Tool tips for Spring.

Many gardeners will be admiring the display of spring flowering shrubs in the coming weeks. Those blooms are the result of careful pruning of the shrub following the flowering period, and because the sap is rising at this time of year the tools you use to maintain the form of your shrub soon becomes sticky with sap which can spoil the cutting action.

Essential garden tools like pruning shears or secateurs benefit from frequent cleaning and sharpening which will prolong the life of the product; as well as ensuring that plant material is cut cleanly and therefore minimising the risk of disease affecting your plant. My own choice is the Felco Brand.

The company website produces a useful guide to dismantling and servicing their products which

can be found on the web site.

Felco

For a fistful of dollars!

Now that the nights are drawing in and the garden heads towards a period of winter dormancy, at least in the northern hemisphere, there are opportunities to be had in the purchasing of both plants and tools from the seasonal stock in the garden centres and supermarkets. One of my bargains of the year, so far but I’m still looking, was this selection of garden tools reduced by a large supermarket chain who were clearing there shelves to make way for Christmas stock. 

All of the tools have (Ash tree) wooden handles and stainless steel blades. They cost only pennies each to buy so even if they only last a couple of years we will be more than happy.

Take your pick!

A splash of rain and hail storm wet the ground enough to allow us to clean up the ‘hierbas malas’ (weeds), that were beginning to encroach into paths around our raised seed and cuttings beds. The recent moisture will invigorate the plants though not so much as it will stimulate the weeds. Even if you think of the weeds as ‘native plants’ or ‘plants that are simply growing in the wrong place’, as some would have it, they (the weeds) are still a pain in the neck and will quickly swamp your desperate efforts at cultivation. Here on previously uncultivated or compacted ground we have found that the most useful of gardening tools is the pick, a spade or fork will simply not cut the stony ground. Tree roots, buried water pipes and electrical cables all prevent the use of heavy excavators. So for now we will do it the hard way, by hand; ‘poco y poco’ (little by little) as the Spanish advise us.  

TV Gardener

We have now got satellite television. The beam used contrary to Internet page advice is the Astra southern beam. Given that the strong winds of the Tramontana blow from the north and that that would interfere with the signal strength that seems reasonable enough.

The only realistic site for the dish is between two of the newly pruned Mulberry trees, this means that the branches of one of the trees may have to be kept in check so that they do not interfere with the signal.



Now we have the system it means I can keep up with my favourite garden programs, though watching people digging with a fork and spade instead of a pick or mechanical digger does seem an oddity!

Hacking and Slashing

Spending a little time in our UK garden where some serious work needs to be undertaken.

 Recent gale force winds have delayed the renewal of fence panels which have become damaged over the years. Close feather-boarded panels are the most common type of panels in use though not really the most suitable. Something that filters the wind and yet maintains our privacy would be better. Another problem is that heavy rain combined with clay soil takes its toll of the fence posts. The fence is situated behind our mature shrubs which need to be pruned so that we can get to the fence. 

Carol loves to hack and slash at the shrubs and trees in our garden so she is always first to reach for the loppers and secateurs. 

I often have to send search and rescue parties out to untangle her from the undergrowth on those occasions when she gets carried away with the pruning.