ESSENTIAL GARDENING TOOLS SERIES - I

Over the years I've discovered a few tools that are absolute essentials when if comes to working around the yard. On top of my list is the Leatherman Wave® mutli-tool which sports a plethora of handy little tools all in one compact package. I've become so accustomed to having my Leatherman® on my belt that my hand naturally reaches for it when a yard challenges presents itself. If for some reason I don't have it on my belt, my day is ruined.

Around the Glumpstead, I find I use the Wave's® pliers/wire cutters more than any of the other tools. I'm always cutting fence wire, fixing something with bailing wire or cutting weedwacker line. The pliers also come in handy when the need arises to tighten a bolt on the lawn mower or other yard equipment. The two different knife blades (regular and serrated) which feature one-hand deployment, also get a lot of use cutting rope, cutting flower stems, harvesting asparagus, etc. For tightening/loosening screws on the fly, the Wave's® various sizes of screw drivers are just the ticket, often saving a trip to the garage to drag out the toolbox.

Here's a list of the Leatherman Wave® features:
• 420HC Stainless Steel Clip-point Knife
• Needlenose Pliers
• Regular Pliers
• Wire Cutters
• Hard-wire Cutters
• Wire Stripper
• Extra-small Screwdriver
• Small Screwdriver
• Medium Screwdriver
• Large Screwdriver
• Phillips Screwdriver
• Scissors
• Diamond-coated File
• Wood Saw
• Bottle Opener
• Can Opener
• 8 in | 20 cm Ruler

As for the Leatherman® brand, I can't say enough. The Wave® comes with a 25-year warranty and if you ever have to return your tool for warranty work, you'll find super fast service. Check out the complete line of Leatherman products at www.leatherman.com. I've got my eye's on the Leatherman Genus® landscaping tool which includes a bypass pruning shears. The only problem is, I'm afraid of having to decide which one to carry.

GLUMPISM- "You'll find that life occasionally breaks down, so be prepared to make some repairs."

Lite Lasagna Beds

As mentioned in previous posts, I really like the Lasagna Gardening method. It is by far the most pragmatic approach to building a new raised bed. But there are times when you don't want to build an entire new bed or you may have a little corner of your existing garden where you would like to add some small plant starts. For instance, I like to start perennials in my greenhouse (2-3 year old perennials get expensive) and then set them out in a spot that needs some extra color, texture or height. By the way, perennials started inside in late winter or early spring often bloom their first year. Since I am planting young plants, they need a little extra help against the competition around them which can sometimes crowd out the little guys. In this case I utilize what I call a "lite" Lasagna bed.

My Lite Lasagna bed is built up inside a recycled cardboard box; placed in the ground; planted with young plants. The walls of the cardboard box help keep existing mature plants from invading. After a year or so the cardboard will be decompose just about the time your new plants are becoming established and need more root room. This method also works great for transplanting volunteers or cuttings from existing plants.

Here's a step by step:
1) Find a cardboard box that will fit your space and your plant starts. (Photo A)
2) Build your soil using the lasagna method- (layers of peat moss, compost, crushed leaves, grass clippings, etc.) Or if you want to cheat, you can fill with a store bought potting soil or top soil mix. (Photo B)
3) Dig a hole in the ground to accommodate the box so that the top edges will flush with the surface.
4) Place the box in the hole and add some mulching material over the box edges if desired. (Photo C)
5) Plant your plant starts. (Photo D)
6) Hey, don't forget to water them regularly.

There, you're done. By this time next year the cardboard box will have become part or your bed and hopefully you're plants will have survived the winter ready to grow like crazy for another season. See Photo "E" for some purple coneflowers that were planted the year before in a Lite Lasagna bed box. (Photo E)

-HG

GLUMPISM: "Darkness cultivates fear but light cultivates freedom."

A Map to Gardening Success

After a few years of gardening, it doesn't lake long to discover that some things work and some things don't. You don't get a lot of second chances to get things right during a growing season so its especially wise to remember your garden's history. While you may be blessed with an elephant memory, it became apparent to me a few years back (I can't remember when) that I needed to keep a written record of my gardening activities from season to season. Good gardening records are helpful to recall what you planted--where and when, which seeds or plant varieties worked best, the best time to harvest, etc. To maintain healthy and beneficial soil practices, it is also wise to rotate your crops from year to year which is another dandy reason to keep track of your garden's life.

Some gardeners like to keep an extensive journal of each and every season's successes and failures. Because I am more picture-oriented and somewhat lazy when it comes to writing down every detail, I have developed a simple system to log the season's garden activities. I drew up a map of my garden on my computer--you don't have to get too fancy. The diagram includes my annual vegetable beds as well as perennial plants including fruit trees and berry plants. For perennials, I show their general location, date originally planted and estimated time of harvest. For annual veggies, I show the bed location, type of plant (specific variety is helpful) and the date planted.

Come next year when I'm planning the new garden. I simply copy and save as the new year (i.e. Garden 2008 becomes Garden 2009). After I figure out what I want to plant for the new season, I drag things around accordingly. After planting, log in the date you sowed the seeds (so you'll remember when to do it next year!) With the garden map it is easy to rotate your crops to the best position based upon what was growing in the bed last year. For example, if you grew green beans (good nitrogen producers) last year, you might want to plant corn (heavy nitrogen feeders) in that bed. I also like to keep track of plant varieties that have failed or have not done well so I don't make the mistake twice, so I note that on the map. After a few years of garden maps under your belt, you can look back and see what worked best, what was the best time to plant, etc.--it really makes planning and maintaining a healthy garden a snap.
-HG

GLUMPISM- "Spring is born when you plant a garden in your mind."

Leftover Lasagna

As you may have read in my earlier post "Lasagna Gardening," I am an advocate of the Lasagna Gardening method. With this method, It is super easy to build a new garden bed. You can even plant the same day you build one if you like. The first season of gardening in a Lasagna bed, you'll quickly see the benefits--no tilling, virtually no weeding, and healthy plants with robust harvests. At the end of the growing season, add a few layers of peat moss and other organic matter and you're done. Come next growing season, you'll discover one more added bonus benefit.

After a long hard winter, when you sneak out to survey the garden, you'll discover that your Lasagna bed soil has become even more beautiful than last year. All that is needed to get ready for planting is to fluff up the soil with a cultivating fork and perhaps add a couple of layers of compost and peat moss. To fluff the soil I prefer to use a long-handled, four-tine cultivating fork so you don't even have to bend over. The only down-side is that you'll miss out on all the quality time that you and your rototiller used to spend together each spring trying to restart your relationship.

-HG

GLUMPISM- "Gardeners are the only people I know who enjoy dirty looks."