Gardening gizmos
The Gardener stool and tool set.
Courtesy Picnic Time
Even avid gardening enthusiasts sometimes find that digging in the dirt is a chore. But these new gardening tools and gadgets can make some formerly back-breaking tasks far less painful. Thanks to continuing advances in technology, you can now diagnose plant ills and easily repel pests. And, with a few new basics—such as Apollo's pink tool kit—your neighbors will be green with envy.
1. PlantSmart (Black & Decker, $60) measures growing conditions such as sunlight, moisture levels and more to help gardeners decide what to grow and how to grow it. It can be used indoors, too.
2. The Gardener (Picnic Time, $59.99) has a detachable tote that hangs under your seat while you work. Handy for storage, it holds the seat and tools when you’re done. Tools include two trowels, a fork, a rake and a weeder.
3. The Planter’s Buddy (Ames True Temper, $12.99-$14.99) does the job of seven tools. Use it as a trowel, transplanter and weeder, or to open bags, cut sod, measure planting depth, cut twine, pound in stakes and more.
4. The ScareCrow motion-activated deterrent (Contech, $89) keeps animal intruders away with a short blast of water. It can operate for up to six months on a single nine-volt battery.
5. With the Nut Wizard (Seeds and Such, Inc., $45-$49), you can pick up buckeyes, golf balls and more without bending over. Five sizes grab the tiniest acorns, or fruits as large as four inches in diameter.
6. The pink, 18-piece garden tool kit (Apollo Tools, $89.99) includes many standard tools, plus a knee pad, six-function hose nozzle, multiple hose connectors and more. In addition, $3 of the purchase price is donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
7. Get rid of weeds without the harmful effects of herbicides with the NatureZap electric weed killer (Global Neighbor, Inc., $99). This tool uses heat, not poison, to kill weeds without setting fire to your mulch. Push the heated tip into the ground around the weed and hold for several seconds.
8. Repel pests indoors or out with The Guardian (Good Life, $70), an ultrasonic device that uses noise frequencies to deter animals and bugs up to 100 feet away. The Guardian is activated by a motion sensor or keychain remote.
Click through our gallery below to see each product.
