Bonehead said:Huh that's weird. I only plant daffy and they reliably return and multiply. Tulips on the other hand I avoid like the plague. Shrug.

Same here. I avoid tulips but the Dutch town I live in has enough for everyone to enjoy. Daffodils for me

Two garden goodies that have become favorites for me this year...

https://www.amleo.com/leonard-... I love this garden glide. It allows me to easily move large bags of soil, compost, birdseed, potted plants, firewood.

And this garden refuse hook works well in my raised beds. https://www.amleo.com/leonard-...

In fact their tool catalogue has become a favorite wish book for me too.

I like the look of that fork. It looks like it would be a great tool for mucking out stalls.

Perhaps.... but I'm really glad I don't have stalls to muck out at this stage in my life.

OTOH, I really do like the way it loosens and turns the dirt in my raised beds.

Red Wagon

I thought the other half was pixilated when she bought one of these but it has come in very , very handy

https://www.fleetfarm.com/stor...

RpR said:Red Wagon

I thought the other half was pixilated when she bought one of these but it has come in very , very handy

https://www.fleetfarm.com/stor...

Absolutely! My first one was second hand from a flea market. Handier than pockets on a shirt.

Pixilated?

After fighting with roto-tillers, I got a broadfork from Johnny's. Wonderful tool: silent, strong, effective, and it does a better job at tilling than those snarling infernal machines.

Gave some of my favorites a going-over: sharpened edges, sanded the handles, and then wiped them with linseed oil.

No one mentioned the very useful Gloves.

DianeJJones said: No one mentioned the very useful Gloves.

Very useful! I use different ones depending on the chore at hand.

And

pod said: Very useful! I use different ones depending on the chore at hand.

And

Today I was pulling some of those thistle weeds that just started to grow, they always pop up behind the garage, so I had full leather gloves on for that. Even the babies of those get their spines into any other type of garden glove.

I have an interesting pair of gloves that my daughter bought for me for Mother's day a few years ago. The right hand has 'claws on the fingers, stiff plastic pointed diggers so you can weed, and dig holes and do lots of stuff with them. Not good for every job, but they sure work great for some. They come with claws on right or left hand or claws on both hands.

Let me say these are available for cheap ($10) on amazon and elsewhere, but the cheap ones that I got first don't last more than a couple of months in (my) regular use. This pair is the original made by Honey Badger and is far more sturdy and higher quality. Designed and developed in the US but no longer made here, it seems. Mine say "made in the USA" but they're a few years old. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EFEL31Q/

Can anyone recommend a good pair of loppers?

I think the ones I have are Fiskars - I would say whatever you get, get some with the "ratcheting" feature, unbelievable how much easier it is to cut through anything thicker than you should probably be attacking!

woofie said: Can anyone recommend a good pair of loppers?

https://www.bobvila.com/articl...

Amazon is not always the cheapest, or best place to buy.

I'm sorely tempted by this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007HZCR02/
Does anyone know anything about them? They seem quite reasonably priced and the reviews are good.

I love Fiskars brand. I have regular loppers and the anvil (the bigger one) style. I personally love the regular lopper for it's quick and easy work. The bigger one takes a bit more work but is good for bigger branches as well so it's still a keeper.

I mostly want them to hack back a rugosa rose that is trying to take over a flower bed. Heh, I didn't realize what I was getting into with that rose bush. The thorns on the stems are so profuse that it brings to mind medieval implements of torture. Next on the list is a suit of chain mail!

Woofie
Oh yes, I see Ragusa growing along the tree line of our back woods. The birds plant them. I don't care what grows back there, it's far away from my garden.
I have the Fiskar loopers. They are great for a bigger job like roots & branches.

Yeah, if I had planted the darn thing on the other side of the fence, it would be fine. It's a beautiful rose. Think I'll go ahead with the Fiskars. Thanks for the input, all. I'll let you know how they work out for me.