Politic, cautious, and meticulous;
Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse;
At times, indeed, almost ridiculous—
Almost, at times, the Fool.
I grow old ... I grow old ...
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.
-- T.S. Eliot - The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
The idea for this post came to me this morning when I was digging out bermuda grass with a spading fork because it is easier on an aging back than a grubbing hoe which requires some bending and pulling that is quite uncomfortable compared to pushing and levering. I rarely use a regular hoe and was reminded of that when I read (a blog) that mentioned our favorite garden tools.
A regular hoe and a rake require a repetitive motion that is hard on the shoulders. My rotator cuffs are intact and I try to keep them that way having endured a spouse who had the surgery. Neither time was a picnic for the patient nor the nurse.
The part about rolling the bottoms of the trousers: We were replacing the polycarb panels that blew out in a recent storm. DH kept pulling up his britches legs as he went up the ladder. I finally reached up and ROLLED them so he didn't trip.
If there is just a flat of plants and a trowel and bulb planter (I use a bulb planter to make little holes for tiny transplants.) I use a little green wagon. If I'm sifting and hauling compost I use a wheelbarrow.
My little green wagon loaded with favs: metal watering can,
trenching spade, spading fork, bulb planter and short hand rake.
My favorite shovel is a trenching spade with a long slender blade.
My favorite watering can is galvanized metal. Plastic watering cans here have turned into dog toys.
I have an assortment of pruning shears from tiny nippers to heavy-duty loppers with a gear mechanism that makes cutting through limbs and small saplings easy. In a pinch, I can operate an electric chain saw.
I read a blog the other day where the gardener said cheap tools were good enough. I buy good quality tools. I bought a cheap rake last year. As soon as I got it home I realized why the other brand was twice the price. It was twice the rake and I exchanged for a good rake. Even a seldom-used rake needs to be sturdy.
The best garden tool is the computer. Take frequent breaks when the weather is hot. I get some iced tea and read a few garden blogs or work on my own.
Give the video a moment to load, please.
On an extreme day, I enlist the help of He-Who-Mows who has an solution for my every problem.