Garden Spot - The Right Stuff - July 2005

As the growing season moves to its height, having the right tools is more important than ever. The soft, manageable soil of spring has hardened, requiring a good, round, pointed shovel for digging, planting, and dividing; plant material is sizable and requires good hand pruners for deadheading perennials and pruning excessive growth from herbaceous and woody plantings; weeds hidden in the now very narrow spaces between perennials and shrubs require hand weeders and cultivators to dislodge them from the hardened soil; and debris removal from planted areas requires a small rake, so that damage to plants parts is kept to a minimum. Additionally, as garden tasks become increasingly difficult and gardeners become increasingly hampered by physical limitations, there are endless tools available in catalogues, garden centers, and on-line to enable gardeners to continue enjoying their gardens.

Two important garden tool recommendations are to buy the best quality and take proper care of your investment. High quality tools are made of steel and have handles made of quality hardwood-ash handles being the most durable. The money will be well spent in terms of how long the tools last.

The second rule of tools is to take proper care of them. Tools should be cleaned after each use, carefully removing dirt and disinfecting surfaces. Garden tools are a major vector for the spread of plant diseases and insects. Joan Keyes, resident Village gardener and professional garden designer, recommends "wiping the blades of trimmers with a Clorox Disinfecting Wipe, as you move from plant to plant, to prevent spreading diseases within your garden". Some gardeners stab their tools after each use into a bucket of sand mixed with motor oil to keep them clean and free of rust.

Tools should also be given a thorough once-over before they are put away for the winter. Use a wire brush to remove dirt from metal surfaces. (Joan uses a Brillo pad on her trimmers.) Then coat the surface with oil-motor oil, vegetable oil, WD-40, boiled linseed oil-to prevent rust from forming on the metal. Cleaned wood surfaces can also benefit from an oil treatment. Finally, all cutting surfaces should be sharpened. Dull edged tools damage plants, making them more susceptible to disease and insect infestation. A metal file or honing stone works well. Some gardeners choose to take their tools to a professional for sharpening.

Questions regarding garden tools or other areas of gardening can be answered by contacting the Village Garden Staff at (847) 883-8600. Garden Staff can be found in any of the Villages 50+ gardens throughout the work week. Also, residents can attend scheduled Wednesday, bi-monthly gardening sessions, given by members of Staff. July sessions, held on July 6 and July 20 at 9:00 AM at Memorial Park, will deal with "Watering Woes & Bugged by Beetles" and "Perennial Pampering II". No registration is required.