best tool if you want to go hardcore perennials
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
15 years ago
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paulan70
15 years agoRelated Discussions
WANTED: Your single best annual (or perennial)
Comments (45)Hi Bea, The vining cukes and/or beans sound like a cool idea in the flower beds. Thanks Regarding Belinda's Dream: Of all of the hundreds and hundreds of roses, the AARS only recommends two for the Southeast, which is pretty amazing. See link below. It is the only Hybrid tea that is highly fragrant and does not get blackspot or diseases. Here is a link that might be useful: AARS - Southeast...See Morebest tool to till in amendments on large lot
Comments (22)Using a tiller produces a finer grade of particle which seems fine when planting but it also means that when it settles and it will it packs more tightly; therefore your garden/yard soil will pack harder even if one never walks on it. Many people keep saying you never have to go deeper than x inches which means x inches of soil is worked and worked and worked and worked and worked till it is devoid of any natural material it once had. My gardens, combined, are only approx. fifty by sixty feet plus or minus but I usually every year dig at least one, more often two, holes approx. four by four, plus or minus at least sixteen inches deep and bury plant debri plus kitchen wastes and what ever I have in those holes to keep the sub-soil as rich as possible. The soil that was in the bottom of these holes also becomes the new top soil. Of late I have been shallow planting my potatoes but when I deep plant they are a minimum of eight inches deep and I do not want them sitting on pathetic sub-soil. No matter what some may say, especially those who use raised gardens and do not deal with the natural soil, rippers or sub-soil machines were developed for a reason. If you can get richer sub-soil, DO it, you only gain, you will lose nothing. Do not forget some trees have deep tap roots and the entire root area of others is very shallow which can be seen when they blow over....See MoreBest spring blooming perennials & best zinnias for butterflies?
Comments (31)This is a great thread to keep going. I observed the same springtime gap in blossoms that many have mentioned. Dianthus do bloom at the perfect time, so I've been trying to plant them, but haven't had much luck getting them to grow. This year I may just buy some plants and be done with it. I would encourage anyone who has the space, to grow as much Common Milkweed as possible. It is a great nectar source and is the primary species of milkweed that Monarchs depend upon. Because it spreads via the root system, it can bounce back even after being tilled into the ground. Prior to the widespread use of Round-Up, 90% of the milkweed used by Monarchs was growing between the rows of crops and along the roads. Since Round-Up and since the increase in the value of corn for production of ethanol, the availability of milkweed has dropped precipitously throughout the entire Midwest. This is threatening the existence of the miraculous migration. Monarchs will continue to exist in the south and west, but may disappear from the rest of North America. I apologize if I'm preaching to the choir, but I try to spread the word when I can. Hope everyone is having a blessed holiday season. Martha...See MoreBest yard tools ? Quality made ...
Comments (37)Here's a list of tools I could not live without: Digging Pole: (Same as above), mine has a "spear" end, and a chisel end, great for breaking through dried clay and prying out unruly plants, stones, etc. It will rust as the tips are worn, and it can also be sharpened. Heavy also, so beware. Hand Mattock: This is a tool that is so versatile, you may never use an individual fork or spade again. Mine is from Yard Butler, and has a great handle, and good heft and the weld seems to be strong so far. One end is the cultivating fork, the other is the traditional "mattock" end, a blend between a spade and a pick. Great for lifting, cultivating, dividing, just about anything. D-Handle Shovel: I have one of the Husky Brand shovels of this type, and the great thing about it is the "super socket" option, which means you can put a lot of leverage onto the shovel, and the risk of breaking the handle, or spade off, is very unlikely, they are also not as pricey as some of those brands mentioned above, which are of professional strength and durability. Literally a third of the cost of those. You can get the socket design for the digging spade, and transfer shovel ( I have both) these are both indispensable for gardening and planting, and mulching and cleanup. Thatching rake: Great way to clean up trouble spots in the lawn, or refresh thick thatch areas. Also, it is a great way to overseed thin, or reseed bare areas, because you can cut some nice grooves with the rake, better than a tine, or garden rake. Also, thatching this way is great exercise, so long as your yard is well under an acre. Mulching Rake: Not just great for mulch, but also works well for raking things out of grass delicately, without overly harming grass, a tined rake, or garden rake cannot boast this. In the prime season, if things have blown into the yard, I use it to remove the items without ripping up grass, since it has a small, plastic rake head. Also, the long handle is great for evening out mulch in big beds, or under big shrubs, when they are otherwise difficult to get to. Lastly, a great Wheelbarrow: I bought the Ames True Temper Poly Wheelbarrow, and have not been disappointed. There are many bad reviews on Home depot's site, and I cannot see why. My father in law and I built our 16x32 deck together, and we used this to move a broken up concrete pad, earth, rocks, timber scraps, not to mention, mixing over 70 bags of concrete in the tub. Also, I have used it to mix seed and earth for overseeding, and for transferring and dumping mulch. Only problem I have had is needing to fill the tires a couple of times, which makes sense, since I have put a lot of weight on it. I also love the ergronomic handles. Good Luck....See Moreprairiemoon2 z6b MA
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