When you get to a certain age, the elements are not always cooperative with the body. Had such a day yesterday.
I got my post pictures uploaded the day before, so I could get right to my writing. Got post completed in time to get out to greet my gardener helper at 8 am. We got right to work and made steady progress. Next gardener came at 10, had a few minutes to get a quick drink while waiting for her arrival, set up down the end of the driveway and weeded while working up a great sweat!! As this was the gardener who had had her tour cut short, due to thunderstorms in the area, we finished the work session with a completed tour of the gardens! My gardener was set to stay and continue working, but had to send her home as my sewing class had begun to arrive.
With 8 kids ranging from 7 to 14, we prepared for the project of the day, sock monkeys, got our supplies ready, had lunch, then dug into the socks! With very finicky sewing machines, some not willing to cooperate at all, we proceeded to get our bodies ready.
I made the mistake of going out to pick berries for a snack while the kids got ready for a swim. Now I remember why I stay indoors at the height of a hot day.
I was down for the count for the rest of the day and evening.
So you can enjoy the following pictures of all my favorite gardening tools, etc and I will detail them after I get back in from gardening.
I put in two and a half hours cleaning up in the gardens, then went for a swim, to help me stay cool today. Feeling Great!!! On to finish my post, while listening to Eva Cassidy's CD "Songbird", a birthday gift from one of my big brothers! Thanks, Paul, I love it. She was so very talented. Such sorrow that she was taken so young.
This is how I carry my gardening tools around. I keep my common tools in my garden cart in the garage during the season. This is a great rubber bucket that I got at Gardener's Supply (VT). Gardener's Supply has the greatest variety of gardening items you could want. I haven't been to the store in Burlington, VT, but hubby gets up that way on a regular basis. He says it's a great store to visit.
This came with a larger one that I use for weeding and garden cleanup. Have had both for over 15 years, have held up great.
This is what I usually use for my garden cleanup. I prefer it to the rubber one as it is very light weight and I can handle it more easily most days than the rubber one, which is a bit heavier. This one has gotten a few holes in it, probably from thorny stems, but I've had it a number of years. Picked it up somewhere locally.
I always use a kneeler when gardening. I have joint problems, so can't do much gardening standing up. As I have aged, I have found items that work better for one who often needs help changing positions, or just in getting up from a kneeling position!
This is a great addition to any garden. It gives support for getting down and up again, and can turn over and be used as a seat. Those of you coming to get seeds may have used it to sit on. And I've been known to bring it to Mia's karate and sit on it in the doorway so that I can watch her. Now mind you, the other mothers all sit on the floor, but that's not happening as I don't know if any of them would be willing to help get me up from the floor if I were to try it!!
I have used every type of rubber kneeler that has been on the market over the last 30+ years. I have finally found one that's a keeper and is holding up just as it was the first time I used it. It is from Crocs, yes, the shoe people. I got 2 of them, one for inside and one for outside. I have used it for 3 years now and absolutely love it. The rubber is just much easier on the knees. I am able to stay on my knees for much longer periods with it as opposed to the supported kneeler above, or others on the market.
This is the tool I use for all smaller planting projects. It is great for seedlings as well as larger plants. You just push it into the soil and work it around to create the size hole you need. I even use it for bulbs. It is also very light weight.
And these are the best garden gloves I have used, and I have tried them all. With this one you can feel what you are doing through the gloves, and get a fine grip on anything needed. It is a stretchy, comfortable fabric, and not too hot in the summer heat. They now have one that is longer to cover up to the elbow to protect skin from sun, irritation, etc. I just ordered a pair, on sale now. These are the Foxglove brand, they have their own website, with some very interesting looking tools. I got side tracked there this morning!! I originally got them at Northlands Garden Center, here in Wrentham.
For those with hand/wrist problems, these are the wrist supports I have found to work best for me in the garden. They support my wrists and allow me the flexibility I need to work effectively. I would not be able to garden without them.
As I have aged and developed serious health and physical conditions that have made gardening difficult, I have had to seek out tools and work aids to allow me to continue my passion. Have been very satisfied with several here following. This is Fiskars Hand pruner. We have the old standby, but this one is extremely light weight and much easier for me to carry and use. It does not take a lot of hand strength to use. It will handle most of the pruning I do on plants and shrubs. For the larger trees, etc, we use larger tools, which I am unable to handle on some days.
I don't have a hand pruner that I am particularly happy with, so that is open for another day. I have tried a new one each year, hoping it will be the one. So if any of you out there have a good hand pruner you like, please let me know. I just don't want to have to sell the farm to pay for it!! There is a great looking one on Foxglove's web site, but it seems pricey.
I love this little hand rake - It is perfect in the spring, while I'm tending to the garden. I can just grab it and rake up any little area I am working on, and I don't have to get up to find a regular rake. It works great in among perennials.
I do have a great adjustable metal rake I forgot to photograph. It can go from about 6 inches up to 24 with the slip of a hand. I also have a four pronged marrow rake that is perfect for early spring raking of leaves, etc off established beds.
A gardener needs good scissors. These are two pair that I keep on hand in my bucket. The top pair are good for trimming stems, leaves, a bunch of things at one time. The bottom ones are for more picky cutting needs. I prefer these most of the time as I can get my gloved hand into them easier. You can get them with a longer cutting surface, also. I am always losing my scissor, so I find the bright colors helpful in locating them when dropped.
This is the ultimate gardening shovel, nice long handle, yet small enough shovel to be able to get among your plants without having to dig a mammoth hole. I do have a larger one I use on bigger plants and shrubs, but this is my shovel of choice. And it is also light weight.
I show it here next to my short handle shovel, with the shovel part the same size. This is the one I use when I am kneeling down. I only have the shovels in the garden cart when I know I will be needing them.
This is a great hoe I have had for years. We used it a lot for vegetable gardening. I use it now to make a furrow for multiple plants, or for putting in a border or lawn barrier. I don't use it much now, as my back can't handle that kind of action.
This is a hand held hoe, that has an extension. This is what I use in a kneeling position to save on my back. I like the 3 pronged side as a weeding aid in areas of thick weeds.
Many of you got to see this shovel in action. It is a must have for any serious gardener. This is what will get to the bottom of most roots. I say most, as it didn't work on our front shrubs or the Burning bush we had to get moved. Plants with real deep roots are a difficult problem when you have to get them out. That is a topic for a different post. We used this to get out the Pokeweed in the new seed bed. We put it straight in all the way down all around the plant so as to loosen up the soil and allow us to get under the full root ball for easier removal. It is extremely heavy duty and makes it a much easier job than with a regular shovel.
Gardening can get tricky when your body doesn't want to cooperate. The next items are specifically helpful for those impaired and needing extra help to get garden chores done. (as well as for everyone else, too) This is a Gold Garden Claw. This is a true gem. Just ask Mike. (Krissy's Dad) He used it to clear out the new seed bed in record time. We had another variety similar to this one that Krissy used, but this one was the winner. I got to keep it, the other went home with Krissy!! I'll be able to use it again as soon as my other wrist heals.
It is great for any area with more than just a handful of weeds. Just push it in the ground, twist it, and VOILA!!! Weeds are up, out of the ground!! With a little practices, you can toss them right into a garden cart.
Grandpa's Weeder is great for individual weeds. You can weed and don't have to even bend over.
You just push it over the weed, step on the lever and up pops any single weed. Works great for those loners that pop up in the lawn, will not wreck the lawn.
And the winner of my favorite gardening tool that I will never live without. The Cape Cod Weeder. Hands down, none has ever come close to this number one position in my gardening life. Many of you have already had the opportunity of trying one out while helping in my gardens.
There are just the things I can not live without when working in my gardens. Any that have specific names can be googled to find out how to get them. Not too early to start your Christmas wish list. This is also a great time to get garden supplies on sale - check out your local stores. I usually stock up on gloves, especially mud gloves, which can be quite expensive in the spring.
Feel free to come and try out any of the above while helping in my gardens!!
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