Reviews

Reviews of gardening products of all kinds. If it’s used in the garden, we review it!

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Watering & Irrigation

Miracle-Gro Soaker System Kit: Product Review

This 3/8-inch soaker hose system is a simple, quick and inexpensive way to water garden beds efficiently. Available in three different lengths, the hose is easy to cut to whatever lengths you need to design a customized watering system. The connectors attach quickly without any tools and don’t leak (when properly attached). I recommend it for gardeners who need to water small edible gardens, drip water around trees, or who have more than one bed Continue Reading →

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String Trimmers

Craftsman V60 Max 60-volt Cordless String Trimmer (CMCST960): Product Review

If you have weeds, tall grass where it doesn’t belong, or hard-to-clear areas around your yard, look no further. This cordless Craftsman trimmer is light-weight (10.2 lbs), simple to use, adjustable, highly maneuverable, and very reasonably priced. With 60V of power, it has the oomph needed to whack through thicker grass and weeds, and I was easily able to trim my 1-acre lot with only a single charge. The battery isn’t as heavy as 120V Continue Reading →

Mini-Meadows-featured-image Reviews

Mini Meadows: Grow a Little Patch of Colorful Flowers Anywhere in Your Yard, by Mike Lizotte – Book Review

Mini Meadows is a short but fun read, with beautiful photos to complement the text. It’s well organized and written in a conversational style that makes it very accessible. It is a basic book, but inspiring, especially for those to whom gardening is new. And although there’s a lot of information presented, it’s not overwhelming. Continue Reading →

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Watering & Irrigation

DuPont Kevlar Heavy Duty Garden Hose: Product Review

I highly recommend this hose to anyone who dislikes carrying heavy rubber hoses or hates kinking. At 50 feet, it’s a good length for most yards and, at under 5 lbs, it’s lightweight enough to easily drag or carry wherever it’s needed. The easy-to-grasp collar eliminates hose twisting when connecting it to a spigot, sprinkler, or another hose, and the aluminum couplings attach firmly. While you’ll pay more for this hose than a standard garden Continue Reading →

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Reviews

Corona QuickSaw – 7-inch Folding Hand Saw (QS 7800): Product Review

If you’re looking for a long-lasting, high-quality pruning saw, you’ve found it with the Corona QuickSaw®. The 7-inch, impulse-hardened high-carbon steel blade makes pruning large branches easy. The saw folds conveniently for portability, and it offers a rubberized handle that makes using it comfortable and slip-free. Tight tolerances and a metal thumb lever add to the overall quality of the product. The blade makes clean, fast cuts to shorten your pruning time. For a Continue Reading →

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Reviews

Garden in Minutes Raised Bed Kit & Watering Grid: Product Review

This raised bed and the integrated watering system are so simple. You can quite literally set everything up in minutes without any tools and then enjoy the rest of your evening or weekend. It's compact enough to place in a small yard (but also available in larger sizes), comes with free seeds (always a plus in my book!) and stands up well to weather and aging (mine still looks great after a full year of Continue Reading →

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Weeding Tools

Corona DiscCULTIVATOR (LG 3634): Product Review

The DiscCULTIVATOR from Corona is a long-handled, multi-tined rotary cultivator that does a good job loosening the top layer of soil, breaking up clumps, spreading amendments and weeding around plants. For regular bed preparation and weed control, this is a terrific, flexible and ergonomic tool. It’s sturdy but lightweight, has a comfortable handle that absorbs vibration, and the tines come off and on fairly easily to give you multiple widths and tine configurations. Continue Reading →

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Reviews

Corona EdgeMASTER Lawn & Garden Edger (LG 3684): Product Review

The Corona EdgeMASTER is lightweight yet strong enough to take a lot of abuse, making it a good choice for edging in tough conditions, such as in compacted soil, heavily matted turf and through thick roots. The ComfortGEL handle makes it easier on your hands than models without the extra cushioning, and the highly ridged footrest gives you a secure footing when putting your weight on it. The tool can be rocked back and forth Continue Reading →

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Reviews

Earthquake Victory Rear Tine Rototiller (29702): Product Review

If you’re looking to create well-aerated soil that’s free from large clumps, roots, or debris, you’ll love the addition of the Earthquake Victory rototiller. The easy assembly and straight-forward instructions will have you quickly ready to work in your garden. The comfortable handles and CRT technology makes tilling a breeze. You’ll feel like you’re walking your dog, instead of walking behind a 150-lb. tiller. Loosen soil up to 10-inches deep or adjust the tiller for Continue Reading →

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Reviews

Centurion Folding Pruning Saw: Product Review

If you’re looking for a folding pruning saw to tackle tough jobs, the Centurion® Folding Pruning Saw provided adequate cutting performance, but the blade is not as efficient/effective in cutting performance compared to other straight bladed folding saws. It is a more middle of the road saw. After a third saw was tested, the saw locked in all positions. The company provides good pruning information on the packaging, and the saw’s handle offers a comfortable Continue Reading →

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Reviews

Felco #7 Bypass Pruner: Product Review

If you’re looking for a perfect bypass pruner that offers long-lasting cutting power and comfort, the Felco #7 Bypass Pruner belongs in your garden shed. Created with Swiss precision, the pruner offers excellent craftmanship and high-quality materials, making it an ideal investment. While not inexpensive, the pruner performed fabulously for more than two decades of use in my career as an arborist—without any replacement parts needed. The rotating handle provides comfort for users who make Continue Reading →

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Reviews

A.M. Leonard Tri-Edge Folding Saw (A700): Product Review

If you’re looking for a pruning saw with the convenience of foldability, check out the A.M. Leonard Tri-Edge Folding Saw. Offering many convenient features, like tight tolerances, adjustable tension, and a comfortable handle for a good grip, the saw performs decently. However, with super sharp teeth, the saw surprisingly lacks super-fast cutting speed. Additionally, the lack of coverage of the blade when closed promotes an “accident waiting to happen” feel. A decent saw that will Continue Reading →

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Reviews

Centurion Multi-Gear Lopper 2X: Product Review

If you’re looking for bypass loppers to tackle thick branches, the Centurion® Multi-Gear Lopper 2X performs adequately. While the company claims the lopper cuts diameters of 2 inches, in reality, the maximum cutting diameter for hard wood was 1-½-inch. The telescoping handles offer a comfortable grip, and they lock securely with a pin mechanism. The pruning information provides a good resource for the user, but the blades create ragged cuts due to “spread.” Additionally, the Continue Reading →

Heavy duty plant caddy from Cascade Manufacturing underneath a blue pot
Reviews

Heavy Duty Plant Caddy from Cascade Manufacturing: Product Review

This is a high-quality plant caddy that's built to last a lifetime; there's nothing "cheap" or flimsy about it. In fact, it can easily carry 450 lbs! The dropped-floor design makes it extremely stable, the wheels roll smoothly and spin 360 degrees for good mobility, and the gorgeous hammered finish retains its good looks even with continuous exposure to scorching sun and drenching rain. Although it's a larger investment than most other plant dollies, the Continue Reading →

Waterhoop Tree Sprinkler Review
Watering & Irrigation

Waterhoop Tree Sprinkler: Product Review

If you've planted trees and shrubs or transplanted them, then you know it's essential to water them regularly until they become established. That's where the Waterhoop comes in. It's a specially-designed watering ring that provides a fast and efficient method for watering your trees and shrubs with a minimum amount of fuss. It's sturdy, easy to put in place, simple to move and can be configured to different shapes. With the flow adjustment knob, you Continue Reading →

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