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Also, the usual suspects, like waterproof gloves, pruners, and my new plant markers passion, which are used corks on a skewer. You write on the cork with a sharpie and have a nice recycled marker that blends in with the plants.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, originally from SF Bay Area
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This is what I have found to be the most helpful lately, pruning/trimming is a lot easier even down low, and keeps me off of the ladder most of the time.
I have a pickaxe that's been with me since 1968 or so. A couple of tiling spades of almost the same age. A rake of about the same age. Hoe ditto (anyone under 50 even know what one of these is?)
My "favorites" tend to be old, manual, well used.
One that simply can't be bought anymore is a trash bag holder - it looks like a light-duty two wheeler, with a frame up top to hold the mouth of the bag open with a bungee cord.
Maybe it's available online, but all the hardware and big box store clerks I've asked about it look at me like I've got two heads.
Whether in the ground or in containers this gem is so handy I love and have gifted it many times. I can break apart hardened dirt (not all) and sets up for a perfect drop in for annuals. One year, I planted 3 flats of 48 plants of impatients in the front yard. I started by turning the soil over and adding some nutrients. Then I crawled with this baby in hand and simply put it in rocked it back and forth and rinse and repeat. I was done in no time and my neighbor was still digging them in.
Also, the usual suspects, like waterproof gloves, pruners, and my new plant markers passion, which are used corks on a skewer. You write on the cork with a sharpie and have a nice recycled marker that blends in with the plants.
I have a pickaxe that's been with me since 1968 or so. A couple of tiling spades of almost the same age. A rake of about the same age. Hoe ditto (anyone under 50 even know what one of these is?)
My "favorites" tend to be old, manual, well used.
One that simply can't be bought anymore is a trash bag holder - it looks like a light-duty two wheeler, with a frame up top to hold the mouth of the bag open with a bungee cord.
Maybe it's available online, but all the hardware and big box store clerks I've asked about it look at me like I've got two heads.
Can pretty much guarantee anything a modern hardware/boxstore carries is not something you will own even two or three year later. Definitely not something to pass down to next generation when you are too old to garden.
Best tools (hand tools) are antiques from a time people actually expected them to function well and last a lifetime. Part of problem most people dont know how to properly use hand tools, and they sure dont know how to keep them sharp. HINT: many tools dont come properly sharpened from factory. Box stores are just trying to move product, not sell lifetime tool. They will sell what the customer demands. If customer is clueless and doesnt expect much, then its whatever is most profitable.
I just learned this year the wonders of a sharp hoe. I am sure my parents probably knew as they had big garden, but I just assumed modern hoes are poorly made. Most dont come sharpened or even show evidence of a factory bevel on the blade. If they do, its usually on wrong side of blade. Works best on the outside edge of hoe (side facing away from you) and it helps a lot if you sharpen them on three sides. Apparently nobody does that. Also you only want a hoe 90degree angle to handle if its a heavy digging hoe. A light weight cultivating hoe, you want more like 60-70 degrees though depends on your personal height, but you want a slicing scraping action when you pull it, not a chopping action for best effect with cultivating hoe. This means a narrower angle than the common 90 degree unless you are the jolly green giant. https://www.easydigging.com/garden-h...hoe-angle.html
Far left- the little hoe-dag. A tough carbon steel and pinned little monster. It's for when your on your knees and that sumabeechiscomingouttathere tool.
Middle is a stirrup hoe. Very sharp edges used to weed between rows. I hone the edges every year with a stone.
Far right is a little triangular hoe. I use this between plants. Again the edges are honed sharp.
My wife has her own favs- a set of Snow & Neely hand tools and a custom hori-hori knife are her favorites.
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