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Gardening Tips - Tooltime
Good working tools are one of the joys of a gardeners' life. With time and practice a tool becomes almost an extension of the user and it is a pleasure to watch a skilled gardener at work with the tools of the trade. But, how many growers do you know who haven't acquired bad backs over the years? This is due in large part to incorrect use of inappropriate tools.
It is easy to explain to someone how to use an implement but the long hours of practice it takes to train the body and muscles to it's use is another matter. Comfort and durability are the main requirments when buying tools. It is a complete fallacy that heavy work requires massive muscles. Anyone who is reasonably fit can comfortably complete most garden tasks adequately. The range of tools needed for general garden work is quite limited so the first rule is to buy the best you can afford particularly in the case of the most frequently used tools. Never choose an implement which is too heavy or too big for your physique. Women gardeners have a particular gripe here because it appears to me that most tools and machinery are designed by big men for other equally large men to use. Even something as simple as a pair of good gardening gloves in smaller sizes is difficult to find.
With proper care and attention good garden implements will last a lifetime. Of course, at the end of the season we all throw tools in the darkest corner of the shed and promptly forget about them. A maintenance routine takes very little time and is well worthwhile. When putting spades, shovels and forks away always remove any loose soil attached and dry. Wipe the metal parts over with an oily rag to exclude air and moisture and prevent rusting. It's useful to put up a few hooks or a rack on the shed wall to store tools - that way they won't get lost and are easily accessible.
I always associate summer evenings of my youth with the evocative sound of a sharpening stone on a scythe as my father opened up the meadow for mowing. Sharpening tools is a skill that few gardeners possess, however, and presents a difficulty for those who just don't know how to go about it. It is possible to bring back some implements to the shop where purchased and a professional sharpener will do the job. To become proficient yourself get some practice with a file and sharpening stone on less important tools. Start with something small like a knife - a fine sharpening stone, well moistened will nearly always do the job. The blade of a spade can become blunt and thickened with use and may need to be thinned down on a grinding stone. It is better to watch an expert before attempting this on your own. Make sure that the blade is thinned evenly across the tip and finish off the finer sharpening with a file. When sharpening blades with one flat and one sloping edge like a hedge clippers be careful to sharpen the sloping side only otherwise the blades may not close correctly in use.
Throughout the years the basic design of tools has changed little but wooden handles and metal parts have been replaced by lighter materials in some cases. Do bear in mind that some of these materials are not as durable as wood and iron.The range of tools in the possession of any one gardener is not exhaustive and organic producers in general tend to be very inventive in manufacturing ingenious tools for specific jobs. Gardeners often disagree on the relative merits of different tools so choose what suits you personally. I will deal here only with the more commonly used tools.
Spade
When buying a spade choose steel if possible. This is lighter than iron and will not rust or warp. The choice of handle is a personal one - some prefer a T shape and others a Y shape. I prefer a plain, straight handle. Make sure it fits properly down into the socket of the metal top and is well rivetted into place. Too big a blade can be awkard to use and will turn over a bigger sod than you can lift. Look for a spade with a phlange where you push it with your foot, otherwise repeated use will damage your boots and cause undue pressure on the underfoot.
Fork
A digging fork has straight, usually square tines and is often more useful than a spade for digging. It is good on ground which has previously been worked and will easily break up clods of soil. It is also very useful for separating vegetation from soil and for sieveing out stones and other debris.
A potato fork is similar with broad, flatter tines for lifting root crops. Unless you dig a lot of potatoes by hand it is not necessary to invest in both and the digging fork will do the job as well with care.
A manure fork is much lighter with thinner, round tines, curving upwards.It is designed for lifting vegetation and manure and dropping it easily off the fork. If you use a digging fork for loading or lifting manure you will find it very heavy to lift and difficult to release from the fork. The manure fork is an essential and very versatile tool around the farm and garden generally.
Hoe
A hoe is a definite necessity on a horticultural holding. There are three general types - the Dutch hoe, the draw hoe and the Swiss reciprocating hoe. Hoes are useful in the early control of weeds but do not cope well with strong or tall weeds. A long, light handle is essential to avoid bending and to work comfortably in an upright position. Blades come in various widths to facilitate weeding between plants at different spacings. Apart from weeding a hoe is useful for marking out shallow drills for seed sowing. The Dutch hoe has a single, stirrup shaped blade almost parallel to the handle and is used to uproot seedling weeds under the soil.
The draw hoe is often seen with a swan shaped neck and blade almost at right angles to the handle. This is brought down in a chopping motion drawing the hoe forward to cut weeds.
The Swiss hoe is deservedly popular among organic growers but not widely known in this country. It has a double edged blade mounted on a swivel action neck and is capable of cutting on both sides when drawn forward and back. Hoes work well where planting is done on the flat but in my experience are less useful with raised beds because of a tendency to knock off a good deal of soil.
Rake
A garden rake is invaluable in preparing seed beds. It can be used to rake out stones and lumps of soil to leave a fine, level tilth ready for sowing. It also comes in useful for a multitude of other small jobs like tidying up around the compost heap and raking up grass clippings after mowing. Choose a head made from strong material as abuse will bend and break the teeth. A long handle is best to avoid bending and back strain. A lawn rake with a wide fan shaped head is also useful to scarify the lawn and for gathering up leaves in autumn.
Shovel
Many gardeners I know tell me they never use a shovel but it's the tool I use most often. It is particularly useful for building up raised beds from either side and for earthing up around potatoes. The standard triangulated version is the most versatile but you can also acquire a rectangular type with raised sides for shovelling seed compost, sand or other soft materials. Make sure the handle is not too heavy or long which will make it awkard to use. Don't bend over double or hold the handle too far down the shaft or a bad back is guaranteed. Bend the knees to support the load and take the weight if a shovel full is too heavy to lift using arm muscles alone.
Knife
A knife is one of the smallest and most important of tools. It is called on to perform a million tasks many of which it was never designed to do. The choice of a knife is a very personal one and I've seen gardeners using anything from a small penknife to a massive Swiss army contraption weighing about a pound. Whatever your choice keep the blade sharpened and rust free. I use a light fishermans knife with a hole drilled through the handle so that I can tie it to a belt when I don't have pockets. I did this after finding two missing knives buried in the compost heap and one in a bucket of liquid manure!
Watering can
At least one watering can will be needed in the garden and usually a variety of shapes and sizes are accumulated to suit various jobs. A good all purpose can should have about a two gallon capacity with a long spout for good pouring action and for reaching into difficult corners. Some people prefer galvanised cans but plastic is lighter to carry. Green algae will grow on the inside of plastic cans and needs to be washed off regularly otherwise the rose will always be getting blocked. A good quality rose which can easily be detached for cleaning is essential. Brass is the best quality but plastic is more easily cleaned. It is best to have a selection of roses for different jobs. A normal coarse rose will do for watering beds but a fine type is required for watering seed trays.
Sieve
A sieve is necessary for grading out lumps in seed compost. A standard builders sieve which can be bought in most hardware shops is fine for this. You can also make your own by buying a section of metal mesh and putting it in a wooden frame. Don't use a mesh size greater than a half inch or the holes will be too big. A household colander or seive is ideal for sifting fine compost over seeds.
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