When the summer comes around, it’s time to get outside. Whether it’s for work or play, many of us spend the summer outdoors to get that fresh air we don’t usually get for the rest of the year. There’s no more magical time than summer. This is true for the US as it’s true for many other countries. It’s a time of adventure and romance, a time to be productive in different ways than normal. Of course, to help implement all of these different facets of summer, from play to work, you’re going to need the right tools for the job. Especially if you live in a colder climate, this might be the only chance you get to do some outside yard or field work and you don’t want to let it go to the waste. So what yard tools should you use when you get this chance? The shovel rake? The root saw? Well read on and find out. The answer might surprise you!
- The story begins
Let’s start with a fictional man living in a real city on the west coast. This man’s name is Herbert and he’s out in June ready to take care of his garden which he tends to every summer. Now, Herbert is left with a couple options when it comes to starting the tilling of his garden. There are many different ways in which he can start the process, all of which have different pros and cons. To start, he can use a shovel rake to remove all the leaves from the area in which he wants to garden. San Francisco is a green place, after all, and the soil is likely going to be rich in organic detritus so Herbert is going to want to do the best he can. So why a shovel rake and not something a little stronger like a serrated shovel or any other number of assorted digging tools? These are all valid options as well but a shovel rake has more surface coverage than most of these others and it works more efficiently under moderate conditions. Besides, with the serrated shovels, some of the leaves will probably be cut up and be much harder to collect. Herbert certainly doesn’t want all of those leaves hanging around in smaller pieces, just waiting to be mashed even further. So a shovel rake will have to do, for the start.
The next step
Once he gets all of the leaves cleared with the shovel rake, it’s time to start thinking about larger, slightly stiffer obstacles. Herbert lives in a more wooded area near a park and some trees have started to sprout roots in the area he wants to till. So what should he do about this exactly? How should he take care of it? Well, first of all, he could look into using some sort tree root removal tool that cuts up the roots and makes them easier to move from one place to another. If he wants to go this route, there are many types of tree root saw he can buy and use. These are probably the most effective way to go to but there are routes open to him as well, ones that are a little slower but ostensibly safer. He can use a simple hatchet or ax to remove the tree roots as well although this will be a considerable effort. He might be tempted to remove the trees altogether although this proposition is a little more expensive and generally inadvisable. Most trees in areas such as parks or streets are public property and he will have to go to the civic government and ask if he really wants them removed.
Starting to plan
So once he removes the tree roots he’s free to start planting his specific flowers or fruiting plants and generally do what he needs to do. This can also be done with a shovel rake although it depends of the fragility of the plants in question. Herbert should be sure to water his plants daily and make sure they get enough sunlight and soil nutrients too. It’s only fair to the plants!
