Reviews of gardening products of all kinds. If it’s used in the garden, we review it!
The Golden Gark (distributed by The Root Assassin—“Unique Garden Tools That Work”) is promoted as a 3-in-1 tool: rake, shovel, and sifter. It costs more than your ordinary plastic leaf rake, your garden variety—pun intended—metal garden rake, or your typical pond skimmer. But having tested it rigorously, my search for a leaf (and medium duty garden rake) and pond skimmer that will last longer than one season is over! Continue Reading
In her fourth book, Jan Johnsen brings stone to life in a way that will forever change how you view and use stone in the garden. I highly recommend The Spirit of Stone to homeowners, gardeners, landscape designers, and landscape architects – there’s something in here for everyone. Continue Reading
This pruner has excellent fit and finish, fit comfortably in my hand, and made clean, precise cuts in wood up to 3/4 inch in diameter. However, it wouldn’t cut through stems and branches over that, despite Corona’s claimed cutting capacity of up to 1 inch. It’s built with high quality materials, the cutting blade holds a sharp edge and the overall performance is very good. Plus, the ergonomic rotating handle definitely reduces hand, wrist Continue Reading
The high-quality watering can makes hand watering a joy. The replaceable brass rose puts out a gentle, even flow that won't flatten your plants. At 1.8 gallons, it holds a lot of water but the two-handed grip keeps the can nicely balanced and easy to handle. The tough yet lightweight injection-molded plastic should last 10 years or more, making this a good alternative to a heavier metal watering can. Continue Reading
Melnor’s Talon lopper has some nice features, like strong, curved aluminum handles, a very sharp cutting blade, and extendable handles for extra leverage. And it cuts cleanly through 2-inch branches. But the extendable handles slipped constantly, the bumpers fell out, a handle grip fell off and the blade developed burrs. If Melnor can clean up the quality control problems, this would be a very nice lopper. Continue Reading
While this book isn't a new release, it's a timeless resource for anyone interested in using more trees and/or shrubs on their property. It covers all the bases, from design considerations to choosing the right plant for the right spot to caring for your trees and shrubs after planting. Plus, there's a beautifully photographed dictionary of trees and shrubs that will have you eager to try new varieties in your own yard. Continue Reading
The Joseph Bentley Stainless Steel Trowel is a well-made tool for scooping, mixing and light digging, although not recommended for repeated digging in hardened soil due to its lack of a beveled edge. Somewhat sturdy construction, using a 6 inch stainless steel blade and oak handle. The oak handle is a little rough and the leather strap gets in the way (although it’s handy for hanging up the trowel when you’re done). Not a tool Continue Reading
The Fiskars Ratchet Drive lopper does an exemplary job at pruning branches and cutting up brush and deadwood that’s 1 ½“ in diameter or less. In the 2” diameter range cutting is more difficult and takes a lot of strength, especially through deadwood (which is what an anvil lopper is ideally suited to cut). The curved handles are a nice feature; you don’t have to open your arms as far to get the blades Continue Reading
At the end of each year, the Gardening Products Review takes a close look at all of the products we’ve reviewed that year. We then award up to five products with the Golden Shovel Award for outstanding garden product. Here are the 2016 winners! Continue Reading
The YARDMAX™ Electric Log Splitter does only one thing – splits wood – and does it really well. I love it and couldn’t be more pleased with the results. It’s sturdy, works fast, is easy to use, and eliminates the usual stresses and strains of splitting wood. Continue Reading
The Dirty Little Digger is a versatile tool that combines the functions of several tools into one comfortable, easy-to-use implement. From chores that require a delicate touch, like weeding around transplants, to others that require a sturdy hand, like transferring mulch or compost, Dirty Little Digger is one tool for your gardening tool bag that can and will replace several others. It would make a good holiday gift too! Continue Reading
The EZ Leaf Stomper is a simple, well-made tool that “stomps” more leaves into yard waste bags. It’s lightweight, comfortable to use and gets the job done. There are no tools needed for assembly and it comes apart easily for storage. Overall, it’s a worthwhile addition to your fall cleanup tool collection. Continue Reading
The Sun Joe Electric Pressure Washer is easy and comfortable to use, with a lightweight, easy-to-control trigger handle, an upright wheeled design that makes it easy to move, and onboard storage for all parts. It doesn't have as much power as a gas model but for most jobs it provides more than enough pressure. Continue Reading
The Greenworks G-MAX 40V Lithium-Ion Cordless 8” Pole Saw (model 20672) is a generally well made product that makes clean cuts through smaller material (under 4” in diameter) but has battery overheating problems when cutting larger branches. There’s no shoulder strap included in the saw package (a definite miss) and the owner’s manual really needs some revisions. Overall, it’s a respectable mid-grade 40V saw but wouldn’t be a good replacement for a gas-powered pole chainsaw. Continue Reading
I recommend Foxgloves Works gardening gloves for several reasons: they’re very well fitting for a woman’s hands (although they work for men too), easy to clean, long lasting, and provide the extra protection you need when lifting rough objects and pulling thorny weeds. Rating: 5 out of 5. Continue Reading
