Yard Tools, continued

Some essential gardening and yard care tools don't always fall into the traditional tool category. However, they are as useful and labor-saving as familiar tools such as shovels and pruners.

 

Watering can.

Because water is crucial to the well-being of plants, the watering can is an old standby. Originally made from galvanized metal -- and now in a variety of materials from brass to plastic -- it retains its classic form. A bucket-like reservoir that holds the water is flanked with a bowed handle on one side. On the opposite side, a long spout capped with a sprinkler head, or rose, protrudes. Choose a can that feels balanced when full, and holds a generous amount of water without straining your arms as you carry it.

 

Watering tools.

A nozzle, which used to be made of brass and now comes in a variety of materials, sizes, and shapes -- is essential to control the stream of water coming out of the hose. A watering wand, a long tube extension with a sprinkler head at the tip, converts the hose to a long-distance watering can. Use it to water containers, hanging pots, and beds. The wand should have a shutoff at its connection to the hose to prevent wasting water. Another key tool is a sprinkler, which you attach to the hose and place on the ground. It oscillates or rotates to deliver water to beds and lawns. The best sprinklers have timers and adjustments for the stream width and direction of the stream.

 

Hose.

A hose is indispensable for maintaining plants in any yard or garden larger than a few square feet. At every life stage, plants need water for good health, and a hose at the ready can bridge periods of scant rainfall. Buy the best hose your budget will allow. Choose a rubber or vinyl hose constructed of several layers of mesh and with sturdy connectors to ensure long life. It will save you from carrying a watering can during hot weather.

 

Sprayer.

Fertilizers, tonics, fungicides, insecticidal soaps, and many other products are water-soluble and most effective if sprayed on plant foliage. Although many come packaged ready-to-use in spray bottles, they are more economical in concentrated form that you mix in water. Sprayers that attach to the hose and dilute automatically are convenient. You might want to have a one- or two-gallon pump sprayer for small jobs. Larger backpack units are useful for spraying fertilizer over broader areas such as lawns.

 

Safety glasses.

Special glasses made from sturdy plastic are a must. Choose from various styles that feature wrap-around lenses to protect eyes from flying objects while mowing, sawing, chopping, or tilling. Some models are designed to fit over prescription eyeglasses. Others may be tinted for work in the sun or attached to a hard hat for construction or arbor work. Be sure they fit snugly over your ears to prevent slipping.

Yards and gardens generate a lot of debris that you need to transport to the compost pile. They also benefit from the loads of organic matter and mulch you haul in and distribute. Garden carts and wheelbarrows do these jobs and many others. Use a stable, two-wheeled cart with high sides for large, bulky loads. It can handle up to 500 pounds on its pneumatic tires. The smaller, nimbler wheelbarrow -- available in one- or two-wheel models -- is easier to maneuver around small spaces.

 

Gloves.

Different types of gloves protect hands from different injuries. Have several pairs available for yard-care tasks. Choose leather or cloth gloves to avoid blisters from repetitive tasks such as sawing, pruning, and shoveling. Wide-cuffed or long gloves coated with nitrile or plastic protect wrists and forearms when you're working with thorny plants. Latex or rubber gloves protect against soil-borne fungi that cause dermatitis. Check the fit by making a fist, then feel for finger fit at the tips of the glove fingers.

 

Kneelers.

While one of the many attractions of gardening is the opportunity to kneel down close to the soil, getting up gracefully afterward can become a problem as age takes its toll on your knees and back. Kneelers of various kinds cushion the contact with the hard ground. Those that have a metal frame with tall side bars also help you stand up afterward. Low gardening seats -- either on metal frames or on wheeled tool carts -- also ease back and knee strain. Some knee pads strap over pants to protect your knees and keep your pants clean.