Tool Reviews

Fiskars UpRoot Weeder: Armed and Dangerous (to Dandelions)

May 2, 2012 68 comments
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Tools have all kinds of personalities. There are the delightfully snooty British ones which make me feel like I ought to bring my good china out into the garden and wear a floral hat while digging. And the sturdy Japanese ones which transport me to ancient times and make me feel like a noble samurai-type [...]

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Fiskars PowerGear Loppers (Part Two)

April 25, 2012 105 comments
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A year ago, my pruning life changed for the better. I didn’t realize it at first, as my partner Trevor stole my fresh new loppers to cut up kindling and I couldn’t find ‘em for a week. Once I did, I took them out to prune an overgrown Ceanothus into a lovely tree-like shape, and [...]

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Garrett Wade’s Professional Pruning Saws and Loppers

April 20, 2012 100 comments
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Are pruning saws mostly the same from brand to brand? I certainly thought so. They cut things (some better than others), and some fold or have a pole attached, but otherwise, pretty similar in how well they function, right? Nope! After trying at least 10 brands of saw over the 16 years I’ve run a [...]

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The Fiskars 62-inch Pruning Stik: A Perfectly Designed Pole Pruner

April 18, 2012 51 comments
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(Review originally appeared in Fine Gardening magazine.) In late winter, many fruit trees need pruning to encourage better production. But the awkward feel and heavy weight of most pole pruners leave many of us dreading this yearly task. That’s why I love the Fiskars 62-inch Pruning Stik. This pole pruner was designed to do one [...]

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The Worm Factory 360 and The Earth Moved (With Video!)

March 21, 2012 124 comments
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When I first bought my own home years ago, there was one fact that made me particularly happy: as a responsible grownup and a homeowner, I was now allowed to get any pets that I darn well wanted, so long as I could take good care of them. No landlords or reluctant parents to tell [...]

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The Tuff-Guard Hose is Lightweight and Doesn’t Kink

March 20, 2012 81 comments
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One of my most dreaded tasks is when clients have a hose that hasn’t been rolled up properly, so it’s bent and folded and won’t go back into place. Being the responsible horticultural professional I am, if I touch something, I have to leave it perfect. However, rolling up a heavy, kinked hose is a [...]

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EZ-Walls Plant Protector Extends the Season and Keeps Chickens Off New Plants

March 13, 2012 45 comments
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When I tell people I live in coastal California, they get this delightful image in their heads of sunshine, warmth, and many opportunities to suntan. Unfortunately for my vitamin D quota, I live at the other end of the state. It’s foggy, rainy, and doesn’t get all that warm, even in the middle of summer. [...]

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Lined Goatskin Gloves Keep Hands Warm For Winter Gardening

December 3, 2011 42 comments
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Us pro gardeners are pretty tough. Even so, every year I’m surprised at just how cold winter is. When you go out at 9 am to get a spot of pruning in, and find your breath catching in the cold, you start to appreciate all the little design elements in tools that keep you warm [...]

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Workin’ Like a Pro: Gardening Tools I Adore Right Now

October 5, 2011 11 comments
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You all know I’m a bit of a tool evangelist. After having countless employees bust up inferior tools during our 40-hour workweeks in the garden, I do get a bit swoony about the tools that last. But of course, merely surviving the garden isn’t good enough for pros. We do so much pruning, digging and [...]

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The Fiskars StaySharp Max Reel Mower

August 18, 2011 302 comments
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This review is of the premium StaySharp Max reel mower. There are also two budget models available that have different features. Read a comparison of the three mowers in the Fiskars StaySharp line here. Lately, I’ve been realizing just how much I hate mowing my lawn with my old gas mower. It’s stinky, it’s noisy, [...]

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