Impaler, Spade & Hoe

by | May 11, 2018 | Garden tools

Yesterday, LaVille was digging up bulbs using what is called a transplanting spade.  When I showed this shovel to you, I said it was perfect for digging holes for transplanting from gallon pots.  I probably should have described it instead as a short, light-weight shovel that is the right tool for a woman to use.  Now I realize that sounds sexist.  Does it help if I tell you that I have used this spade a lot.  In fact is probably the reason that I got a herniated disc in my neck because I used it in a jabbing motion to dig an irrigation line through tough soil.  Anyway . . . let’s simply say that it is an easy digging tool because the blade is narrow and therefore finds less resistance when penetrating the soil.  Then too, the blade is long so it penetrates to a depth where bulbs are abiding.  The grip at the end of the 4 foot handle allows you increased torque leverage (The shovel doesn’t twist in your hands easily).  If I piqued your interest,  google “transplanting spade.” 

 

While LaVille was digging, I was working with the circle hoe.  The neighbor has many huge privet trees.  The birdies love the fruit and kindly deposit the seeds when they perch in our pine and hackberry.  Privet seedlings sprout up through the pine needles covering the ground.  The circle hoe allows me to sever the weeds without disturbing the pine needle ground cover too much.  Every now and then I come across an oak seedling that a scrub jay has planted.  The circle hoe is strong enough to penetrate the soil to uproot the acorn.  You know, if you have some interest in this hoe, I would let you practice using it around my yard . . . for free! The circle hoe is available from gardensnob.com.

 

My impaler didn’t work well today.  (The impaler is a stick with a nail at the end.)  You see, our neighbor (the same one with the multiple privet trees) has a huge magnolia tree in his front yard.  His house is on our west side.  Needless to say, a good number of magnolia leaves end up on our front landscaping.  For the last two weeks I haven’t been able to clean up the front yard.  When I finally was able to get to the task today, the “poker” as I call it did not pick up the leaves very well.  The leaves were so dried up that the leaves did not cling to the galvanized nail.  The nail’s penetration created too large of a hole, or the leaf shattered.  So if you are going to use an impaler to gather up large leaves in your landscaping, get to it before the leaves have a chance to become brittle.

Stan, the Blog Man

Plant Labels

by | May 1, 2018 | Garden tools, Nurseries, Plant labels

This should be no secret:  Last week LaVille and I were on the way to the Green Acres Nursery in Elk Grove when we saw the Secret Garden Nursery off to the west side of the freeway.  On a whim we exited at Sheldon and drove back on the frontage road to check it out.  We were absolutely astounded at how neatly displayed everything was and that every plant was in perfect condition.  Plants are organized by the conditions they need.  The nursery specializes in succulents and has a tremendous variety of pottery and garden art.  The gift store is just full of items that appeal to the home gardener.  I told Jennifer that we missed her booth at the SGAC sales.  She said that she regretted missing the event too, but that weekends were so busy at the nursery that she couldn’t spare the manpower and inventory at those times.  We found Jennifer to be very personable and helpful and find it no wonder that the business has received so many awards.  Check out her website—just google Secret Garden Nursery in Elk Grove.

Tools and Treasures Table: 
. . . I hope you have taken a strip of the yellow fiberglass webbing that can be used to screen the drainage holes in pots.  You will find that this material lasts forever.  When you do your repotting, you will find the mesh attached to the soil when you lift the plant.  Reuse it over and over again.  
. . . Some of you have picked up the small bundles of mini blind labels.  Don’t use Sharpie pens to write on them.  Use either an acrylic pen or a wax pencil.  (I recently bought a box of wax pencils so you can get one from me.)  If you have difficulty using these two, it is probably because there is a layer of grease on the blind.  Drop the labels in a bowl of soapy water.  Slosh them around a bit.  Rinse and wipe each label off with a rag.  Please keep your eye out for anyone getting rid of aluminum mini blinds.  We use them constantly to label irises and Emma is using them for her plants.
. . . No one seems interested the yellow white fly strips we’ve put out on the table.  I guess that’s understandable since it is not white fly season.  You see we bought a package of 60 sheets on Amazon because it was a great price.  LaVille cuts the sheets into thirds and punches a hole at the tops for hanging.  We have lots of strips to give away, so we hope you will pick these up from the table come white fly season.  They really work great!

Stan, The Blog Man