five tips for a
weed-free path

A good way to make a garden more easy-care is to grow plants close together. This tends to shade out weeds, and any that do take hold are spindly and easy to pull. Bricks set tightly together in a path or patio make it hard for weed seeds to grow there, too. But no matter how tightly bricks are packed together, weeds seem to find their way between the crevices. Here are five tips to keep them from taking over.

SKIP THE FABRIC — When installing a path, save yourself the cost of landscape fabric. Most of the weeds that grow between bricks are the result of seeds taking root at the surface, not roots coming up from below.

PUT DOWN A BARRIER — Keep seeds from germinating with a corn gluten meal pre-emergent herbicide. Follow label directions and sprinkle it on the pavers. Work it into the crevices with a broom because corn gluten needs to be in contact with soil to work. Then water it in. Corn gluten can stain some surfaces if you let it sit, so test a small area first before putting it down.

USE THE RIGHT TOOL — You don’t need to buy any special tools. Use what you already have around the house to make weeding easier. A pair of needlenose pliers and an old paring knife are great for getting weeds out of tight places. See how the pliers in the photo keep your knuckles from getting skinned up on the rough brick? Use the knife to loosen stubborn weeds in narrow spaces. (The Soil Knife at right is one of our favorite weeding tools.)

SPRAY SOME VINEGAR — Did you ever think that weeding could be as easy as a few squirts of vinegar? It’s true. The USDA has studied various concentrations of vinegar for use in organic farming, and found that even the stuff you have in your cupboard works to kill small weeds. Be careful using it around ornamental plants, though, as it will burn the foliage. If the weed happens to pop up again, get out your spray bottle. Another application should do the trick.

GET OUT THE TARP — To avoid spreading seeds as you weed the garden, lay a tarp down on the bricks first. Then pull it along with you as you get rid of unwanted plants.

Whether you’re new to tree pruning or have been doing it for years, you’ll find that one of the best times to start is when plants are dormant in winter or early spring. You can see the branches that need to be removed without all of those leaves in the way. And it’s good for the tree, too: The rising sap in spring will stimulate new growth to make the wounds heal over faster.

With a couple of exceptions, you can prune almost any deciduous tree this time of year. Maples and birches bleed sap if their bark is injured in the spring. Losing sap won’t kill the tree, but it is messy as it runs down the trunk or drips from branches. It’s better to wait until midsummer to prune these two trees.

Here are a few problems to watch for: Water sprouts are shoots that grow strictly upright from along the main branches. Stubs are blunt-ended branches left on the tree that detract from its natural or graceful shape. Crossed or rubbing branches create opportunities for disease or pests to enter. And finally, high up in the tree, too many small branches block sunlight, so the tree might need a little thinning. Once you’ve spotted some of these problems in your tree, the next step is to gather the right pruning tools.

HANDHELD PRUNERS — Carry your pruners with you whenever you’re in the garden so you can snip small water sprouts, suckers and twigs as you spot them. Most pruners will cut branches with a 3/4-in. diameter with no problem. Some prefer bypass or scissor-cut pruners like these because they cut close to a branch and won’t leave a stub. Unlike anvil pruners, they’re less likely to crush the bark at the edge of the wound.

These Felco pruners are our favorite — buy our Pruning Gift Set, which includes a #2 or #6 pair of Felco pruners, a sheath and The Pruner’s Bible, and we’ll throw in a free sharpener.

PRUNING SAW — If you’re removing branches smaller than 3 in. in diameter, a pruning saw works fine. The curved blade allows you to get into tight places. Or try a double-edged pruning saw. One edge has coarse teeth for rough cutting and the other has smaller teeth for making finer finish cuts.

POLE SAW — With this tool, you won’t need to climb into the tree or drag a ladder out of the shed to reach branches 15 ft. up. This pole saw has a curved blade so you can hook onto and easily cut a 2-in.-diameter branch. On the opposite side of the saw is a hook with a lopper blade that cuts when you pull on a rope. It comes in handy when you’re snipping small branches or twigs as you thin the crown.

clothes hamper tool organizer

Are you tired of having your tools propped in a tangled mess in the corner of your garden shed? Here’s an easy-to-make organizer for both your hand and long-handled tools.

Find an old clothes hamper at a garage or rummage sale. Then, using a hole saw, cut several 1¾ in. holes in the lid. Slide your tools, handle first, into the holes. You can paint the hamper to make it look nicer.

Heavy, older hampers are best, as they don’t get top heavy with the tools in place. But if your holder tends to tip, remove the tools and raise the lid. Tuck a few bricks or heavy stones in the bottom of the hamper to help stabilize it. To make the organizer easy to move around, attach four casters to the bottom.

it’s in the mail

Have trouble keeping your garden hose neatly coiled? Try this hose storage tip. Install a mailbox on a post near your outdoor spigot. The mailbox is sturdy enough to hold a lot of hose looped over it.

As a bonus, the mailbox itself can be used to store hose accessories, such as spare gaskets, in case your hose springs a leak, and attachments like nozzles and wands. That way, everything is in one place and handy when you need it. The mailbox and post can be painted to blend into their surroundings or to coordinate with the colors of your house and garden.

confine your twine

If you’re tired of chasing that runaway ball of twine, perhaps it’s time you tried this trick. Find an old tea kettle at a rummage or garage sale and keep your twine inside it. Pull the loose end through the spout. You can tie it to the handle of the kettle or a pair of scissors when not in use. Just be sure your ball of twine will fit through the opening. An old-fashioned coffee pot also works to keep your twine under control.

Another idea is to find a sturdy plastic or metal funnel. Mount it on the wall of your potting shed with a nail. Place your unruly ball of twine in the opening and pull the loose end through the spout. Now your twine will be handy and you won’t need to search for the loose end.

CobraHead Weeder and Cultivator

Great for tight spaces! You’ll never use a wimpy weeder again…

garden hoses

When it comes to hoses, it’s hard to tell the difference between them from the outside. An inexpensive, plain vinyl hose will move water, but it might kink easily or even burst under strong pressure. You can see illustrated cross sections of some good ones at left. When you’re buying a new hose, look at the labels for some of the terms here.

A multi-chambered hose (A) allows water to flow through it even if it’s kinked. But it still may not take high water pressure. Choose a belted hose (B), and it’ll remain flexible even when the weather turns cold. Spiraled nylon and knit belts also make the hose strong under pressure. A hose with additional layers of rubber or vinyl (C) is one of the most durable and long-lasting. Even with all of the layers, it’s still easy to coil.

Three other ways to tell the quality of a hose — fittings, weight and price. Solid brass ends are often a good sign of a durable, long-lasting hose. A heavyweight hose indicates several layers of rubber or vinyl belting for strength. And finally, high-quality hoses are more expensive, but you probably won’t need to replace them as often as you would cheap ones.