Garden Variety
Is it the anticipation of real tomatoes come July, or a bit of Martha Stewart in us all? Either way, the annual foray into the loam to sow the seeds of spring is upon us, the 75 million American households who spend an estimated $25 billion annually on gardening equipment and tools.
If that seems like a lot of money for mulch, consider that the gardening market is growing in several ways: advancing technologically, but also rediscovering tried-and-true methods, as evidenced by some of the new tools available this season.
“The trend in tools is toward more variety,” says Michael MacCaskey, editor in chief of National Gardening magazine in Burlington, Vt. “This means a lot of cheaper tools, many of them made of plastic, but it also means higher-end lines. The baby boomers are getting older, they have a little cash, and they like nice things. They’ve created and supported places like Smith & Hawken.”
The upscale, 16-year-old Smith & Hawken sends out 19 million catalogs a year, available by calling (800) 776-3336, and is offering a several new products this season, either through mail or at five Southern California locations (Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Santa Barbara, San Diego and Costa Mesa).
The Italian-made Claber Watering System, a hand-held watering wand with four settings, works like an adjustable-flow shower head ($26). There are enough optional attachments to turn your garden into a water park.
For the southpaw with a green thumb, there’s a Swiss-made Felco Pruner (also available for righties) with the blade on the left side, allowing the gardener to get closer to the trimmed base ($49).
MacCaskey says consumers are also paying more attention to design. “It’s a very competitive market, where the most minor changes--like the bend in the handle of a rake--makes a tool more attractive and work better. And there’s a big trend toward ergonomic tools, because they’re more efficient.”
One of the new ergonomically conscious tool lines comes from V & B Manufacturing, a division of Vaugh & Bushnell, the world’s largest manufacturer of hammers, based in Walnut Ridge, Ark. V & B’s new Groundbreakers line, a 13-piece set of planters, trenchers, picks and axes, features tool heads that fit interchangeably onto different length tool handles and a rectangular-fit, tool-to-handle fit that avoids wobbling.
“We’ve taken some of the principles they’ve used in toolmaking for centuries, like curved handles, and updated them,” says spokesman Frank Burgmeier. The tools are computer-balanced and made out of a corrosion-resistant ductile iron. Lightweight yet strong, they afford a flexibility that is beneficial to senior gardeners and the physically impaired, and they are endorsed by the American Horticultural Therapy Assn.
Perhaps the most versatile of the Groundbreakers line is the multipurpose hammer-size Mini-Tiller, with a mattock blade for digging and chopping, plus long 4 1/2-inch tines for cultivating (about $13 at major hardware stores).
Lili Singer, editor and co-publisher of the Southern California Gardener, agrees that there’s a move toward classic tools. “The old methods lost favor after WWII with the advent of petrol chemicals. What we’ve come to realize is, these methods may not be good for us, nor are the good for the environment.”
Singer, who has carpel tunnel syndrome (“I got it in the nursery, not at the computer,” she notes) favors the new ergonomic hand tools. “I use a new ratchet-pruner they sell at Smith & Hawken [$22] that gives a little ‘click’ every time you cut. It’s good for people with wrist problems.”
She also recommends the new ergonomic tools from Fiskars, a Helsinki-based company celebrating its 350th anniversary in 1999 and perhaps best known for its orange-handled household scissors. “There’s a lightweight trowel with a handhold, and the Soft-Touch shears are very, very nice,” Singer says. Another new Fiskars product is the PowerGear Lopper, a high-strength, low-weight trimmer that delivers greater cutting power with improved comfort (about $37).
Black & Decker also seems to be getting on the “old-school” bus with new electric and battery-powered products that are lighter, smaller, easier to transport and more ecologically sound than their fuel-guzzling counterparts.
“Some people don’t want to mess with gas,” says Dan Kelpinski, department manager of Orchard Supply Hardware in Hollywood, which carries the new Black & Decker line. “If you have a small lawn, especially, electrical is a good idea.”
The Touch-Feed Trimmer / Edger has a hand-feed for the trimmer line (as opposed to the traditional static cutting line), allowing you to adjust the swath ($50).
A cordless blower ($30) features a rechargeable battery pack ($30), eliminating the noxious, oily smell given out by most blowers, and running about 30% quieter, according to the manufacturer. Several new hedge trimmers with varying blade lengths (a 22 inch for hedges, a 13 inch for grass) also run on electricity ($60 each).
Now it’s time to get your hands good and dirty. And, speaking of soil, there’s a world of new options for those with a commitment to composting . . . but don’t get us started. For this and all the latest dirt, check out your local nursery or gardening center.
