Many of us have a special garden gadget or tool that we're
particularly fond of. My favorite tool that I used to take with me in my pickup
truck everywhere I went was a short-handled hoe with a square blade on top and a
vee blade on bottom. Somehow I managed to lose this tool several years ago. I
always thought that someday it would turn up but so far it hasn't happened. I
also lost a pair of gloves and some knee pads so I made a list of all the things
I had lost and then…. I lost the list.
My New Flame
A large portion of my yard was covered by a patch of English
ivy that threatened to take over the garden and eventually, the world. My
current favorite tool is a flame-thrower because it is my primary defense
against this invasive enemy. Before I used this flame-thrower I devised a plan
that would keep safety first. Foremost, I decided I would not work alone. I then
connected several hoses together and wet a wide swath around the perimeter of
the ivy. As I concentrated on the focus of the nozzle my helper would move the
propane tank around for me. Every now and then I would say to my helper
"Remember, the number to call is 911. The ivy does not have to be burned to
a crisp, you merely need to scorch the leaves. In about two weeks new leaves
began to appear but there wasn't quite as many as there was a while ago. My
helper and I picked a still day and re-scorched the leaves and vines. When a few
leaves persisted I sprayed them with Roundup to which I added a little liquid
soap as a sticking agent. These bright green new leaves will absorb Roundup
whereas mature leaves will not because of a waxy coating they develop. One last
treatment of Roundup in the Spring should completely eliminate this persistent
pest. I would like to remind you that Roundup is not a pesticide or insecticide,
it is an herbicide - forgive me but I see so many people confused on that point.
Last word of caution: Beware of burning poison ivy as you don't want to inhale
the smoke from this noxious plant.
Out, Out, Damned Weed
Invasive vines and brush are a constant hassle for America's
gardeners and landscape professionals. Besides degrading the appearance of a
well-maintained cultivated area, invasives also compete with good plants for
water, nutrients, and sun. Noxious invasives such as poison ivy also pose a
dangerous health hazard.
The Solution . . .
Now, for the first time, home gardeners can use the same
formula that vegetation control professionals have been using for years, with
new Vine-X ® Vine & Brush Control. If you had an azalea with poison ivy
growing out of it you wouldn't want to spray it or pull it. Vine-X comes in a
tube much like a ketchup dispenser. You simply squirt a bead of the gooey
solution onto the bark of the poison ivy, English ivy, kudzu or whatever and it
soaks through the bark killing the plant and harming nothing around it. It is a
perfect solution in many cases. Check out their site at www.Vine-X.com.
UpRoot Those Weeds
A new tool came today. Gardeners love to get packages and I
eagerly opened the box to find....well, I wasnąt sure what it was at first but
the label said UpRoot and the pictorial instructions on the back made it
clear that this device was for pulling weeds. They sure sent it to the right
person as my yard is so full of weeds that if they were all gone it would only
have little patches of green here and there. I am just not much of a lawn
person. A lawn can be a thing of beauty (as my neighbors lawn) or not (my lawn).
The instructions showed to position the device over a weed, step on the lower
arm, rock the lever toward the arm which causes the four serrated stainless
steel claws to close and pull roots and all out of the ground. Then simply slide
the sleeve on the handle forward to eject the weed. It didn't take me long
before I figured out I could eliminate the operation of stepping on the lower
arm and could simply press the tool into the soil by hand and tilt it toward the
arm activating the pincher mechanism. The arm acts like a fulcrum that pulls
roots and all from the soil. The more I tried it the more I liked it. It was
really lots of fun pulling up weeds with this gizmo so I guess I went a little
nuts because soon I had uprooted at least a hundred broadleaf weeds before I
could make myself stop. All the while I marveled at the engineering technology
that went into making such a tool so light and smooth to operate. I may just
start carrying the UpRoot with me to every gardening function I attend so
I can show others how amazing it is.
I "Saw" the Light
Using the right tool for the right job makes it easier to
garden longer and more efficiently. For most of my life I had used the American
type saws that cut on the forward or push-stroke. Imagine my surprise when I
discovered the Oriental pruning saws that cut on the pull-stroke. It is a lot
less effort for pruning and making overhead cuts using this method. Nowadays all
brands of tool makers have saws of this design but I have a personal preference
for Fiskars for several reasons: Remember my mentioning the list of tools I had
lost? Fiskars tools all have trademark orange handles which makes them harder to
lose. This orange theme ties in with their "Orange Thumb" project
which is a program to provide community garden groups with grants of tools,
plants and materials needed to reach their own goals for neighborhood
beautification and horticultural education. To find out more simply Google
Fiskars.
Since I have small hands (some say four) I can appreciate
Fiskars scaled-down hand pruners plus the fact that they are ratchet geared
which makes it easier than ever to cut through even larger branches. Another
innovative tool I must mention is Fiskars telescoping pruner. This pole saw/pruner
is made from composite material which make it incredibly lightweight. It extends
to thirteen feet with the flip of a lever. When the detachable saw blade is
removed there is a pruner on the tip which rotates 270 degrees and operates with
a simple slide of the handle. There are no ropes to pull. It may be hard for you
to envision this high tech gizmo so I will bring one to the next Georgia
Perennial Plant Association meeting for demonstration purposes.
Scope This Out
Here is a gadget I recently learned about that is truly
unique. You would call it a monocular - a 7 X 40 power, close-focusing
MacroScope. This amazing device is smooth operating and quick focusing from
infinity all the way down to an incredible 18 inches. Inventor Jeff Lowenfels
says it will revolutionize how we view things close up. You will be able to see
insects, flowers, plants and more in great detail. It will make insect watching
like bird watching. You can even stand 6 feet back from your subject and still
get a macro view, so you can observe things without disturbing them. Also the
side focus wheel makes it so easy to keep moving objects in focus or to move
from 18 inches out to a bird 60 feet away. You have never really seen a flower
until you look at it through this instrument. It remains to be seen how many
uses gardeners and nature enthusiasts can find for this item. I can see where it
would be handy on plant rescues and for identifying insects and more. You can
spend hours watching the behavior of bees, it's like having your own Discovery
channel. Take it to an art museum and really examine the brush strokes. The
details are amazing. To see this monocular go to:
www.closetoinfinity.com.
I Dig It
GPPA member Jack Driskell is a big proponent of the Kombi
Shovel. Jack bought his first kombi about twelve years ago. Since that time Ace
Hardware bought the patent but never did anything with it. Several years later
the son of the original developer bought the rights back. They contacted Jack
and said his name was on their previous customer list and was he still
interested in their product? Of course Jack was as he had completely worn out
the original shovel from taking it on so many plant rescues where its unusual
design is ideal for digging around roots and rocks. What sets the Kombi apart
from other shovels is its deeply serrated edge. There is nothing else like it in
the trade. Jack says he currently owns three different styles. Besides the
original design there is a Kombi Pro which has a wider blade with less
serrations and comes with a fiberglass handle, ideal for home use. They even
make a trowel in this unique style. Jack thinks so highly of this tool that he
sometimes gives them as gifts. But don't wait on Jack to get around to you,
simply call their office in Clarksville, GA at 706-754-2875 and request a
brochure.
Maybe I can talk Jack into bringing a Kombi shovel to the same meeting that I
bring the telescoping pruner? I'll leave the flame-thrower at home.
For more information on garden gadgets get the book
"Garden Of Invention" Lyons Press, $18.95.