Tools and Equipment

VIDEO How to Buy the Best Plants
The pick of the litter has full, healthy growth above and below the soil by Jason Powell

VIDEO A Survey of Pruning Tools
Find the right tool for the trimming your shrubs and trees by Lee Reich

How to Avoid Staking Plants
Minimize the need to prop up perennials with these four simple strategies by Addie Kinghorn

Q&A Judging plant catalogs
by Alain Charest

4 Ways to Use a Cold Frame
No matter what your climate, these plant shelters expand your gardening options by Adrianna Vargo

READER'S TIP
A multitude of uses for golf tees
by Anne Nydam

Q&A Low-E windows and houseplants
by Margaret McMahon

READER'S TIP
Hiding an unsightly hose
by Winona Davis

Make Every Drop Count
These tools help you put water only where you and your plants want it by Steve Silk

Sharpening Pruners
Ten minutes spent with a diamond file and your blades will cut like new by Melissa Levangie

Gift Guide
Here are some holiday gifts gardeners really want by Michelle Gervais

READER'S TIP
Bungee cords secure a load
by Marcey Keefer Hutchison

Q&A How to hang tree a tree swing
by Steve Silk

READER'S TIP
Make gardening pants last
by Dennis Pollock

READER'S TIP
Tool organization
by Michelle Gervais

Building a Compost Bin
Easy to assemble and disassemble, this bin can adapt to the size of your compost pile by Lee Reich

Q&A Patents and trademarks for plants

Q&A Using indoor plant lights
by Gary Keim

READER'S TIP
A portable potting operation
by Lee Anne White

READER'S TIP
Plant gift bucket
by Marlene McCarter

READER'S TIP
Attractive flower cages
by Kay Huss

Essential Tools for Working the Soil
Five tried-and-true tools for preparing seedbeds and moving dirt around by Joe Queirolo

Clean, Sharp Tools Work Better
Following a regular maintenance routine also means fewer blisters and backaches by Ken Textor

Q&A Trowel handle cleanup
by Garrett Hack

READER'S TIP
A sledbarrow
by Nancy Heraty

READER'S TIP
Safety caps for stakes
by Bobbie Blythe

Buy Plants With Confidence
A professional shares his secrets for purchasing robust plants by Keith Davitt

Water Wisely With Drip Irrigation
Give plants moisture when and where they need it by Thomas A. Johnson

READER'S TIP
Handy twine dispenser
by Nick Balachanoff

In Pursuit of the Perfect Potting Shed
The ideal space is a personal, practical place by Lee Ann White

READER'S TIP
Make the handles of your tools into rulers
by R. B. Himes

Q&A Alternatives to greenhouse glass
by Bob Daley

READER'S TIP
Iris leaves replace garden twine
by James A. Bell

READER'S TIP
A tool hanger
by John C. Fech

READER'S TIP
Pillowcase cozy
by Jean Willis

READER'S TIP
Protect your hands with first-aid tape
by Beverley W. Hereford

READER'S TIP
Keep your old calendars
by Barbara McEwan

READER'S TIP
High-tech garden records
by Jonas L. Bassen

READER'S TIP
Make a shrub rake
by Will Clarke

READER'S TIP
Graphic garden records
by Caryl M. Kerber

READER'S TIP
Protect your shins from tiller tines
by Ken Burzynski

READER'S TIP
Red tape spotlights tools
by Sydney Eddison

VIDEO Build a Rain Barrel
Rain barrels save money and time, and the benefits to the environment are many by Danielle Sherry

VIDEO How to Sharpen Pruners
Simplify trimming and keep plants healthy by using sharp tools by Lee Reich

VIDEO How To Use a Shovel Safely
The proper technique won't keep you from being tired, but it can save your back by Bob Denman

Ladders into plant stands

Nurture Seedlings on a Tiered Growing Stand
This inexpensive, homemade stand holds 20 flats under fluorescent lights by Walter M. Pickard

VIDEO Select the Right Shovel
Any old shovel won't do -- so how do you choose? by Bob Denman

Winter storage for stakes and pots