Past Spring

You may have been anxiously awaiting this list from Jean, it’s for the Aching Gardener. You don’t have to be old to have aches and pains, especially on the first gardening days of spring. These tools can be used by anyone, but will be particularly welcome by those with limited strength, or arthritis.

• Radius Tools. You can’t go wrong with this brand’s tools with ergonomic handles. Originally, the company made small hand tools but they now offer a whole range of ‘gardener friendly’ spades, forks, and even sprinklers and nozzles. You can shop right on the website.
• This free publication, Arthritis and Gardening, is sponsored by the USDA, and offers ideas on how to garden, even with joint pain and limited strength.
• Ray Padula Hose Nozzles, especially the thumb control model, is one of the easiest to operate thumb-controlled hose-end nozzles. They are perfect for anyone with the arthritis in their hands. Like Jean! She found her hose-end nozzle at a local independent garden center.
• Green Heron Tools specializes in what they call “hergonomic” tools for women. They also sell a glove for arthritic hands. You can shop on their site.
• Dramm Color Point Hedge Shear. At half the weight of its closest competitor, this colorful and sturdy tool cuts without a hitch, and keeps its edge without frequent sharpening. Available at Amazon.
• VegTrug. Jean’s had her VegTrug for five years, and it’s become a fixture on her patio. It’s a sturdy, waist-high planter. Jean says it’s great for starting seeds in early spring. She likes to use it for starting lettuce and other veggies, but she’s also used it for starting cut flowers.
• Silky Zubat 270 is a professional style saw that cuts like butter. Really! It is perfect for gardeners with limited strength. It’s well-made with an excellent feel. It’s not inexpensive, but you’ll find its value every time your special gardener goes to cut a branch or saplings that may have gotten out of hand. Available from the manufacturer via Amazon.

Universal Needs

This is Jean’s Every Gardener Needs One List. No matter what your gardener grows, you’ll rack up some serious brownie points if you gift one of these items.

• Fiskars Kangaroo Gardening Bag is big, lightweight, perfect for leaves, and collapses for storage. It holds 30 gallons! It has either a soft or hard-shell bottom. Available directly from the manufacturer.
• Small snippers, either from Dramm Compact Pruners or Fiskars Softouch Micro-tip Pruning Snips. Jean has both kinds and reports that they have lasted several years. She uses them both indoors and out. Great for snipping small stems.
• Greenhouse Megastore is an online site with all kinds of gardener goodies from tools to pots and fertilizers, heck, there’s even outdoor lighting fixtures. Gift certificates are available.
• Felco is one of the best manufacturers of hand tools and makes an ergonomic pruner. Every gardener needs a pruner. These pruners are available in a number of sizes. Jean suggests it’s best to physically handle them before choosing a pair so a gift card may be a good idea.
• TubTrugs. These versatile tubs are lightweight and handy for harvesting, hauling, storing, mixing soil and so forth. They are available online.
• Nutscene Twine can be incredibly useful to a gardener. Nutscene Twine, made in Scotland, is available through Amazon in several colors.
• The American Horticultural Society Outdoor Living is a paperback guide. It is a wonderful read with a ton of detailed color photos for making all kinds of things such as a gazebo, a mosaic tabletop, a solar-powered fountain, and more.
• She Sheds is a book for the female gardener who dreams of a retreat of her own that’s located in the midst of the garden. You know the place, it’s the gardener’s equivalent of a ‘man cave’.
• And, if you’re timid about choosing a specific gardening product, go to Gardener’s Supply for a gift card.

Happy Holidays, everyone!