Cordless Trimmer
Cordless electrical garden and lawn tools are becoming more popular with gardeners because they are easy to use and have the benefit of lower sound and air pollution.
Poulan/Weed Eater Co. had recently introduced a full-size cordless trimmer called ClipStik that is very lightweight, easy to handle and sells for an affordable price.
ClipStik comes with a self-contained 6-volt battery and a plug-in recharger. According to the company, an overnight charge of about 16 hours will provide full trimming power for up to 45 minutes if used in a typical on-off fashion.
This trimmer is not as powerful as a gas or plug-in trimmer, and it is not meant for extensive trimming jobs. The ClipStik is, however, ideal for small yards and areas where an extension cord won’t easily reach. It is more than adequate for quick manicuring around trees, flowerbeds, lawn furniture, fences and walkways.
The ClipStik has a suggested retail price of under $50 and it should be available in many local retail outlets.
UC Agriculture Guides
For many years the University of California has put out useful agricultural guides for home gardeners and farmers alike.
These inexpensive publications are based on the university’s more than 100 years of agricultural research.
The most recent publications are listed in the university’s “1991 Catalog of UC Agricultural Publications.”
The catalogue is free and it contains hundreds of titles--many of which will be of interest to home gardeners. For instance, drought and water management are timely topics these days and the catalogue lists more than 50 titles on these two subjects alone.
Other subjects found in this catalogue of interest to gardeners include landscaping, raising fruits and nuts in the home orchard, plant nutrition, pest control, growing vegetables and many other useful topics.
To order a free catalogue, write to ANR Publications, Dept. NR, University of California, Oakland, Calif. 94608-1239.
Seed Dispenser
The Tiny Tim seed dispenser is a handy gadget for gardeners. The device resembles a fat hypodermic needle and is designed to dispense tiny- to small-size hard to handle seeds directly into the garden or into pots or trays.
The nozzle on the dispenser adjusts by turning to regulate the size and number of seeds to be dispensed.
The idea is to dispense seeds accurately and to eliminate the need to thin plants later. It is also a valuable aid for people suffering from arthritis of the fingers as it eliminates the need to try to pick out and plant individual seeds from a group of seeds.
The Tiny Tim seed dispenser is meant for use strictly on small seeds such as pansy, petunia, portulaca, carrot, lettuce or tomato seeds. It won’t handle any seeds larger than radish seeds.
The Tiny Tim seed dispenser is inexpensive. Details can be obtained from Nicol & Associates, 65 Newtown Ave., Stratford, Conn. 06497; phone (203) 375-1067.
