DENVER — Soon enough, we will all be back in our gardens sweating and straining and making little things grow. New products make our joys easier and can produce better results, or enhance our gardens in other ways.
Imagine you’re a bird and you need a bath. An outdoor birdbath is always tempting, but very slippery on the feet. Help your feathered friend out with some birdbath fillers. They’re made of stoneware and are slightly rough. The round fillers provide a safe landing space and pleasant bathing experience. They are also easy for a bird to launch from without slipping.
Planting tomatoes is a long, long way off but we might as well be prepared. You’ll get the best results if you select fertilizers that are formulated for specific plants. One option contains seabird guano, a great source of phosphorous for tomatoes. And your strawberries and raspberries will thrive with this formula as well.
So many gardeners are growing cactus and succulents – so use a fertilizer designed for them. One option is a Schultz fertilizer that, when applied, won’t just drain through the porous soil. It will dissolve nutrients in the soil and feed the roots each time you water.
Try a new neem oil. One variety is a “cold-processed” neem oil for organic gardening. It has been processed without chemicals and is effective on Japanese beetles as well as other insects and plant diseases. But make sure to read the directions prior to using - especially when pollinators are buzzing around your garden. It can be harmful.
Perhaps you are in the market for some new tools. If so, try a Trake. It's half trowel and half rake.
If you just can’t bear to be separated from your plants when you go to work, take them along! I guess that’s the idea, maybe? There are soft, moveable three gallon spring-pots with handles available that you can easily move and carry around the garden.
I’ve tried fiber and peat pots in the past with varying success. The idea is that you can just plant the whole pot and it will degrade. But I’ve found that the season comes to an end and the roots still haven’t broken free of the pot. I think our dry climate and low humidity just don’t lend themselves to this idea, but it is worth a try. One option are Docupots. They are make from recycled office paper.
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