Tools and Equipment

• Make a temporary tool rack in your garden with a recycled fruit juice can. Cut both ends of a large can, and nail it to a post in your garden. Put the handles of large tools into the can when not in use. Remember to take the tools with you when you leave the garden.

• A trigger nozzle or on/off valve on the hose is a real water-conserving device in the yard and garden. An open hose end pours out many gallons of water where it is not needed.

• For any gasoline-powered engine, do not refuel the tank when the engine is hot or running. A hot exhaust can ignite gasoline causing severe burns. Turn off the engine and allow it to cool at least five minutes before refueling.

• When choosing the location for a new building, remember modern, tree-moving equipment can make it possible to move desirable trees from the construction zone to another part of the landscape. Consult a professional arborist for advice.

• Do not allow children to ride on or drive riding lawn mowers. Such mowers are more dangerous than they appear. Always disengage the mower blades and set the brake, or turn off the engine before getting off for any reason.

• Large-mesh wire has many uses in the garden. Use it for a tomato cage, as a compost bin, to hold down black plastic, to hold mulches in place or as a half-cylinder with plastic over it for a mini-greenhouse.

• A mail box mounted on a post in the garden can hold plant ties, labels, small tools and other necessities often forgotten when out to the garden.

• Remove crusted mineral salts from clay pots by soaking pots in water for a few days. Start with hot water and renew the hot bath several times. Scrub off heavy salt build-up with steel wool and dish detergent. Sterilize pots before reuse by soaking them for ten minutes in a solution of 9 parts water to 1 part household bleach. To reduce salt build-up on clay pots, wipe them weekly with a cloth soaked in white vinegar.

• June is a great time to clean out the greenhouse. (Before it gets TOO hot!) Discard dead or diseased plants and old potting soil. Good sanitation is necessary to control greenhouse pests.

• The insect problem on your terrace after dusk may be reduced by using red or yellow light bulbs. Insects don't see these colors as well as others, so they're not as attracted to the light as they are when white lights are used.

• Identify garden pests before you attempt to control them. Remember, not ALL bugs are BAD bugs! Read up on Integrated Pest Management