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Just when you thought they can't possibly think of another garden tool ... they do. Manufacturers are constantly coming up with ‘this seasons' answer to the struggles of gardening.
Each spring ... the advertisements start. At times, they seem more of a sign of spring, than the return of birds or the buds on the trees.
Most of us have spent hard earned money on one of these ‘must have garden tools' only to be sadly disappointed. And other tools have proven themselves to be the answer to our sore back prayers.
But the vast majority of garden tools are located somewhere in the middle ... from great to almost useless.
More work than they're worth
Often the promise of saving work takes more work to set up. We've all been there. The ongoing battle of weed control is a never ending saga. We have our pluckers, pinchers, flame throwers and chemicals all forming an impressive front line in the age old battle against the common weed.
For the unruly shrubs and trees we take out the bigger guns. Pruning tools, loppers and hedge trimmers designed for every possible circumstance are available. Interestingly enough they are all a slight variation on an age old tool our ancestors used.
A multitude of garden tillers are available to aid us in our unending desire to create just one more flower bed or extend the vegetable garden just a few more feet. Add these to the edgers, line trimmers and mowers available and you have a veritable army of garden weaponry.
Technology has lent its hand to the humble compost heap as well. Today you can get a double barrel garden composter or a model that will fit on your countertop.
How do you choose
So with all the options, how can one tell which advertisement to believe?
You never really can know for sure until you take it home and try it. What works for one gardener won't work for the next.
Word of mouth is a great way. The only thing we gardeners love more than digging in the dirt is talking about digging in the dirt.
We're a picky group. We're happiest when we're helping Mother Nature perfect what she created.
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