TOOLING INTO SPRING

Plan ahead to ensure you have right tools for jobs



January 24, 2020

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER DENNIS DURKEE

One tool that beginning and experienced gardeners alike can always use: KNOWLEDGE

There are constantly new ideas, new problems and new types of plants and flowers.  One way for Texas gardeners to keep up with the latest information is with a subscription to Texas Gardener Magazine.  It publishes six times a year and is available in print and digital formats.  The magazine is a strong partner with Texas Master Gardener Association.  For more information, go to TexasGardener.com or call 800-727-9020

GARDEN TOOL INVENTORY

For digging

• Hoes: Stirrup shape, regular shape (in various widths), diamond shape

For pruning

• Pruners: Hand clippers, lopper tools, hedge clippers or shears

For shoveling

• Shovels: Round point, square point, sharp shooter

SOURCE: TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION



The days are getting longer and warmer. The threat of freezing temperatures will be just about gone in a few more weeks. For gardeners in South Texas, it’s almost time to get out into the yard and garden.

But before spring fever takes over, now is a good time to make sure you have the right tools for the jobs ahead.

Essential tools
For gardening beginners, there are several essential tools that will be needed before spring arrives. For experienced gardeners, the next few weeks is an opportunity to inspect those long-favorite tools and make sure they are ready for another season.

• Top 10 list

The Mother Nature Network compiled this top 10 list of garden tools, in no particular order:


1.  Scissors.
They come in handy for all sorts of tasks such as deadheading flowers, opening seed packets and cutting string.

2.  Weeders.
These fork-looking tools can easily dig into the soil and remove weeds.

3.  Soil knife.
It comes in handy for cutting roots, dividing perennials and slicing through weeds.

4.  Pruning shears.
They make quick work of trimming bushes and small tree branches.

5.  Water hoses.
We don’t get a lot of rain in South Texas during the summer months. Have a handy water source for turf, plants and gardens.

6.  Shovel.
Have one at the ready for tasks such as spreading mulch and cutting through deep roots.

7.  Rake.
You’ll put one to good use gathering leaves, smoothing out new mulch and tidying up an area.

8.  Saw.
A small bow saw is handy for pruning and shaping trees. If you have large trees, a larger saw is needed to trim limbs.

9.  Hoe.
Use a hoe for tasks such as slipping under the top layer of soil to scrape up weeds and roots. A hoe also helps when adding fertilizer or compost to a bed that is already planted.

10.  Hat.
Never work outside in the sun without a hat.

• Every day tools

Of course, there are many more tools a gardener will use. A good pair of gloves, for example. A kneeling pad comes in handy when doing lots of ground-level work. A wheelbarrow or rolling cart helps you transport tools, mulch and plants into the garden. Yard waste bags are needed to help dispose of weeds and trimmings. Sunscreen, insect repellant, and long sleeves are musts when working outside in the Texas sun.

• Keeping records

Another good tool for gardeners is a notebook or computer spreadsheet to help keep garden records. Use it to record when and what is planted.

Dr. Joe Masabni, of Overton, a small-acreage vegetable specialist with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, said gardeners should keep records of successful and problematic varieties, harvest yields and pest and disease problems, including the date a disease or insect was first noticed. Notes can help gardeners make decisions that can improve the likelihood of success in the future.

Knowing when pests or diseases started the previous year can prompt gardeners to begin scouting before that date to reduce pest populations or spray for diseases, he said.

Sanitize tools
For experienced gardeners, now is a good time to clean and maintain their gardening equipment, such as sprayers, hoes and shears. Sprayer nozzles and hoses should be cleaned or replaced to ensure they spray evenly, he said.

Masabni recommends gardeners sanitize tools with a 10 percent bleach solution to prevent any transfer of diseases from season to season.

He recommends a rate of 1 cup of bleach per gallon of water and dipping the tools into the solution. Tools should then be rinsed and allowed to dry.

Planning ahead
Masabni said gardeners should begin preparing a garden plan and order seeds to ensure preferred varieties are available.


He suggests looking at online catalogues for varieties proven to succeed in a specific area and soil type.

“Be thinking about what you want to plant in your spring garden, your tomatoes, your peppers, your eggplants,” he said. “You want to be ready to start those seedlings. I encourage everyone to try new things. Trying something new that can introduce gardeners to hardier varieties and new tastes, plus provide good options for crop rotation.”

He said late January and early February are good times for gardeners to prepare for spring vegetables like squash and tomatoes by first removing any remaining weeds or debris from gardens.

“Weeds still germinate and grow this time of year so be mindful to rid your garden of them,” he

said. “It will reduce the number you contend with later in the season.”

Follow these suggestions and you will be ready to tool right into spring this year.

The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.