The mechanical, or power, machines are bringing about changes in gardening. The mower-mulcher, for example, suggests a new way to gather fall leaves and use them for mulching. You run it over the lawn in the usual way. The leaves are cut into small fragments and deposited beneath or to one side of the machine, where they sift down among the grass leaves and form a light, protective mulch layer. This decomposes after a while and adds to the organic fertility of the lawn.
Other equipment to have on hand that will keep you from running to the store just when you want to be out working on the grounds, includes: plant ties, stakes, labels; burlap or canvas, chicken wire, garden line; a yardstick and a measuring cup and spoons; creosote and other needed paints and a paintbrush ; sand, peat moss, lime, plant foods and insecticides and other chemicals and, finally, pots and flats.
Storage Tips
Storage of garden tools in a precise fashion helps keep them in good working order, and saves you time in locating them. A tool house 3×6 feet can take care of a great deal of equipment. Because tools are usually kept in unlighted places, and often not wiped off after use, rust is the major enemy. One way to safeguard against rust is to keep vulnerable tools away from air when not in use, storing them in a box of sand saturated with crank-case oil. Avoid having so much oil that it makes the tools greasy and hard to handle, and do not put the working parts of the tools, such as the pivot part of shears, in the sand.
The garden hose is often badly taken care of. Besides using a reel, you can preserve the life of your hose by not letting it kink while water is running through it. Don’t leave it in the hot summer sun (especially if it is a plastic hose). Coil it loosely on your reel or rack made on the exposed studding of your garage. An improvised reel can be fashioned from wooden TV cable or wire reels.
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