Tools

Fiskars Cuts + More Scissors: For Gardeners Who Enjoy a Cocktail

February 3, 2011 24 comments
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Even in winter, at a certain hour of the evening I feel drawn to the garden to check on things and putter about, snipping a few stems of chard and some herbs for dinner, watering this, weeding that. There’s very little that could improve a peaceful half hour of puttering in the garden. You know [...]

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Clarington Forge Wizard Rubber Rake: Review and Giveaway

December 1, 2010 34 comments
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“A rubber rake? Seriously?” That was Amy’s reaction when we opened the carton of English gardening tools from Clarington Forge. My reaction? “YES!!! IT’S A RUBBER RAKE!!!” I’d never seen a rubber rake before, but I was immediately taken with the idea. First off, normal metal rakes are LOUD. I remember as a teen getting [...]

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The Garden Rant Cocktail Hour

November 24, 2010 4 comments
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… in which I’m proven wrong about the vileness of Pimm’s, Elizabeth of Gardening While Intoxicated tries to set fire to her newly-remodeled kitchen, and writer Amy Stewart shows off some spiffy English gardening tools from Clarington Forge (stay tuned for more on that next week!). Thanks to the ladies of Garden Rant for hosting [...]

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Cobrahead Weeding Tool: A Steel Claw for Veggie Gardening and Weeding Cracks

May 24, 2010 1 comment
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I’m constantly on the lookout for new and different ways of doing things in gardening. For one, it keeps things interesting, but also, if you garden as much as I do, having a few different ways of doing the same task can really help cut down on the risk of injury or repetitive strain on [...]

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The Stab Wiggle and Drop Technique for Planting Annuals Fast

May 14, 2010 0 comments
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You all know how I feel about my Stainless Steel Hori-Hori – if I’ve got that, my Bahcos, and gloves – I’m ready to tackle the world! Or, um, the world of gardening at least. Anyway, I want to show you a technique for planting six-packs of annuals or veggies FAST – the Stab, Wiggle [...]

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The GroundHog Rake: A Video Review, and Why I Love it for Mulching

May 6, 2010 4 comments
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This time of year, I’m adding a fresh layer of bark mulch to many of my gardens to hold moisture in and keep the weeds down. Right now it’s especially easy to do because the plants are still small from winter dormancy, so I can spread it out without having to bend and wiggle to [...]

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Video Review of Fiskars Powergear Hedging Shear

February 20, 2010 11 comments
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If you’ve hung around North Coast Gardening for any length of time, you know that I’m a sucker for tools that do multiple jobs well. This hedging shear is my go-to tool for cutting back perennials in fall and winter, pruning ornamental grasses and sword ferns in winter, and deadheading heathers and other plants that [...]

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Video Review of the Fiskars Pruning Stik, My Favorite Pole Pruner

December 12, 2009 9 comments
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Lightweight’s the name of the game for this pole pruner. I’ve been using these Fiskars Pruning Stiks for many years in my landscaping business and have not yet broken or had to retire one. Many pole pruners fail because they try to do too much – they have a saw, a lopper, they extend, and [...]

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How to Prune Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ (Video Tutorial)

November 30, 2009 15 comments
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Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is a true garden classic, especially paired with ornamental grasses, lavenders and colorful sages. It’s particularly great because during the summer when everything else is blooming, its greenish-white buds are getting bigger and bigger, creating a subtly beautiful show, then as everything else slows for the fall, ‘Autumn Joy’ bursts into bloom [...]

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Welcome to my OpenSky Store!

November 28, 2009 7 comments
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EDIT January 2011: I am no longer partnering with OpenSky to bring you my favorite gardening products. I’m now just helping you find the best online sources for the things I recommend. If you’ve hung out at North Coast Gardening for a while, you know I have some, ahem, opinions about gardening tools. Felcos? Forget [...]

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