by Stan Logan | Mar 19, 2020 | Garden tools
Plant Ties
I’ll bet that you have a roll of green plastic tape in your garden supplies which you use throughout the year to strap up various plants as they grow. There is now a great product that can replace this product. It is Velcro tape. You can buy it in ½ inch wide rolls that are various lengths. For instance, at this writing, a 75-foot roll costs $7.69 which means, of course, that you a paying about 10 cents a foot.
So why would you use this Velcro tape rather than plastic tape. First of all, it is easier to apply. You simply cut off the desired length and wrap it around your plant and the supportive structure—no tying involved. Second, and most importantly, the tape can be reused. You are not cutting the plastic tape and throwing it in the trash. Now I will admit that it is task to save the tape for use the next time. You need to have some system of storing used tape. But that is the cost of reusing materials instead of dumping them into the environment.
If you are interested in this product, it is available on Amazon under “Velcro Brand One-Wrap Garden Tape”.
Stan, The Tool Man (article suggested by Janice)
by Stan Logan | Mar 19, 2020 | Garden tools
Camel Clip
OK, so this article is not about camels, but I thought it might get your attention.
I want to tell you about a tool that you might want to add to your arsenal. It’s called the “Handy Camel Bag Clip”. This device is a sturdy plastic clip that you can use to seal large bags—like fertilizer, potting soil, mulch, perlite, rock salt, pet food and bird seed. There is a handle on the clip that allows you to easily carry the bag. The “Giant” version can carry a 50 pound bag, and the regular model is for 10 pound bags. If you clip just the corner of an opened bag top, you can more easily pour contents into a container. Google “Handy Camel Bag Clip” for a demonstration.
Let me tell you why I personally value this tool. Have you ever opened a previously used bag of fertilizer and discovered after unrolling the top that the fertilizer was damp? I did. Damp fertilizer does not work well in spreaders. So I poured the damp mix into a tub and set it out in the sun to dry. The next day I had a tub of fertilizer soup. Many fertilizers are hydroscopic—that is, they love water—they will absorb it from the air. This is why I value a substantial bag clip that will seal off the air.
These clips are reasonably priced. You can order them on Amazon for about $10 for the giant version and $6 for the regular size. It is a tool that you can use over and over again, and I think it is a good investment.
Stan, The Tool Man (article suggested by Lorraine)
by Stan Logan | Mar 19, 2020 | Garden tools
Another Shovel
“So why do I need another shovel?” you ask? Well, probably you don’t. But if your garden soil is hard, then you probably do. I’ve talked about the 2-tiner before. Remember that the advantage of having only two tines is that not only do they penetrate soil more easily, but they also make removing peripheral iris rhizomes easier. This new shovel is called a spear head spade. It has the advantage of a narrow, pointed head that makes it easier to dig into a hard surface. It is stronger than a 2-tiner which sometimes can have its tines bent when the soil is really tough. The base of the spade’s blade is still wide enough for your foot to get a good purchase. I think the cost of this spear headed spade is rather pricey, but it may be worth it and become your favorite tool. I would avoid the really short handled version—it wouldn’t give you enough leverage. Below is the model available from Amazon which is probably your best bet for $52. Google “spear head shovel” to see options.
Stan, The Tool Man
by Stan Logan | Mar 19, 2020 | Garden tools
Sharpening Tool
I am really excited about a new tool that I just discovered. I was sharpening tools for the volunteers pruning the roses at the Sacramento Historical Cemetery, and one of the workers showed me a sharpening tool that I had never used. I had avoided it because it seemed like just a gadget too simple to be effective. But I tried it out on the spot, and it really works! This tool consists of a handle with a slim rectangle of carbide at the end. Even though the carbide has 90 degree edges, those edges are so sharp that they are able to shave off metal from the cutting edge of a pruner or lopper. Using this tool takes just a little practice, and I could show you the technique in few seconds if you end up buying one. So why would you use this tool instead of the metal file that I’ve touted before? Using a file is tricky because you have to stabilize the garden tool and then establish the proper angle with the file. Then too, sometimes there is very little space to fit a file near the hinge point of the blades. This new tool avoids these complications. It is such a small tool that it can easily be carried in your pocket if you want to sharpen your pruner on the job. So I think this tool should be on your must buy list if you like to keep your pruners and lopper sharp.
The Corona AC 8300 Sharpening Tool can be purchased on Amazon for $10.
Stan, still The Tool Man
by Stan Logan | Mar 19, 2020 | Garden tools
Fruit Picker Head
This tool article comes with a story:
Every time LaVille and I are at home for lunch we have a huge salad. It is basically a salad made with chicken and romaine lettuce. The chicken is strips of meat cut off a Costco rotisserie chicken. I call it “carcass chicken”. The final carcass, by the way, is never wasted. After 2 or 3 carcasses accumulate in the freezer, they are boiled in a pot that is first used to caramelize an onion and diced carrots and celery. While boiling, crushed pepper corns and celery are added. After 3 or 4 hours of slow boiling the mixture is poured into a colander and the liquid collected. After the liquid cools and is then refrigerated, the solidified fat is scooped off the surface. This chicken stock forms the basis for making various kinds of soups that are the mainstay of our evening meals.
But I digress—back to the salad: To the mixture of lettuce and chicken meat, we add a great number of things: chopped walnuts, raisins, Craisins , grapes which have been cut in half so they won’t roll off the fork, tomato, cucumber, green onion, red or yellow bell pepper, sliced boiled egg, apple, avocado, and mushrooms. Now, admittedly, not every one of these items is added every time, but what really adds a punch is pieces of fresh orange. Here’s the problem: All of the oranges on our orange tree have been picked . . . but there are still oranges on our neighbor’s tree and it is right next to the fence that divides our yards. I have found that the fruit picker that I bought at a garage sale years ago works really well to pick off one orange each day to add that extra treat to our salads.
Now if your neighbor’s trees are away from the fence, you should consider ordering a pole that is extendable. If you google “fruit picker head” on Amazon, you will find the basket alone costs only $8. It should attach to an old broom or mop stick. The extendable pole can be found at the same site for about $26.
If your neighbor’s trees are really far from the fence, I suggest you invest in a good 6 foot ladder and dark clothing for night time harvesting. A black hoody would be appropriate. I always prefer fiberglass ladders. They are more stable than aluminum and will last you a lifetime, which may be shortened if you slip and get impaled on the fence. That reminds me of our visit to Dracula’s Castle in Transylvania when we were learned about Vlad The Impaler—not a nice guy. But then that’s a whole different story that you don’t want to think about while eating your healthy salad.
Stan, The Tool Man
Addendum: You know, it’s rather embarrassing when you are trying to remove a stubbornly held orange from a neighbor’s tree, and the picker head comes off and hangs there like some sort of a weird out of season Xmas ornament. Make sure you tighten the hose clamp securely to your pole . . . or you’ll just be standing there with a stick in your hand . . . like I said . . . rather embarrassing.
