Thursday, April 23, 2015

KIS - Yard & Garden Tools


I know from experience that one can get seriously carried away with acquiring garden supplies.  At one time I owned five shovels.  I don't like to dig that much so I'm not quite sure how that happened.

This is what I have now:

Two garden shovels
One snow shovel
Two garden rakes (we only need one but we found our old one buried under a pile of trash in the backyard after we replaced it)
One lawn rake
One hoe
Two hand shovels
Two hand cultivators
Two dandelion tools
Two hand pruners
One pair of trimmers
One broom
A bucket (it used to hold Costco laundry detergent)
A lawn mower
One watering can
Sprinklers and hoses

Why do we have two of anything?  Well there are three of us and it is hard to share one tool.  Plus if there is only one tool it means one person gets to do the work while the other two stand around and watch.  Kind of like road construction.  Not an efficient use of time.

The bucket is my favorite tool.  It stores all of our hand tools and when we are working I dump it out and use it to hold the weeds when we are pulling them, carry dirt when we are gardening or filling flower pots, carry bedding to replenish the coop, pretty much anything for that matter.  I also use it to carry water for watering plants.  It eliminates my need for a wheel barrow and if I do need one I can always borrow my neighbors.

We mow our lawn with a reel mower.  No need for a gas can and maintenance is pretty minimal.  It is also quiet and I find it requires no more energy to cut my grass with it than a power mower.  That is all my great-grandpa ever used and he had a huge lawn.  He lived well into his 90's too, so there you go. J


I have a designated area in my garage for storing these items.  Hooks on the pegboard wall for the rakes and shovels.  My bucket of tools  hangs on the pegboard as well while the  lawn mower rests on the floor below.  They don't take up too much space at all.

My hoses hang on a hose hanger on the side of my house and I keep my sprinklers there too.  I don't bring them in the winter time either.  I make sure they don't have water in them and then leave them hung up.  I do toss the sprinklers into the bucket of hand tools, however.

How do you keep your garden tools?  Do you have too many or just the right amount?


2 comments:

  1. I didn't have any garden tools until last month. I purchased a shovel, rakes and the lawn mower, old and used. As a novice gardener/homeowner, all I really need are the basics and as time passes I can add to my stash.
    I had to chuckle when I read that you use a laundry detergent bucket for numerous tasks around the yard. I use two small kitty litter buckets. One is kept in the storage building for outdoors use (a.k.a. the garage I'm afraid to put my car into) The other I use in the house for multiple tasks.
    I love when you share your practical and useful ideas with us. I never tire of your advice.
    Have a great weekend,
    Vanessa B

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Vanessa! I think the bucket is the most practical tool after the shovel. Great reuse of the kitty litter buckets. It is nicewhen we can use something like that and save it from the landfill and save ourselves the need to purchase something else too. Win-win! You and Little One have a fabulous weekend!

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