Labour-saving garden tools

Using the right tools can save time and effort, and will make the difference between a job being a pleasure or a chore.

Good tools, especially power tools, can be expensive and take up space, so decide which ones will really reduce the time you spend gardening.

Nylon Line Trimmers

These useful tools will cut down long grass around trees, against fences and along edges in no time at all. Many can also produce a trim edge for the lawn much more quickly than traditional shears.

Lawnmowers

If you want to retain a lawn but wish to reduce mowing time, consider buying a mower with a wide cutting width. Rotary mowers are light and easy to use, but unless you are happy to leave the clippings on the lawn, or rake them up, buy one with a clippings collector. The same applies to wheeled rotaries, which many people prefer.

For a striped effect a cylinder mower with a rear roller is the best choice, although some other types now have rollers fitted to create a similar effect.

Hedge Trimmers

A powered hedge trimmer will save a lot of time on what is a dusty and unpleasant job if your garden has a lot of hedge. A mains electric trimmer is the best choice for most small gardens where the hedge is within easy reach of a power supply, but for a large garden a petrol model may be more practical. Battery-powered trimmers are useful for small hedges.

Compression Sprayers

A large-capacity compression sprayer with a long lance is much better for general garden use than a small hand-trigger sprayer if you grow plants that are prone to pests, such as roses and dahlias. As well as pest and disease control, you can use one to supply foliar feeds, and to spray growth inhibitors to reduce the frequency with which you have to cut your hedge as this can be time-consuming. Keep a separate watering can fitted with a dribble bar and shield for weed killer.

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Planting a Border
The simplest way to grow wildflowers is in an existing border, either on their own or with some other herbaceous plants and shrubs. This can work especially well if you combine wildflowers with the many garden plants that are forms of wildflowers, such as carpeting ajuga reptans and self seeding poppies and forget-me-knots.

Wildflowers can be sown or planted in the same way as other plants, but they will not thrive in ground that is fertilized.

On cultivated ground the ranker weeds tend to take over and smother the plants you want to encourage, so it is worth clearing the area of weeds first. Then you can sow the wildflower mixture or plant out perennials in the spring.

Colonizing a Lawn
You can scatter the wildflower seed directly over the area, but the competition for the grass will be intense. For better results, sow the seed in trays, prick out and grow the plants in pots first. Plant them out in spring, when the perennials are strong enough to compete with the existing grass. Once the perennials are established, they will self-sow, which is always more successful than simply scattering seed yourself.

Converting a Field
If you are lucky enough to have a field and want to turn it into a wildflower meadow, your task is much harder. Before you can start sowing or planting wildflowers you will need to spend a whole year mowing the grass at regular intervals to keep it short. This will kill off most of the invasive grasses, and leave only the finer ones. When the grass is under control, you can proceed as for a lawn.

Clearing New Ground
For those with a smaller area to convert, another effective method for establishing a wildflower area is to clear it completely, removing all traces of perennial weeds. Then sow a wildflower and grass mixture formulated for your area, as for a border. There are several suppliers for this type of seed.

Maintaining Wildflowers in Grass
Wildflowers in grass should be cut once or twice a year. The best time is in summer once the main flush of plants have seeded. Remove the cuttings to prevent feeding the soil.

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Making a compost pile takes only a modest amount of effort. Start small and work your way up. Select an area about 10 feet (3 m) on a side, or a circle about 10 feet in diameter. If you have a pile of leaves raked from Fall, that’s a great beginning. Over the year you can add grass cuttings, straw, vegetable leftovers or any other organic material you have lying around.

Eventually you want to make a pile from 3-5 feet (1-2 m) high. Flatten the top and make a small indentation to trap a small amount of rain water. You don’t want to keep the pile too wet, though. It should have plenty of air circulation and excess water keeps out air.

That air provides oxygen that feeds the organisms that break down the material. At the same time, the pile shouldn’t be too loose. Once it reaches a certain size and stage of chemical activity, the pile will begin to heat. You don’t want that heat to escape too readily, since it helps keep the reaction going.

To beef up the value of the compost you can add a number of compounds that are not intended to be broken down, but will add to its eventual use as fertilizer. Raw bone meal, ground rock phosphate and lime make for good additions, though they’re not the only ones.

Layering the compost pile with vegetation and these additives is a good idea. When you have a layer about a foot deep, pour on some rock phosphate. For a 100 square foot compost a total of five pounds should be plenty, so add an amount proportional to how much compost you’ve accumulated. A pound of limestone will serve for the total pile.

Alternatively, you can add a layer of manure a few inches high for every foot of compost. However, if you have that much manure, you probably don’t need to go to the effort of making a compost. You already have in hand an excellent natural fertilizer with plenty of nutrients for your vegetable garden. If you want an extra rich compost, though, this is one way to enhance it.

When the compost pile has been active for a few weeks, you can stir up the material to keep it uniform. Organisms may be more populous in one area than another. One area may be substantially decomposed while another has barely altered. Rotating the layers will give you a more even fertilizer that is ready to go more or less at the same time. That way you know you are spreading the same concentration of nutrients at every point in your garden.

Once the pile is ready to use, you can spread it over the entire garden area if you have enough to supply about 25 pounds for a 100 square feet garden area. If not, simply apply it in those areas where the vegetables will be planted. Spread it over the topsoil about three weeks before planting and you will create a rich earth for your vegetables.

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Try to make sure the plant activity is at a minimum before undertaking to transplant it. Flowers in the full bloom of Spring or Summer are performing a needed function for the plant at the same time they supply you with beautiful color. Try to avoid interrupting that natural growth cycle.

Many perennials, for example, do better when transplanted in late Summer. August and early September (in the Northern Hemisphere) are the best months for digging up, dividing and re-planting. But these periods can also still be quite hot, so take care. Be sure to water the plants well the day before planting to let them soak up plenty of moisture.

Carefully remove the soil from the surface around the plant, in a circle about one foot in diameter. Then, slant down and repeat the procedure until you’ve cleared earth away from the roots. Take precautions not to cut through the roots with your trowel as you remove the dirt. For some perennials it’s a good idea to tie them gently to a slender stake during the procedure to prevent them falling over or cracking.

Once you’ve cleared the soil away from the roots, gently lift the plant from the base, while balancing the top if necessary. You want to remove the plant in one smooth motion all at once. Avoid stressing the central portions. Then, shake the base gently and wash away any large clumps of soil still stuck to the roots.

Re-plant in a similar sized hole that has been watered. Allow the water to settle before inserting the new plant, place it, then fill with earth and the appropriate amount of fertilizer for your type of plant. Depending on the type of plant, this can be accomplished with compost, manure-based fertilizer or pellets mixed into the soil.

Be sure to place the plant at the same depth as it was removed from. If some portion of the roots for that plant were above or near the surface, that’s the right level to place the transplanted plant at. Burying them too deep makes it difficult for some to get the right amount of air, heat and moisture.

Avoid performing the procedure in direct sunlight. Wait until the evening hours, or carry it out early in the morning, unless the day is very overcast. It’s also best, both for you and the plant, to avoid transplanting when the temperature is very high.

Be sure to water the transplanted plant well after you have it firmly in place.

Different plants, such as vegetables, will do better by transplanting at different times of the year. Find out which is best for your particular one before transplanting. Transplanting is stressful for almost every growing plant, so check the details to maximize the chances of recovery.

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They photosynthesize to produce their own nutrients. They require warmth to keep biochemical reactions going, and going at the right rate. They regulate many processes by the amount of light present, speeding some up and shutting down others.

During photosynthesis plants take in carbon dioxide and water to produce glucose and oxygen. The glucose is used as an internal energy source and much of the oxygen is expelled. But the color and intensity of the light they receive plays a large role in how they do that.

The fact that leaves are generally green and/or yellow shows that those colors are being reflected. The other components of white light (which is a mixture of many wavelengths) are mostly absorbed. But some are taken in more efficiently than others at different growth stages. Wavelengths in the range of the spectrum we perceive as red are used more during growth phases. Blue is absorbed more to produce flowering or fruiting.

Since few hydroponic gardens are simply left out in the sun to take their chances, a lighting scheme is required to assist them in all those activities.

Plants that sit near an open window or are grown outdoors largely self-regulate the wavelengths they absorb, where the whole spectrum is abundant. But those that live indoors can only take up what is available. That makes it important to ensure that they have all they need, both in terms of intensity and wavelength.

Indoor lights are typically less intense (provide less overall energy) and therefore plants may need to be supplemented with natural light. Or, it may be necessary to use special lights to provide the total amount of light energy needed for warmth, photosynthesis and other useful tasks. The mixture will vary from one climate to another.

Indoor lights come in a variety of types, prices and wavelengths, some better for plants than others.

Incandescents provide a lot of heat. They’re relatively inefficient at using electricity for that reason. But they produce strongly at the red end and weakly in the blue range.

Many fluorescents, by contrast, tend to produce greenish light. They’re filled with mercury and the interior coatings that produce light in the visible range may be better or worse at producing a white-approximating spectrum. But, they are much cheaper to use in the long run.

A relatively inexpensive setup can be achieved with a mixture of incandescents and fluorescents. A 30-watt incandescent with a 100-watt equivalent fluorescent provides a good balance of wavelengths. Fluorescents use much less electricity so the wattages can’t be directly compared.

While they cost more, metal halide and sodium lamps make for very good lights for hydroponic gardens. Metal halide lamps produce well in the blue range and sodium lamps provide more reddish light. The bulbs can’t be switched between fixtures so it’s necessary to buy a housing appropriate to each type.

Some newer LED lamps will produce a very broad spectrum and some can be adjusted to favor one wavelength range. However, they’re expensive and many won’t produce the same output as any of the other types.

Plants vary in the intensity they require, as well. Ensure that medium light plants receive at least 1,000 foot-candles. Others will need 2,000 foot-candles (about 20 watts per square foot) or more. A good light meter will tell you how much is being given off, or you can sometimes find the rating listed on packaging or advertisements.

Most lamps should be placed about a foot from the plant to provide the proper intensity. The figure will vary considerably, though, depending on whether incandescents, fluorescents or another source is used.

Plants that receive sunshine will need from 8-10 hours per day. If all artificial light is used, the number rises to between 12-14 hours per day. For some plants and lighting schemes 16-18 hours per day may be needed. The specific number depends heavily on the species of plant.

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Times have changed and potted roses have a place in the lives of condo and apartment dwellers, city slickers who live in areas where there isn’t a tree in sight, and anyone who has a spot on their lawn or garden in need of the beauty that only a rose can deliver.

Not all roses are good candidates for growing in pots. The following varieties have been found to do best. Feel free to try any variety that you want, even climbers, and see how they make out.

All that Jazz

Ballerina

Blush Noisette

Bonica

Cecile Brunner

Clotilde Soupert

Green Rose

Gruss an Aachen

Hannah Gordon

Hermosa

Katharina Zeimet

Mrs. Oakley Fisher

Peace

Perfume Delight

Precious Platinum

Sea Foam

Sexy Rexy

Souvenir de la Malmaison

Stanwell Perpetual

The Fairy

Valentine

Whiskey Mac

Planting potted roses is a relatively easy task as long as you do your planting in the spring after any chance of a frost is long past. If you live in a warm climate zone, then hold off planting until autumn when the ravages of July and August are far behind.

When you’re ready to plant, choose an appropriate sized container with drainage holes. Make sure that the container has enough room for your plant to grow without having to transplant frequently.

Fill the container with garden soil that has some compost or organic fertilizer mixed in.

Dig a hole that’s a bit bigger than the root ball, knock the rose loose from its shipping container, and plant it.

Dig a shallow trench or moat around the base of the plant to hold water, and water well.

Potted roses are susceptible to the same diseases as garden roses are, and they require feeding, pruning and all of the other rose care basics. Potted roses aren’t less work or responsibility; they are simply more space-saving than a regular rose garden. Don’t treat your roses as if they were ordinary potted plants or you will lose them.

People are constantly asking if they can grow potted plants indoors. The answer is: “Maybe, but it’s a risky proposition.” That’s because roses need high humidity and a lot of direct sunlight. High humidity conditions do not usually exist inside of most air-conditioned homes. However, if you live in a hot, steamy area, and you don’t have air conditioning, then you can probably get away with it as long as you pick a sunny spot.

Of all the rose varieties that are likely to survive indoors, miniature roses are your best bet. Miniature roses are actual roses that have been bred to grow into small and compact plants with equally small flowers. They do very well in pots and are quite beautiful.

If you’re willing, go ahead and experiment. You’ve really got nothing to lose and you just might discover a whole new aspect of rose gardening!

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A lawnmower is the most basic. It’s odd to think of a living organism as needing to be sliced to stay healthy, but as a professional gardener acquaintance once said ‘Grass likes to be cut’. To accomplish that, a good lawnmower is a necessity. Though among the more expensive items in the tool set, if maintained well it will last forever.

Keep the blade sharp, the spark plug clean and (if it has one) the air filter changed. Change the oil as you would on a car, every season.

Keeping the lawn neat is almost always a matter that can’t be completely carried out just by mowing, though. A trimmer or edger is needed. The two basic types are the old-fashioned two blade model with a long handle. Running the blade alongside patio bricks, steps and other edges keeps the lawn trim and looking good.

The other type is a powered whirling device that shoots a plastic string out a few inches. The string whacks off grass or other plants wherever you aim it. They’re lightweight, inexpensive and can last for years, though the coil of plastic string needs to be replaced every couple of months. At a cost of only a few dollars, it saves a lot of effort.

A spreader or two is vital for evenly laying out fertilizer, weed killer and other compounds that help keep the lawn weed free, healthy and looking great. One sort is like a small lawnmower with no blade, just a tub with small holes and a roller that dispense material. Easy to use and long-lasting, they’re adjustable for a variety of applications.

The second type of spreader is a hand-held unit, usually plastic with a rotary handle. They’re perfect for specialized applications of seed for patching small lawn areas, distributing dry fertilizer beads and so forth.

A rake is handy for more than just piling up leaves in the late fall. Though it’s important to use for that. Leaves left on the ground can cause grass to overheat or get too little water. In areas that get winter snow, at the end of the season the grass will be compressed into thatch.

Blades will overlay one another, preventing air from reaching the soil efficiently. De-thatching can be done with a power tool, but a simple hand rake is also effective.

A long fork or narrow blade, long-handled shovel spade is great for spot removal of weeds. The larger square or rounded shovel will also be needed though for post hole-digging, transferring soil and plants and a dozen other tasks around the yard.

Stock up on the basics, keep them in good shape and all your lawn care jobs will be easier. Well, easier than cutting with a scythe, that’s for sure.

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From the Japanese word for ‘tree in a tray’, Bonsai is the art and product of shaping trees by careful pruning to produce a miniature tree or bush. Not produced from genetic dwarfs, bonsai are the result of years of patient shaping of ordinary species by master artists.

Because they are grown and shaped in a small pot, but are produced from ordinary species - pine, maple and many others - extreme care is required to keep the delicate plants healthy.

Soil type and temperature must be just so - conditions that are only within the artist’s control within a certain range. Pruning techniques take years to master and are only possible to a certain kind of temperament. Potting and re-potting practices must be learned and they are many and varied.

Watering alone is a complex science for these small trees and bushes. Too much and the bonsai will become water-logged and develop fungi and root rot. Too little and the soil quickly becomes dry and leaves wilt and the tree dies.

Soil and potting practices overlap with watering needs since drainage is critical. Pruning habits interact with shaping techniques, which in turn are affected by soil maintenance and watering practices.

Bonsai are among the most difficult products of art to create as all these elements and many more have to be carried out to near perfection merely for the plant to survive. Add to that complexity the goal of creating pleasing shapes, styles and colors for both plant and pot and you have a high art.

On top of the inherent horticultural difficulty of learning and mastering a dozen sub-sciences, there is the need to master the artistic vision and skills to produce any of several basic or advanced styles.

There are five basic styles alone: formal upright, informal upright, slanting, cascade and semi-cascade. From that base branch out a dozen advanced types, including the literati and other difficult forms.

An art of that kind is not mastered in a month.

Craftsmen labor for years to produce a single tree, which may last a hundred years or longer. The trees are then often passed down from generation to generation, each successive artist adding his or her own distinctive style. As the tree is lovingly molded according to the personal aesthetic of each caretaker, past efforts are venerated and learned from.

Years of training and experience are required to become a skilled bonsai grower. Ordinary horticulture is by itself a difficult craft. But to produce a miniature tree from ordinary species takes a lifetime of patience and learning.

The results are widely regarded as well-worth the effort, though. Bonsai are admired the world over for their uniqueness, their longevity, variety and beauty and for the skill that goes to produce them.

In an age when brilliant technology can mass produce global cell phones and self-diagnosing automobiles, these individually designed and hand crafted, miniature works of art continue to inspire awe and admiration.

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Create a Raised Garden Bed

Need an easy way to teach your kids about gardening? A raised garden bed is an easy way to establish a no-fuss, no-muss garden. Choose a space in your garden, patio, deck, yard or whatever space you have available, and restrict your family garden to this one raised garden bed. Make sure to plant hardy perennials that will not require constant care and attention. Keep a watering can by your raised garden so that you or your children can water the bed at a moment’s notice.

Plant Your Own Windowsill Herb Garden

Want an easy way to teach your kids some gardening basics? A windowsill herb garden is a fun and simple way to learn about the basic growth pattern of plants, and to reap the rewards of your work. Moreover, a windowsill herb garden does not take up a lot of space, nor do you need a lot of time and money to establish a healthy, thriving herb garden. Moreover, you can even enjoy the results together by using your herb gardens in a family mean.

Start Your Own Family Cactus Garden

Here is a fun and creative way to garden together as a family without having to spend a whole lot of time or money. Start a family cactus garden that adds color and texture to your garden, without taking a lot of your time. Start by picking out pots that you and your kids can paint. Let your children express their creativity by using different paint colors and craft supplies to decorate their own pot. Then it’s off to the nursery to pick out cacti. Each member of your family should choose cacti that fit into your pot. Use a soil specially prepared for cacti and help your children pick out cacti. Cacti come in a variety of shape, sizes and colors. When it comes to planting cacti, make certain that you wear thick gloves and handle the plants with care so that you do not get pricked. Cacti do not need daily maintenance, and can create an earthy and fun environment for your children and family to enjoy. Try to choose blooming cacti so you and your family can plan to enjoy seasonal blooms.

Plant a Family Tree

Want a project that the whole family can do together? Why not plant a family tree? You don’t have to wait until Arbor Day to plant a tree. Take a trip to the nursery together and pick out a tree that is suited for your area. Consult with a nursery attendant if you are not sure what kind of tree you should be planting. Let your kid’s help you choose the perfect location and dig the hole. Planting a tree together is a wonderful experience that the whole family will remember for years to come. Set up a periodical watering schedule that works for the whole family. Although it takes a bit of pre-planning, once the tree is planted, this garden project will not take up a lot of your family’s time. With luck, this low maintenance garden project will be enjoyed by future generations of garden-lovers.

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Design Your Own Herbal-Inspired Garden Candles

Candles are one of those versatile gifts that you can give to close friends and family. They are both practical and luxuriant, providing warmth (literally) and imparting a sense of hearth and home. If you have experience with candle making, this can be a fun and creative way to treat your family and friends to a handmade gift. Use your own herbal garden to infuse your candles with special scents from your garden. Use flowers, herbs and leaves to meld them directly into the wax. You can create stunning results with minimal effort. Even if you have no candle making experience, you can purchase high quality plain candles and add your own herbal touch, directly from your garden.

Create Personal Herbal Satchels

For those family members and friends who love potpourri and all good things nice-smelling, create personal herbal satchels. This is a great way to keep dried flowers and petals that still have plenty of aroma and life left in them. Plunder your old flower arrangements, bouquets and your own blooming garden for dried flowers, herbs and petals. Toss these wonderfully aromatic dried herbs and flowers together and package them in pretty satchels, bowls or jars. It may take a while to determine which herbs and flower scents work well together, but it is usually a pretty safe bet that most recently fresh flower petals will create a delicious aroma. Tie a pretty bow around your satchel, and watch your recipients faces light up. This makes the perfect gift for your favorite romantic or flower-lover in your life.

Bottle Up Your Own Herb Infused Oil Concoctions

Do you have a gourmet cook in the family? If so, here is a perfect gift idea for those appreciate the finer things in life. One of the best ways to preserve fresh herbs is to save them in herbal oils. Use a high quality cooking oil, such as cold-pressed olive oil. Use a decorative kitchen bottle and fill it with high quality oil. Then add a sprig or two of your favorite garden herb. Good choices include fresh rosemary sprigs, thyme or other fresh herbs growing in your garden. Tie a pretty bow on the bottle, and you are set. This makes a great housewarming gift, too. Inform your recipient that your herb-infused oil concoction will be at its prime in two months time.

More Fun and Easy Gift Ideas for the Gourmet on Your List

For those in your life who appreciate good cooking, here are a few more ideas on how to turn your fresh herb garden into wonderful gifts. You can create herbal vinegars that your recipient can use to flavor salads and create their own salad dressings. You can also create spicy and fresh herb seasoning mix packets. This is a great idea if you grow regional herbs and you want to share your area’s flavors with an out-of-towner. If you have a favorite martini-drinker in your family, consider making flavored vodka. You can brew your very own flavored vodka, infused with such fragrant herbs as lavender or rosemary. This is a unique and wonderful hostess or house-warming gift that will surely wow even the most discerning friend or family member.

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