Organic Gardening Techniques. Nick Hamilton
planting board is used for measuring the distance between rows and the planting distances of various vegetable crops and herbs. As we have 4-foot (120-cm) beds dotted about the various gardens at Barnsdale, this is the obvious length to have our planting board. That said, it is an easy length to use and carry around the garden, and a planting board is very easy to make. (See Chapter 6 for instructions.)
Planks
For anybody growing on a heavy clay soil, planks are imperative if work is to be carried out in the winter. The planks will spread the weight of both heavy wheelbarrows and a person, thereby reducing compaction. This in turn keeps that excellent soil structure in place that has taken so much work to achieve.
Garden Twine
There can be nothing more exciting than seeing a line of newly sown seeds germinating and nothing more disappointing than that line not being straight. Apart from the aesthetic pleasure gained from seeing a straight line, if a line of seedlings is not straight, it will either be taking up unnecessary space on one side or be too close to a row on the other. You can buy garden twine on a special holder, but winding the string onto two 18-inch (45-cm) lengths of bamboo is just as good.
When setting out your line, pull it tight and make sure that it is still tight when you are planting along its length and while making a shallow furrow. You need to check it on a regular basis to ensure that it has not moved. The simplest way to check it is to pull it upward, away from the soil, and let it go, and it will end up in the same position if it hasn’t moved.
Knife
In the average garden, it is generally necessary to have only a pocket knife that can be used for a variety of jobs in the vegetable, herb, and fruit areas. A blunt knife is more dangerous than a sharp one, so be sure to keep your knife sharp by touching up the blade with a suitable sharpening stone on a regular basis.
Pruning Shears
In the fruit garden and herb areas, in particular, pruning shears will be used on a very regular basis, so a good-quality pair is a must. Not only will these last longer, but they will also produce a better cut and the better-quality blade will require less sharpening. There are two distinct types: anvil pruning shears or bypass pruning shears. The anvil types have the upper blade coming down onto a flat surface, whereas bypass pruning shears have the blade cutting past the usually curved lower section.
Some gardeners feel that the anvil types may bruise the branches and stems that are cut because the blade pushes them against the anvil in the process of cutting. With the bypass type, if the blade is not perfectly sharp, the stem or branch being cut will snag; in other words, it does not make a clean cut, leaving an uneven surface that will be more susceptible to disease. Pruning shears are akin to spades in gardeners’ desire to tell you the best type, but as you can see they both have bad points in addition to their being excellent cutting machines. On the plus side, some bypass pruning shears can be taken apart completely, which makes maintenance and blade sharpening very easy.
Bypass-type pruning shears have curved blades.
Pruning Saw
Used in the fruit garden, this piece of equipment is for cutting branches that are too large to be cut by pruning shears. A lot of pruning saws are now folding types, which makes them much safer to carry around, but, when making your purchase, ensure that the blade has a good locking system, so that when the blade is open it cannot suddenly shut onto your fingers.
Spade-Cleaning Tool
Plastic, wooden, and even metal models are available, but I have never bought one, preferring to make these very simple items myself. An odd piece of wood lying around can be cut into the correct shape and the edges then smoothed with a piece of sandpaper. It is worth keeping an edge on the flat cleaning end. This means that the tool does not really need to be too big, so 6 inches (15 cm) is generally long enough. It is a simple piece of equipment that is used to keep a spade blade clean of soil, making digging that much easier. As the soil begins to stick to the blade, the cleaning tool is run down the blade’s length three or four times, before digging recommences.
Watering Can
A watering can is a must for any productive garden because it will direct water exactly where it is needed. Watering cans come in a range of shapes and sizes, as well as being made from plastic or metal, and in various colors. Always buy one that has a rose attachment. The most important point to remember is that you must be able to lift it high enough for watering when the watering can is completely full.
Rain Barrel
It is very important with the erratic weather patterns to have a rain barrel at the end of every available downspout to collect water for use on the productive areas. Make sure that the barrel is easily accessible and has an easy-to-use outlet point. Usually, you will need to stand the rain barrel on something, such as stacked bricks or something similar, so that you can access the outlet point. As water becomes scarce, the need for collecting our own becomes vital because vegetables and herbs will bolt very quickly if left to go dry, while fruit trees will start to drop their produce.
Rain barrels collect valuable water for use on your garden.
Hoses
Used correctly, hoses are not wasteful pieces of garden equipment, although it is essential to check before use whether there is a watering ban in place. In larger gardens, it is much easier to roll out a long hose and put the same amount of water onto your crops as would be done if traipsing backward and forward with a watering can. When buying a hose, look for a better-quality one that does not kink, and store it on a specially made reel, as it will then also last longer.
Small holes allow the soaker hose to continually release droplets of water.
Soaker Hoses and Drip Irrigation
Soaker hoses or drip irrigation are essential for many short-term as well as long-term crops. You can lay a soaker hose on the ground next to the crop and attach it to a hose that runs to the water faucet. As long as the water is turned on, the hose will constantly drip water exactly where it is required. Soaker hoses are often made from recycled rubber, and the tiny openings in it allow water to easily seep out of the hose. Therefore, not much pressure is needed to force the water droplets out and into the soil. The great advantage of this is that it can be run from a rain barrel and does not need to be attached to a faucet. Drip irrigation is slightly different in that you can bury the pipe just under the ground next to the desired crop. I like to have a pipe running right next to each row of green beans.
Pot Maker
The need to be more environmentally friendly is not going away, and recycling paper is one of the easiest things we can do. With a simple pot maker, you can use surplus newspaper by transforming it into small biodegradable pots that are ideal for starting seedlings. Then, when you are ready, you can transplant the seedlings directly, paper pots and all!
Firming Board
Firming boards are used for firming the soil when sowing into seed trays. You can buy them, but they are so easy to make. (See Chapter 6 for instructions.)
Sprayer
Most organic gardeners will find a small hand sprayer sufficient, although some handheld pump-action types are worth considering for ease of use. You need only one sprayer—provided you clean it well after each use—because you will use it only for organically permissible insecticides or fungicides.
Chipper/Shredder
A chipper/shredder is an absolute must for the vegetable, herb, and fruit grower. All types of waste can be passed through a chipper/shredder and recycled into one part of the garden or the other. Tough vegetable and herb waste needs to be