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The Tucson Gardener |
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In the Garden Calendar
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Stop Losing Tools A favorite misplaced tool of The Tucson Gardener is a brown metal dust pan used to help pick up swept or raked materials. Sooner or later the dust pan gets balanced on the side of a trash container and eventually gets knocked into the trash to disappear forever.
Without the colorful red tape the knife in the photo at the left would be lost in the foliage of these daikon radishes. If you've got the inclination you can buy a bright paint and put a coat or two on the handle. A quicker way is to buy brightly colored tape that can be wrapped around the handle. The multi useful duct tape can be purchased in several colors. The increased visibility might keep you from losing a garden tool or two.
Compost Helper Many of the seed or garden supply catalogs advertise compost thermometers. With ideal composting temperatures between 95 and 130 degrees you'll know when your compost pile is working its hardest. When it's not, it's time to turn the pile and maybe add some moisture to get things percolating again. When you've done everything in your power to raise the inner temperature of the pile but it will not increase then the thermometer has given you an indication that your compost is ready to use. (1998) |
Some manufacturers are clever enough to use bright colors on
handles so the tool can be easily spotted if they get set down somewhere.
Others leave their wood handles a natural color that blends into the landscape.