United Country Real Estate 2020 2nd Edition

GAR by Angela Smith

OO FOR COUNTRY HOMES

Keeping a lush garden is one of the true joys of owning a country home. Whether you use your garden for growing fruits and veggies or just as a haven in which to relax and enjoy, having the proper tools can make the job a whole lot easier and more effective.

GLOVES – A good pair of gardening gloves are essential to keep splinters, thorns and cuts away. Be sure to buy a pair that’s durable, fits well, is water-resistant and also breathable. A glove with a longer cuff is good for protecting your forearms from scrapes and letting soil in as well. PRUNING SHEARS – Keep plants from growing out of control and taking over your garden with a good set of pruning shears. Get a pair of bypass pruners for pruning live plants and green wood, and a set of anvil pruners for pruning dead wood. For clean cuts and to reduce plant injuries, make sure to sharpen your pruners regularly. LOPPERS – Essentially long-handled pruners, loppers can trim in hard-to-reach places. Their long handles also give you more leverage, allowing you to cut through branches larger than an inch in diameter. As with pruners, there are both bypass loppers and anvil loppers for different jobs. HANDTROWEL – Trowels are an essential tool for taking out weeds, transplanting bedding plants and planting containers. A long, narrow blade is best for rocky soils, while a broader blade can move the most soil in non-rocky areas. GARDEN FORK – Basically a miniature pitchfork, garden forks are perfect for turning soil. Get a fork with curved tines for scooping mulch or turning compost, or one with straight tines for digging in compacted, rocky or clay soils. SPADE – These short, square-handled shovels make easy work of digging holes, edging, lifting sod and moving dirt. Invest in a good spade and it can last you a lifetime. HOE – Hoes are perfect for preparing garden and flower beds or cutting down weeds. Select a strong, wide hoe for veggie gardens, or a thinner hoe for perennial gardens. RAKE – There’s no better tool for removing leaves and debris than the humble rake. A standard leaf rake works well for a number of different uses and is a great place to start.

WHEELBARROW – If you need to move soil, compost or mulch around, a good wheelbarrow is your best friend. Traditional single-wheel, dual-handle models can be a bit harder to balance, while single- handle, dual-wheel wheelbarrows are best for those with limited strength or use on uneven terrain. HANDTRUCK – A hand truck or dolly is the perfect tool for moving heavy potted plants and mulch bags around, and is much easier to load than a wheelbarrow. A landscaping hand truck will have larger wheels and a wider base, but for small loads on relatively smooth terrain, any hand truck will do. Looking for a new place to plant your garden and put down some roots? Since 1925 United Country Real Estate has helped buyers and sellers of country homes throughout the USA and beyond. Visit UnitedCountry.com today to learn more. Sources: https://www.gardendesign.com/how-to/tools.html https://garden.org/thread/view/56882/Useful-Hand-Truck/