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Tool
of the Week: Rain Guage
(8/6/01) |
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Any
cheapo straight-sided container will do. Place it in an unobstructed
part of your yard and get the true amount of moisture that
falls from Mom Nature (hah) or by your sprinkler system (so
you can adjust the times accurately).
A
good craft project with the kids is to make rain guages out
of empty liter pop bottles with the tops cut off.
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Tool
of the Week: Woman's Gloves (6/25/01) |
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Not
sexist or truly gender-biased, but if you have small hands,
it is impossible to find a good pair of gardening gloves
(not the "la-de-dah" kind which, insultingly, are
everywhere). With our tough weeds and lack of rain (hail does
not count), weeds are deep-rooted pests.
Try
out the quality craftsmanship at www.womanswork.com.
They also have a guide for sizing your hand.
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Tool
of the Week: Felco Pruners (6/2/01) |
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If
you are a righty or a lefty, a good pair of bypass pruners
are a must. Felco makes a rotating-handle pair (right- or
left-handed), that although are pricey ($49.00), take the
strain off your hand, wrist and forearm. These pruners also
have available parts so with good after-use care, will last
for more than one season.
Available
at www.leevalley.com
in the Gardening section, under Pruners.
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Tool
of the Week: The Snow Shovel (5/20/01) |
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Well,
just when you thought it was safe. No... so stick a pin in the
Mom Nature doll and hope our older plants recover. This has
not been the kindest spring for gardeners, but we are made of
hardy stuff. |
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Tool
of the Week: The Golf Bag (5/6/01) |
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Seriously,
a golf bag attached to a pull-behind cart makes the best tool
caddy for working in the yard. It doesn't easily tip, rolls
over everything and you can stow a rake and other long handled
things in the club slots with enough additional pockets for
pruners, trowels and what-not.
Pick
up a used bag at a yard sale, commandeer your spouse's spare,
watch the golf outlets' sales and grab a cart. It works great.
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Tool
of the Week: Japanese Knife (4/29) |
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This
tool is a cross between a knife and a trowel and is excellent
for planting, transplanting, grubbing, removing roots and
weeds, dividing perennials. The blade is dished and has a
serrated edge on one side and a sharpened edge on the other.
Does well in our crappy soil.
I
got my Japanese Farmer's Knife at www.leevalley.com
for $17.50 in the Gardening section, under Trowels. It comes
with a sheath.
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