Ramblings of Garden Tool Co.
Posts tagged gardening tool quality
Planning Your Garden…Tools
01 month ago
Planning this spring’s garden can be fun activity and it can be a bit overwhelming. Those garden supply and seed catalogs have been filling your mailbox and every year the gorgeous pictures in these catalogs give us an idea of what gardens and vegetables look like in the perfect world…you know, that world that has set designers, lighting consultants, make-up artists and I’m guessing someone whose job it is to shine the vegetables or airbrush a little more color on the flowers.
Well, that’s not my gardening world and I’m guessing it’s not yours. What’s in our gardening planning are all those tough jobs that go into making our gardens more beautiful or veggie gardens better producing.
You know what I’m talking about… what do I want to plant this year , does my soil need more amendments, what can I plant this year that requires less water, does this new planting area get enough sun, how will I deal with pests or disease, oh, and what about those weeds. These and hundreds of others are on our mind when we’re planning this year’s garden, but there is probably one thing you haven’t thought about…your garden tools.
I’m sure that at the end of the season last year you took inventory of your garden tools. While you were cleaning, sharpening and oiling your tools for their time off in the shed, you might have thought of a few tools that might make your gardening more enjoyable, but probably not. Well, now’s the time to start thinking about what garden tools you might need to replace or a new garden tool that will make your gardening easier.
Now I’m not saying that we all need every different garden tool out there, because we gardeners seem to find all kinds of uses for a single garden tool, but in your garden planning, is there a garden tool that will make your job easier, more enjoyable and less tiresome?
If you are buying new garden tools this year, purchase the best quality garden tools you can afford. It’s just counterproductive to buy cheap tools. You’ll be rewarded with a garden tool that not only lasts longer, but a tool that works harder and won’t end up in the landfill.
One last note and it’s a shameless one: If you’re looking for some of the finest garden tools made, you may just want to check out Garden Tool Company…quality garden tools and fast, neighborly service.
The Perfect Garden Hose
01 month ago
I absolutely hate it when I am out watering and suddenly the water pressure is gone. Inevitably it is the result of a kink in my hose that I have to go find and straighten out. Thank goodness we recently found the Tuff Guard hose that is designed to be virtually unkinkable. You can even tie it in a knot and the water still flows smoothly at full pressure. They call it the perfect garden hose and they aren’t lying.
We have bought so many hoses that claim to be better, only to find that they are just another problem hose that we spent more to buy. They kink, they crack, they crush, they are hard to roll up or the fitting goes bad, and there we are at the store again buying another one.
The Tuff Guard hose is extremely lightweight and easy to coil – even when full of water. We live in Northern Colorado where the temperature can drop into single digits or below and this hose stays flexible even on the cold days.
I also love the choice of colors. At Garden Tool Company we offer it in green, blue, red and pink and when you buy the pink hose, they make a donation to Breast Cancer. So if you are tired of buying hoses over and over, check out the Tuff Guard hose and see if you also find it to be the perfect garden hose.
Red Pig Garden Tools…Handmade, Hardworking and Made in the USA
01 month ago
When was the last time you had something in your hand that was truly handmade? Probably a long time, right? The days of products being made by a person and not a machine have gone by the wayside…well, not so!
There’s a small blacksmith shop in Boring, OR that still makes garden tools the old fashioned way…with fire, a heavy anvil, hammers and a lot of sweat.
Bob Denman, his wife Rita and an apprentice are all that make up the company Red Pig Garden Tools and they like it that way! Bob handcrafts each garden tool from raw steel the same way he’s been doing it for over 15 years…with fire and muscle.
Red Pig Garden Tool are now available at Garden Tool Company, so please click over to our website for a closer look at what real quality, handmade garden tools look like.
Click here to see more of these Red Pig Garden Tools.
The Best Gardening Gifts Should Last a Lifetime!
02 months ago
Is it a gardening gift you’re buying or just more garden junk? Gifts for the gardener seem all the rage these days and because of that, it seems that every garden and non- garden retailer wants to sell you the “Perfect Garden Gift”.
So, what is a good gift for the gardener in your life? Well, it’s not another pair of cheap pruners (have 10 already), it’s not a designer resin “Welcome to my garden” sign and it’s certainly not that fake rock with the speaker built into it.
Why not buy them something they can enjoy using while doing something they love and last a lifetime…a quality garden tool.
Not very often does a gardener walk out to the garden without carrying with them that favorite garden tool and if it’s one of good quality, they’ll be thinking of the person who gave them that tool for many, many gardening seasons.
Now where can you find these quality garden tools? Garden tool quality is as varied as the shapes and sizes of the tools themselves, so first look for a good warranty, preferably lifetime. Then look at the company selling you the garden tool; are they going to stand behind that warranty should something go wrong? Find those two qualities and you’re well on your way to making a gardener very happy.
I’m a little biased, but I just happen to know of one such place to purchase quality garden tools:
Garden Tool Company – quality garden tools and fast, neighborly service…when neither seem easy to come by these days!
New Garden Tools at Garden Tool Co.
010 months ago
by Blake Schreck
in Garden Tools
New garden tools…gotta love them. And if you’re a “tool geek” like me, then every time a box full of new tools comes in, its Christmas all over again.
We just received five new garden tools and I thought I’d share what they are…so here goes.
If you’re looking for some traditional straight edged hedge shears, these hedge shears from Berger in Germany are just the ticket. You’ll feel the quality the first time you hold them in your hands.
These wavy edge hedge shears by Berger of Germany are quality through and through. The wavy blades help keep branches from sliding when cutting and has a notch at the base of the blade for cutting slightly thicker branches. Berger hedge shears have a nice balanced feel.
This flower and grape gatherer is a handy little garden tool. These gathering scissors allow you to cut and hold your flowers with just one hand. That’s right…one handed. A spring located just above the cutting blade holds on to the stem after its been cut.
This gardeners knife from Victorinox combines two useful blades in on knife…an all purpose straight blade and grafting blade. A good choice for a gardener that wants an all purpose pocket garden knife.
This Istor Duplex Sharpener from Felco is the ideal all purpose garden tool sharpener. Great for sharpening pruners, secateurs, scythes, sickles, scissors, knives, and even heavier blades such as hoes, brush knives, axes, lawn mower blades and much more.
If you’d like to learn more about these tools and so many more, please visit us at: www.gardentoolcompany.com
Garden Kneeler – Garden Tool and Unsung Hero
01 year ago
by Blake Schreck
in Garden Tools
At the end of a long day of gardening; what garden tool helped make it easier? You probably didn’t say – my garden kneeler. But if you’re like me, any amount of time spent on my knees will haunt me long after my gardening day is over.
We search out and buy the best garden tools for their long lasting quality and ability to make or gardening chores easier, yet we often overlook the one tool that can help us enjoy it longer – the Garden Kneeler.
Garden kneelers are as simple as a foam pad for kneeling and models that are a combination kneeler and seat. Garden kneelers come in many sizes and just about any color you can imagine. Try a garden kneeler, your knees will thank you and you’ll be able to enjoy your gardening longer.
Garden kneelers available at: Garden Tool Company.
Hori Hori Knife – The MacGyver of Garden Tools
01 year ago
by Blake Schreck
in Garden Tools
There’s a reason so many gardeners keep the Hori Hori close by…it’s so damn handy in and around the garden? The Hori Hori knife digs, weeds, cultivates, cuts roots, is a planting tool and with a little imagination…fight off marauding bears.
The first time I saw a Hori Hori knife was in a catalog many years ago and it was listed as a great little weeder. Being married to my wife Anne – President of “The Weed Haters Club of the Universe”, I thought it would make a great gift, so I ordered one and wrapped it up. Well…we went to the in-laws for Christmas and when Anne opened the Hori Hori knife, there we’re more than a few puzzled looks at her gift. (…you got her a hunting knife?) Then it sunk in…Anne and Blake live in Colorado, so surely she needs a Hori Hori knife for all of those “marauding bears”! Well…maybe just “marauding weeds”.
All kidding aside, the Hori Hori knife is genuinely one handy garden tool that you’ll find yourself using for so many things when gardening. Its double-sided blade is made from tough stainless steel with a sharp edge on one side and a serrated edge on the other. It’s fitted with hardwood handle and made to last a lifetime.
To see more of the Hori Hori knife, visit Garden Tool Company
How to Recognize the Best Quality Garden Tools
02 years ago
by Anne Schreck
in Garden Tools
After years of buying and replacing garden tools, I have finally learned that when you buy quality tools, they can last for a lifetime rather than a season or two. I may have been a little slow but eventually I got really tired of contributing broken crap to the landfills and decided to learn what makes a garden tool high quality.
I would like to share some of the information that I have gathered to help you learn to identify quality in a garden tool so that you can feel confident about what you buy. I would also like to offer thanks to Fred Walden of fredshed from whom I learned a lot.
The head of the garden tool is the first thing to check when it comes to quality. The material should be high quality steel and it should be forged rather than pressed or machine formed. Yes, indeed I have learned about forging! Forging involves heating the metal and then shaping it by force and produces a stronger more durable piece than machining. A single piece of steel is used to prevent the need for welds or other connections that weaken the piece. The quality and care taken finishing the head is another factor that can impact the sharpness of the cutting edges of the tool and its ability to retain a sharp edge.
A number of types of steel are used in producing gardening tools, including stainless steel, Boron steel as well as some proprietary blends. Wow, who knew there were so many kinds of steel and I even watch Modern Marvels and the Science channel? Stainless is the most resistant to corrosion but is also typically more expensive. Many pieces are tempered to provide for additional flexibility. Some quality tools have a polished stainless steel finish, while others are burnished or painted. The polished stainless is shiny and looks pretty while the tempered has an old-world feel. High quality steel helps maintain a sharp edge to the tool so you don’t have to worry about sharpening the tools all the time.
Another thing to check regarding the head of a garden tool is the connection to the handle. The metal should wrap securely around the shaft and be well connected because it really sucks when you break the handle off a tool. Hardwoods such as ash make for excellent sturdy handles. A wooden handle typically offers more flexibility and less vibration and cold transfer than a metal or fiberglass handle and many toolmakers today use sustainable woods. Plastic can also be a good handle choice for smaller garden hand tools.
A variety of handle designs are offered for longer garden tools including a T-shape, D-shape or straight handle with a ball on the end to prevent your hands from sliding off. Garden hand tools come with many styles and grips as well, including ergonomic and two handed models. The shape of any garden tool handle is a matter of personal preference and there is no one best model, but a T-shape on a longer tool or a two handed model hand tool can give you more pushing power and greater leverage.
The length of the handle on garden tools depends heavily on the tool, your height, whether you prefer to use it sitting, kneeling or standing and what you are using it for. The longest handles provide you with the greatest reach and leverage and require less bending when working while shorter handles give you more flexibility and precision in tighter areas. For gardening tools used while standing a longer handle requires more arm strength which is an area where I am somewhat lacking while a shorter handle requires more leg strength where I do better.
