A tough trowel is a valued friend for every gardener. I was delighted to discover the DeWit tulip trowel and add it to my collection of favorites. The 4½-inch-long head is made from boron steel that has been heat-treated for strength, and it has a curved blade that can scoop up an ample amount of soil. With a unique forked shape, this tool makes short work of the most stubborn soil, even clay, and can easily cut through roots. The sturdy ash handle is well balanced and easy to maneuver. This trowel is sure to serve you well for many years.
DeWit Tulip Trowel
Tested by Courtney Olander
Every spring I refresh the pots on my back deck in anticipation of summer. Some plants pop out easily, while others are root-bound and won’t budge. In the past, I’d wrestle and tug on those scrappy old plants, but I quickly learned it’s worth investing in a sturdy trowel for this task. My favorite is Berry & Bird’s stainless-steel garden trowel. Using the serrated edge of the trowel as a saw, I cut through the roots until the plants lift out gently. This trowel has a durable wooden handle as well as centimeter and inch measurements imprinted on the face, making it useful for bulb planting in fall.
Berry & Bird’s Stainless-Steel Garden Trowel
Tested by Mark Dwyer
I have bent and broken countless trowels due to a combination of poor construction and heavy use. All of that changed when I started using Wilcox brand trowels. I’m a fan specifically of the 10-inch Garrett Metal Detectors trowel. Yes, this trowel is marketed for use with metal detectors, and if it’s tough enough for that work, it’s definitely tough enough for gardening. This handy, multipurpose trowel is made in the USA and comes with a
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I am often asked to recommend plants for problematic garden areas during my call-in radio program or after public-speaking engagements. As a result, over the years I have developed a list of my top picks for sunny and shady gardens depending on whether the soil is dense, heavy, and clay-based, or lean, sandy, and quick-draining. Fortunately, I have experience gardening with both soil types, and so I know that each presents its own challenges and opportunities. Here are a few options for perennials, trees, and shrubs that can survive and even thrive in the trickiest soil conditions.
Parasitic plants derive their required energy and nutrition from other plants, hindering their growth. Here is a list of some Unwanted Plants that are Parasites!
Tomato plants are a staple in many gardens, but did you know that there are weeds out there that can easily be mistaken for them? From horse nettle to black nightshade, check out these Weeds that Look like Tomato Plants.
The tropical rain forests of South America hold a treasure when it comes to plants that are beautiful, exotic, and can make for great houseplants. Have a look at the most amazing South American Indoor Plants you can grow!
Peace is not just the absence of war it can be a reflection of a personal inner tranquility. To many gardeners peace may be a state of harmony with nature. It is a theme of several ‘hard landscape’ projects and sculptural works as shown by the selection of Peace gardens below.
I do not want to start by worrying you but I am probably going too anyway! After an early summer of brilliant rose displays the down side is the number and volume of enemies our roses are having to contend with.
No other plant native to South Carolina has such fragrant and beautiful spring blooms and stunning fall color as the witch-alders. Fothergilla was named after Dr. John Fothergill, an English physician and gardener who funded the travels of John Bartram through the Carolinas in the 1700’s. These beautiful shrubs have been planted in both American and English gardens for over 200 years, including gardens of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
Arbor Day is an opportunity to celebrate the trees that make your world better! While National Arbor Day is the last Friday in April, the first Friday in December (December 3, 2021) is South Carolina’s Arbor Day. The difference in dates is that trees in South Carolina are better able to get established when planted in the winter. According to the SC Forestry Commission, our planting season begins in December and ends in mid-March. To learn more about best practices for planting trees, see HGIC 1001, Planting Trees Correctly and HGIC, Plant a Tree.
In July 2022, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) drew attention to North America’s migrating monarchs by adding them to their ICUN Red List of Threatened Species. In the United States, the more immediate plight of other threatened and endangered species has precluded the monarchs’ inclusion on the Endangered Species List. However, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acknowledged that their place on this list is “warranted.” They mandated that the monarchs be reviewed annually as a potential candidate for inclusion. These incredible insects migrate 4000 miles every spring and fall and face immense dangers on this epic journey. What simple steps can you take to help monarchs as they travel past your home?
His garden was not so far away from where I live, and were he here to welcome spring this year, I suspect that he, too, would be hoping for the best while poking about in the dirt as he cleaned up the beds.Every spring since then, in memory of Geoffrey Charlesworth, and of all the garden’s great creatures who haven’t made it to the newest season, I make a tradition of sharing a poem of his: “Why Did My Plant Die?”more about geoffrey charlesworth‘WHY DID MY PLANT DIE?’ is just one piece of the wisd