We in Prosper are so lucky to have many new neighbors arriving by the day, it seems, due to all the recent growth around us. With Toyota and FedEx headquarters opening up shop, as well as many others, we are meeting with lots of new clients that, well, are just not very familiar with the basic things gardening-type folks take for granted. So, this column should help them and just beginner types as well!
In order to keep your beautifully landscaped yard in our great city of Prosper tip top condition, there are several must-have tools to maintain your yard’s beauty. Not only will this make maintenance easier, it also helps to keep from damaging plants that you so carefully picked and added to your landscaping.
- A small tiller. This tool is good for breaking up the ground for proper water penetration, weed control and aeration. It is extremely important that the ground be penetrable for watering, for fertilization and for oxygen. This tool is also a good idea if you plan on planting annuals, so you can prepare the soil in the spring planting season.
- A small trowel. This can be used to dig the holes to plant your annuals, or for digging up weeds in the hard-to-reach areas with bigger tools. If you need to transplant some of your plants, this is the tool to use so you can carefully dig up your smaller plants with as little root and stalk damage as possible.
- A pruning tool. If you have shrubs and bushes, you will have to trim stems and branches to keep your plants in nice looking form and to trim off dying or dead branches. Some plants can also have a woody or very fibrous inner core, so it is more beneficial to use a pruning tool to keep as little damage as possible to your plants.
- A weeding tool. This type of tool can save you a lot of time in the weeding department. There are a number of different weeding tools to choose from. From hand-held tine rakes to motorized tillers, you will select the type of weeding tools you need based on the size of the garden and landscaping area.
- A spade, also called a garden shovel. This tool would be beneficial for digging up larger areas of ground, working the soil and prying and loosening the soil. It can be used for edging a garden bed or for compacting soil.
- A sprayer. Sprayers come in all shapes and sizes. They are used to water hard-to-reach areas. They are used to spray insecticides and they are used to fertilize plants and areas of your landscape. The area you have to work with will also depend on the size and capacity of the sprayer tool you use. Too small of a sprayer and you will be constantly refilling. Too large of a sprayer and you may not be able to get it into delicate areas without damaging plants and other landscaping features.
- A three-prong cultivator. This tool is great for breaking up the ground and keeping the soil loose. A cultivating tool can also be used to help control weeds in the more open areas although you need to be careful with such tools so you do not damage the extended roots of trees and plants in your garden.
- A spring brace rake. The rakes will help you keep your landscaping areas free of debris and dead leaves. They can also be used to even out the ground areas around plants for a not uniform appeal visually.
By no means are these listed tools the only tools that will make your gardening experience easier and much more enjoyable. They are simply the most common and recommended tools you should have in your gardening and landscaping tool set. If you are on a budget, these tools are also very cost effective. And, most of these tools are very simple to use. With a little patience and time, you can have your landscaping looking as if a professional has been hard at work!
Question: Jimmie, I have had a nice Bermuda lawn for over 10 years. My trees have matured nicely over this time but now they just seem to be providing too much shade underneath them and my lawn has become sparse and is dying in spots. After doing my research I obviously need to switch out my lawn to St. Augustine. I noticed there is more than one kind. I was considering using Palmetto variety. Is this a good choice? Thank you for your time. Jack B. in Prosper
Answer: Hi Jack, the Palmetto variety has been around now for several years and overall has performed pretty well. However, its winter-hardiness has been questioned. The better option to go with would be Raleigh St. Augustine. It has a better track record for our area. Until next time…Happy Gardening!!
Jimmie
Send your landscaping and gardening questions to Jimmie Gibson Jr. at http://www.absolutelybushedlandscaping.com or jimmie@absolutelybushed.com
Jimmie is a Prosper resident and the owner of Absolutely Bushed Landscaping Company, an award winning, family and veteran owned and operated business created in 1980 to provide the highest quality custom Outdoor Renovation available to homeowners in the Dallas Ft. Worth metroplex.
