II know you probably have a lot of garden tools, from trowels to leaf
blowers, but lets look at what a home garden really needs...
Hand tools:
Hand tools:
Shovel
The basic hand tool - use it too turn soil, turn compost, spread mulch, make
raised beds, plant flowers and trees. Blades are steel, usually stamped,
sometimes forged. Handles are wood, fiber-glass, or sometimes metal. wood ones
do not last as long as some of the composite or metal handled ones, but the are
lighter and feel better in your hand.
This one is described as a 'a
tank'. Smooth surfaces, ergonomic design.
Trimming shrubs, dead-heading flowers, removing produce from
the garden, fitting drip irrigation lines. Light pruners that cut up to
1/2" diameter will do 95% of your garden cutting chores. Avoid 'anvil' type
pruners (which bruise stems) in favor of 'by-pass' pruners which leave a clean,
quick-healing cut.
This is one I am currently using. Nice, light
yet sturdy composite construction, easy-on-the-hands grip rolls to saves effort.
Pruning large or woody shrubs, trimming/training
trees
In Southern California,
"Corona" is a standard, locally made, favorite tool brand. Some of their tools
I've used are listed here:
Corona By-Pass clippers come in a wide range
of sizes. Smaller ones are more useful than some larger sizes.
A Weeder
One of the best is a celery knife, with a
serrated edge. A hoe works well, too. If you mulch, you won't need one of these
as badly...
A
Compost Thermometer. This tool helps you keep
track of your compost heap or bin temperature. Knowing the temperature will help
you keep you compost cooking. Too hot, and you kill off the micro-organisms that
do the work, and too cool means you need to add more nitrogen, or that the
compost is too wet or dry. Proper temperature is needed to make compost quickly
and to kill off weed seeds and pathogens.
Reference Books
These books are must-have items. Learn to tell good bugs from bad ones, plant,
fruit, vegetable information and suggested varieties, plus coverage of too many
useful subjects to mention.
The Sunset
WesternGarden Book, The Western garden 'Bible'. It has over 8,000 common
plants, 30 plant selection guides, and many articles on basic landscaping and
gardening topics from soil preparation and plant propagation to garden
designing tips.
Click the book to order it on-line
Owen Dell's new 'Sustainable Landscaping for Dummies'. Owen is the
leading authority on sustainable landscaping, and this book covers the topic
in the familiar 'Dummies' format. Look for it at your favorite booksellers, or
order it on-line. This book has money and environment saving ideas you can start
using today! I got my (signed!) copy from Owen yesterday, and have to give it a
big YES! This book covers every aspect of sustainable garden design,
installation, and maintenance. I will be giving each of my coaching customers a
copy of this book...
Here
is another 'must read' book for the home owner. Joe Lamp'l (aka Joe the
Gardener) is a TV personality and and author, and passionate proponent of
sustainable gardening. Joe lays out a wide array of practices you can implement
today to help your garden, the environment and save money in the process. Joe
shows you how much difference our gardening practices can make, how to save
water, reduce our chemical dependance, turn waste into valuable fertilizer and
soil conditioner, consume less energy in the garden, and how to help spread the
word 'over the fence'.
The California Master
Gardener's Handbook. If you can only afford one book, this is the one. All
science - no Voo-Doo!
Written specifically for California - nearly 700
pages of science-based gardening knowledge. This is the course book used by
Master Gardener Trainees. It covers everything from basic soil science, diseases
and their treatments, pruning, grafting, propagation, Entomology (bugs - both
good and bad), lists of seasonal vegetables with planting, care, common
ailments, planting times, and nutritional information.
Also available
from University of California Cooperative Extension Offices, located at 669
County Square Drive, Suite 100, Ventura, CA 93003-5401
Click on the book to order on-line
Amid food scares and environmental woes, some
Americans are transforming their neatly trimmed front yards into a showcase for
nature's bounty. This book is one that started the movement.
'Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us', by Set Godin.
This book deals with how we, as individuals, can create and lead a 'tribe' - or
how to create a grass roots movement. While it discusses the internet as a tool,
the basics are there - how we can create a groundswell that will make a
difference.
But, Wait! What about the tillers and mowers and blowers?
Don't need 'em...
