Mar 09 2010
My hand weeder went missing yet again
Dang it! My hand weeder is again missing. After all the work I put it through yesterday, it is probably hiding under a pile of rose canes. Debris piles are all over the garden right now so it wouldn’t surprise me. If I don’t find it soon, I’ll be forced to buy another. Then, one day, I’ll find this one as I cleaning and clearing away.
It’s important to have good tools. In fact, it is one of Carol’s five keys to garden happiness, and I agree.
Whether your passion is cooking, baking, crafting or gardening (all things I enjoy), good tools make your job easier and more enjoyable. I’ve found I only need a few garden tools to make me happy.
- A good pair of loppers is one of the essentials. I like the 28- inch Fiskars Power-Lever Loppers
because they have gears which make them more powerful and easier to use. I also like these shorter ones because they are more manageable to navigate deep into the roses, and they make clean and easy cuts on dead wood.
- A great pair of Felco Classic Pruners.
Mine are the original model, but I think these are neat because they are more ergonomic.
- Speaking of ergonomic, I love this weeder spade thing, the Radius Garden Natural Radius Grip weeder
. I actually found mine at a discount store in the city (sorry, there were only a few). It is wonderful for digging out dandelions and other deep-rooted weeds. It also works great as a trowel especially for bulbs. Have you ordered your rain lilies yet?
- I wouldn’t go gardening anywhere without my Muck Boot garden clogs. I love, love, love them. They keep my feet dry, and they can be hosed off for cleaning. Better than destroying another pair of walking shoes.
- My WOLF-Garten Draw hoe is another great tool. I’ve had many hoes, and this type is my favorite. It is aluminum and can be left out in the garden with no warping of the handle and no rust. After well made, low maintenance, is essential in hoes.
- I have several, favorite brands of gloves. When I had a lot of arthritis pain, I used the Bionic Women’s Elite Gardening Gloves
with the reinforced fingertips. (After I quit eating dairy and wheat, I don’t have as much hand weakness and pain, but I still like this brand.) I also like WomansWork and Ethel gloves. Ooh, Ethel has a rose glove. Boy, I’d like to have that. I bet the gauntlets would breathe, and my arms wouldn’t sweat. Very, very nice for different types of jobs. Why do I wear gloves? A couple of reasons. I’ve been stung by assassin bugs a couple of times accidentally (they drop to the ground when startled). I like to squish grubs, but not bare handed, and once I got into a mess of blister beetles, which caused Leprous looking blisters on my thumb. I also have fake nails. I know, the last is odd for a gardener.
But, back to my hand hoe. Smith & Hawken, in those days when they made really good garden gear, had the most wonderful hand weeder. This one, from A.M. Leonard, comes close, but the handle should be a bit bigger around to reduce hand strain. I also love my CobraHead Weeder and Cultivator, but I use it for different tasks especially dealing with the dreaded Bermuda grass. If anyone knows of a similar, triangle-head, forged, hand weeder, I would be very grateful.
Sniff. Sob. I miss my weeder.
By the way, in accordance with full declaration rules by the FTC, I bought all of these products myself. I have, in the past, received Ethel and Bionic gloves as gifts during the Garden Writers Association’s annual meeting and the Garden Bloggers’ Spring Fling in Chicago. I wore out both of them in the garden and then, happily bought more.















