Use Basic Tools To Hoe Your Row

When it comes to gardening, Charlie Dimmock believes you should get your hands dirty.

To do it right, she says, some old-fashioned tools are all you need. Dimmock offers The Early Show viewers her list of 10 tools every serious gardener should own. And there are no high-tech gadgets on it.

Here's what she suggests:

1. Pruners - These can be used to alter the shape of a plant (such as hydrangea), shape and trim (box plant) and deadhead (roses). It can be used for any stem or branch less than half an inch in circumference. If the wood is thicker than half an inch, you should use a pruning saw.

2. Spade - This is for digging holes to plant or move trees and shrubs. The long handle is useful for leverage. The depth is measured as a "spit." To demonstrate, Dimmock plants a rhododendron at a shallow depth.

3. Shovel - You can use a shovel to scoop things like manure or to carry unwanted soil from point to point.

4. Pitchfork - This is used to break down soil before planting, to dig in stony or clay soil or to fork in manure. Pitchforks can separate clumps of grasses. It can also be used for raking. Use a long-handled one to prevent back problems.


5. Hoe - This neglected garden tool is used to weed and break up soil around plants. It can tidy the surface of the garden and chop up clumps of soil. To demonstrate, Dimmock breaks up soil around recently planted lavender and pansies.

6. Trowels - These are used to dig holes, especially in sandy soil and for filling holes with dirt.

7. Handforks - They are more effective than trowels in digging holes in stony or clay soil. Like pitchforks, they also break up the soil and can be used to carry more compact soil. They can also be used instead of a hoe around delicate plants.

8. Gloves - They should be used if the soil is dangerous, or if there is a liklyhood of coming across broken glass or dirt from dogs or cats. Dimmock recommends gloves of a leather or suede fabric. However, there is nothing like getting the feel of the texture of warm soil, which you cannot do with gloves. Instead she suggests putting barrier cream on your hands so dirt will wash off more easily. To keep nails clean, put cream, soap or talcum powder underneath nails before you begin.

10. Watering Can - Anything will do, but the nicest have open tops to catch rainwater, which is better for plants than tapwater.

11. Shoes - Sturdy leather shoes will prevent injury if you should drop a shovel on your foot.