Here’s how to organize your yard care

Our yards, including our gardens, play a large role in establishing and supporting our quality of life. We have, with the help of many of our Rosie on the House Certified Partners, developed some recommendations for those of us who like to care for our yards and gardens ourselves.

Tools

There are hundreds of yard care and gardening tools available. A stroll down any garden store tool aisle can be overwhelming. What you don’t want is for your yard tool storage area to be as daunting.

• Our first recommendation is to purchase quality constructed tools. They might cost more initially, but replacing cheaper tools because they fail is also expensive. When purchasing in person, you have the advantage of holding the tool in your hand, getting its feel, and seeing the construction of the tool. If you plan to buy online, take the time you saved by not going to the store and reading the reviews on that tool.
• Storage of your tools is important. A pile leaning against a wall, or on the floor doesn’t cut it. Tools can be stored on racks along a wall for easy access and it keeps everyone else from tripping on them! Keeping them in a garage or shed, away from the elements and sunlight is always preferred.
• Clean your tools after each use and be sure to dry them.

Here is a suggested list of basic tools you should have in your arsenal.

• Shovel. A long-handled shovel with a spade or pointy tip is best for digging and moving landscape materials like dirt or decorative rock.
• Rake. There are two kinds of rakes you should keep. One is a hard rake with a long handle where the tines are typically made of steel and the head is 90 degrees with the handle. This is good for leveling the ground. The other is a spring rake where the tines are in a fan shape and lighter than a hard rake. This rake is great for gathering leaves and twigs without disfiguring the surface.
• Pruning Shears. Purchasing a quality product here will not only make trimming easier, but tools with moving parts will also last longer. Keep them oiled and sharp.
• Garden Hoe. Used mostly for removing weeds between plants, but also for creating and maintaining garden furrows.
• Gloves. There are many types of gloves available. You need to decide what glove material is best for your needs. If your plants tend to be the ones that can poke or stick you, y’all may want to get a sturdy leather glove. Also remember, in Arizona, most weeds are thorny.
• Garden Sprayer. This usually attaches to a hose and can be used to apply fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides.
• Weed Puller. This can be a long or short tool. The tip is forked and designed to sever a weed from its root.
• Garden Hose. Again, there are too many types to cover here. Select a hose that can withstand exposure to weather and is easy to store off the ground. Hanging off a wall and out of the sun is best.
• Garden Cart. Kind of like a wheelbarrow, a garden cart offers a variety of ways to organize tools and lets you move a heavy sack of soil, fertilizer, watering cans, be move your tools without having to make multiple trips.

Garden Journal

We thought this was a great recommendation. Keeping notes and lists, year after year, will certainly help most people’s memories. When you journal, be sure to include information such as:

• The plants you planted. The species, size, and exposure to sun and shade.
• How you planted them. Note the hole size, or if you planted it in a container or pot, note the size of the container or pot.
• What and how often do you feed it? Note the fertilizer type and effectiveness of each plant.
• Note how often you watered the plant and how it was watered. Did you use drip irrigation? What cycle timing was used? Did you water by hand? If so, how much water and frequency?
• Anything you did to the plant, including pruning, would be wise to note, including both positive and negative effects your action had. Photos can be a very effective way of chronicling your garden.

As always, we want to hear about your experiences as to what works for you. Your information may be shared and possibly help others. Drop us a note at info@rosieonthehouse.com.

Join Rosie on the House every Saturday morning from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on KTAR News 92.3. If you’d like to send us questions or comments, email info@rosieonthehouse.com. Follow us on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook. For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert since 1988, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program. Call 888-767-4348 with questions & comments.