Favorite Tools

"The right tool for the job" -- an overused but very true saying, especially when it comes to gardening. Customizing a set of tools for yourself can mean the difference between backbreaking work and a faster, more efficient way of doing a job. Here are a few tools that just might make your gardening more fun and free you up for more garden admiration:

Keeping a Straight Edge

Of particular interest to herb gardeners is keeping their borders sharp. If there is no hard edging to keep out the grass, an edger can be used to keep things tidy. The half moon or half circle edger is Herb Gardening's tool of choice. This simple tool is placed on the border and pushed down with the foot into the soil, creating a cut. Done once a week (before any roots have a chance to get established), this is not hard to keep up. This is a very common, inexpensive tool and available at almost any garden center.

Weeding

Weeding-- just the mention of the word conjures up visions of unpleasant garden work. With the right tool, weeding can be fun. What, you don't believe it? Try one of these:

Co-Linear Hoe
This hoe is angled at a 70 degree angle so it can be used standing up, in a sweeping motion. This is much better for the back, and therefore, fun! Check out the picture at Shepherd's Garden Seeds. It is not cheap ($40.00), but well worth the investment.

Circle Hoe
This hoe is becoming more and more popular. With the circular design, one can lift foliage out of the way with one side while weeding with the other side. Its small size makes it perfect for flower and herb gardens, and the price is right at $27.45 at Landscape USA.

Weed Popper
Go ahead and laugh, but this tool really works! Try this tool one time. It's like eating one potato chip, you just can't pop one weed, you've got to get another and another...you could be there for hours! Yard Mart.com offers this tool for $30.38. It's better than using nasty chemicals on those "mother of all weeds" weeds.

Pruners

English Flower Shears
These spring action scissor-type shears are great for snipping some fresh herbs. On sale right now at Gardener's Supply at $19.99, regularly $29.99.

Felco Pruners
What gardener wouldn't want a pair of Felcos in their garden shed? Landscape USA has a full line of Felco Pruners, as well as the Corona, Fiskars and Sandvik lines. Maybe some day we can all afford them.

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