Least Useful Tool

[SprigOfTheLivingDead]

Oh gee. As soon as I read the title of this thread, my mind said “Garden Weasel”.

I guess I should try it for spot seeding grass, but I don’t think we have it any more.

Spot seeding is the only use I see for it for high traffic areas.

I tried using it in a garden bed and I feel it just got clogged.

 

[Dirtmechanic]

Oh gee. As soon as I read the title of this thread, my mind said “Garden Weasel”.

I guess I should try it for spot seeding grass, but I don’t think we have it any more.

It will wear you out quickly.

 

[flowerbug]

Yes, that's my 4-prong cultivator. Nice long handle ... I use it for a cane when I'm out there.

Beat clods into a semi-flat surface and, I can do a pretty good job making a furrow for seeds. A garden rake is preferable taking on the task from 90°. And no, I don't use a hoe for that. There are just too many rocks to simply pull something thru the soil by hand and make a straight furrow - up, down, bounce sideways! Better to "beat" the furrow into position.

Steve

i have learned (some would say the harder way) to make sure the tines are down in the ground when i set it down. more often i can prop it against the fence. i use it quite often, mostly for raking up debris from plants or to pull piles of dried plants to where i want to bury them. i also use it to break up clumps of dried plants and to spread them along a trench where i'm going to bury them. and then i also use it as a walking stick or to get down into the trench or hole as i'm stepping in to bury or dig. or... very very useful, aside from using it to also rake an area quickly smooth enough of big differences and to break up clods of clay.

given those clumps of clay i understand your line about not being able to always easily drag anything else through the garden to make a straight drill for dropping seeds in, but as the years have gone on and the soil has improved with amending and organic materials and such, well, i can get close enough...

 

[flowerbug]

It will wear you out quickly.

sounds like something i'd end up sticking in a bucket of wet cement to turn it into something more useful...

 

[Dirtmechanic]

sounds like something i'd end up sticking in a bucket of wet cement to turn it into something more useful...

I may have to use that idea from time to time. It seems practical.

 

[digitS']

@SprigOfTheLivingDead , @Dirtmechanic , @Finnie

I'm starting to understand that you are not talking about the "claw" but the little cultivator wheel thing.

Finally, curious enuf to do a search and it's a company name. They even have a long-handled "nut gatherer!" Shouldn't that be a Garden Squirrel?

Steve

 

[digitS']

Should have one guy here!

 

[SprigOfTheLivingDead]

@SprigOfTheLivingDead , @Dirtmechanic , @Finnie

I'm starting to understand that you are not talking about the "claw" but the little cultivator wheel thing.

Finally, curious enuf to do a search and it's a company name. They even have a long-handled "nut gatherer!" Shouldn't that be a Garden Squirrel?

Steve

this thing

 

[flowerbug]

this thing
View attachment 39746

yeah, that's the beastie alright, many of the harder gardens of clay here would laugh at such a thing. in much softer soil it might work much better.

 

[SprigOfTheLivingDead]

yeah, that's the beastie alright, many of the harder gardens of clay here would laugh at such a thing. in much softer soil it might work much better.

Yeah. I've used it some bare patches of dirt for grass seed dispersal, but when I've tried it in garden soil it just clumps up. Maybe it'll be better as I work on those soils over the years