants, such as madrona, flannel bush, and western dogwood, suffer if watered in the summer.

Understanding Soil Acidity

Acidity and alkalinity describe measurements of the pH balance. The pH level is measured on a scale from 1 to 14. 1 is extremely acidic, 14 extremely alkaline, and 7 is neutral. Each number represents a tenfold difference in acidity or alkalinity. Soil that has a pH of 6 is ten times more acidic than soil with a pH of 7. Most plants prefer a slightly acidic soil, while some, such as blueberries, prosper only in very acidic soils. Very high or very low pH affects the availability of soil elements to plants, which makes pH a key factor in nutrient supply.

Gardeners commonly alter pH with lime and sulfur products. Lime raises pH (reduces acidity) and sulfur lowers pH (raises acidity). Since young plants are very sensitive to pH levels, add amendments the season before you plant to give the additive time to change the acid balance. Often gardeners are impatient and don't give purchased products a fair chance to work, simply another waste of money. Also, apply lime at least thirty days prior to using fertilizers; they bind each other up when applied together, essentially wasting the money spent on both products.

Other soil additives also affect pH balance. When applied heavily, manures, sludge, peat moss, coffee grounds, and high-nitrogen fertilizers raise acidity.

A Guide on Organic Fertilizers

You know you want humus or organic matter and also that other nutrients are necessary for soil and plant health. But before you run down to the garden center, let's consider some alternative low-cost soil
amendments, where you can get them, and how they will help your garden.

Compost. Your own backyard is the best and cheapest place to find this valuable soil amendment . You also will find it in the garden center's soil amendment section. Also, cities and counties are getting into the act with community composting. You can find huge heaps of the stuff near your local trash dump. Bring your own containers or a pick-up truck, and get your share for nothing or a nominal fee.

Mushroom compost. If you happen to live near a mushroom grower, they are an excellent source for low-cost or free compost. Mushrooms are grown indoors in huge containers filled with fine, dark, crumbly compost. Before growers plant mushroom spawn in containers, they steam-sterilize the compost. After a couple of months, growers harvest the mushrooms and clear out the bins. This used compost is still rich in nutrients and organic matter. A few little mushrooms may pop up, but since you know they are an edible variety, eat up.

Sewage sludge. Plants treat sewage for disposal using two methods, anaerobic digestion and air activation. Digested sludge is much lower quality as a fertilizer than the activated type. Activated sludge is usually much more expensive. Either type of heat-treated sludge is safe to use around your yard and garden. Inquire at your local treatment plant.

Green manures. When you spade green vegetation into the soil, you add precious organic matter, nutrients, and moisture. Green leaves, weeds, grass clippings, and cover crops such as clovers, buckwheat, rye, and oats return nitrogen, carbon, trace minerals, and other nutrients to the soil when turned under. Legumes, such as clover and alfalfa, make exceptional cover crops because they take nitrogen from the air, and convert it into a usable form for plants. One word of caution: If your plants go to seed, don't turn them into your garden soilunless you want more of them.

Animal manures. Where there are animals, there will be manure. The first rule is never use cat, dog, or swine manure in your garden. These types of manure harbor parasites and disease organisms that can be harmful to your health.

Racetracks, livestock breeding farms, dairy farms, rabbit runs, poultry farms, petting zoos, and non-petting zoos often are overjoyed to have someone actually volunteer to haul the manure away! Most manures should not be used fresh in the garden; salts will burn plant roots. Compost it first, or spread it over the soil in the fall so it has time to mellow.
Rendering plants. Organic gardeners are familiar with additives such as blood meal (rich in nitrogen), hoof and horn meal (high in nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium), and bone meal (rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium). These are by-products of the slaughtering process and originate at rendering plants. Purchased in small quantities, these products are usually quite expensive. Most rendering plants sell these only in bulk, such as 25-ton tractor/trailer loads. Make friends with a plant worker who may be able to get you a smaller quantity!

Restaurants. Coffee grounds from espresso bars or coffee brewers are a good source of nitrogen. Ask the brewer to empty coffee grounds into a container for you to pick up once a week. The grounds are fairly acidic and useful in lowering pH levels when heavily applied.

Lumber mills. Sawdust is the by-product of turning trees into boards. Composed of cellulose, sawdust is a good form of organic matter for your garden. Don't add more than 2 inches each year as it requires a lot of nitrogen to decompose. For each ton of sawdust, a garden burns about 31/2 pounds of pure nitrogen. Offset this by adding 17 pounds of ammonium sulfate, 11 pounds of ammonium nitrate, or 8 pounds of urea. Avoid cedar sawdust, because it is toxic to some seedlings. Alderwood dust decomposes more quickly than others, such as fir or hemlock.