This year, the perennial garden has done better than I expected! Last year was the first year for everything to bloom at our new house. I was able to work with Gilmour last year with their gardening supplies, and when I reached out to them again this spring, they jumped on board ready to work with me again, and sent me some Fiskars tools as well! Love that since I already have some of both in my lawn & garden arsenal! And for the record in my opinion, the only good garden tool is a dirty one!
Now, last year when I worked with them, a couple of the houses around us still weren't built yet, and our home hadn't been added to Google Maps. I had wanted to use Gilmour's mapping guide to get an idea of the length of hoses we would need, but I couldn't figure out the boundary lines. Well, have no fear, I was able to figure it out this year with the updated map.
I absolutely love their site. I easily get lost in their Tips & Techniques. I love gardening, but getting a lawn started has been the bane of our existence since last year. Our builder only put sod just in front of the house. To the side and the entire backyard was only seed. The seed didn't stick the year we moved in, so last year Fred seeded again. So far all we have is clover coming out the wazoo!
Ignoring that, I've been having so much relaxing, enjoyable time in my perennial garden. It's really coming together. I need to map out my plants because there are several I can't remember what they are. I'll have to split my Iris this year. I've been moving tons of stuff around. It's been a super productive couple of weeks out front. Of course, since that's going so well, I'm eyeballing the rest of my yard coming up with ideas of lining the side of my house with perennials, too. HA! Why stop at the front?
At the beginning of March I started veggies inside. I'm still a complete novice at starting them myself. By mid-April, I realized things weren't looking as good as they should. I had a gazillion tomato plants started, but they looked terrible. My peppers didn't do anything, and my eggplants looked great, but something has been eating all of the leaves. I planted the tomatoes in the backyard garden, but the weekend before last, I had to take my new Fiskars tools and replant nearly every single one of them. Waaaaaah
The peas I planted were too close together, so I ended up moving one of those. My pumpkins were growing well...of course since I don't need THOSE until October. Only one zucchini made it from seed and the same with my squash and watermelon. Those I all sowed into the ground. I decided to try some inside to get started and transplant them if they grew. Well, grow they did, and I got those bad boys planted in the garden. I'm already behind with the corn. That's a direct sow as well, and guess who hasn't direct sown? I'm going to pull up a row of tomatoes and see if I can get the corn started.
For Christmas, we got mum & pap a planter box. With mum passing away, pap said he wasn't going to be using the planter and brought it down to us. I put it out front with my other planter box and stuck a few onions in it. I've never grown onions before, and I have no idea how they'll do in a planter box. lol Fred likes onions so I'm hoping it'll be successful. I started those inside when I did the second batch of seeds, and 3 came up. Who knew starting seeds would be so darn hard?
I don't know about you, but the right garden tools make life so much better! Check out the ones I had the opportunity to work with:
- Big Grip Transplanter
- Big Grip Trowel
- Big Grip Cultivator
- Big Grip Weeder
- Big Grip Garden Knife (multitool)
- Shear Ease® Grass Shears
- PowerGear2™ Hedge Shears
- PowerGear2™ Lopper
- PowerGear2™ Pruner
The transplanter has been super helpful with the replanting of my tomatoes. That was a task that took an a couple hours+. Blah, what a tedious task. The trowel has been wonderful with digging new holes for the plants I was shifting around in the garden. The cultivator has been great with the weeds in the garden. They are springing up fast furious with all of the rain we've had. The weeder may be my favorite tool this season. I've had a couple of serious weeds that required some sweat to get out. The stems were a beast to get to, but breaking up the dirt and wiggling it loose with the weeder made it so much easier! I had initially tried to use a trowel, but it wasn't getting me anywhere. Here's the horrible weed that refused to give up until I'd done my job!
I wasn't sure what I was going to use the grass shears for until my hubby went out for the second mowing of the season. Listen, I love the guy, but he gets too close to my garden with the mower for his own good. I took things into my own hands and use the grass shears to cut the grass closest to my flowers. Crisis averted!
Our backyard, by our shed has become the branch & twig collection area. When we have storms and branches fall from the trees, we just place them all next to or behind the shed. I miss having woods next to my house where I could just drag everything on a tarp. Now I have to discard them by taking them to the dump or putting them in the required lawn bags. Well, some of these limbs are too long or too big to put in the bag. Thanks to the lopper, cutting them down to size was like slicing through butter!
Well, my hubby went away for the weekend on a retreat, and I got my DIY on while he was gone. We grabbed a pallet from the hardware store to start with. I pulled out my pressure washer for the first time this season, and cleaned that nasty thing off. Then I laid out all of my tools to see how I wanted to have them all arranged. Thankfully the hubster had some hangers that I slightly modified to fit them. I ran to our local hardware store and grabbed a simple hose holder & plastic straps for the bigger tools, and a snap attachment for the extended wand. When Fred came home, he finished the frame for me!
I laid the pallet down and rearranged my tools numerous times to get it just how I wanted it. I put the hooks, straps, snap, and hose holder where I wanted them. I was going to attach a wire basket for the nozzle, but I couldn't find one anywhere. Thankfully one of the o-rings worked. When I attached the hooks I realized that my #10 screws weren't going to keep them up. Glad the hardware store is like a minute from my house. It's also a dangerous thing!
I had originally bought a more expensive hose holder, but I figured this plastic one would last longer than the other one, and I liked that if I needed to tuck something small in it, it's got the space. There's lots of space for me to add more tools. I think I might put some small plastic buckets in a couple of spots just to hold random things I might come across like my samples of fertilizer that just lay on the tool chest. Probably one to hold my seeds as well.
This will fit perfectly in the shed and since Fred made an angled frame it won't have to lay against the wall, which the shed company says shouldn't be done. The frame is narrow enough that it won't take up a lot of room, but angled enough so the tools won't fall off. I can also store my 5 gallon buckets behind it when they're not in use.
Now you have the opportunity to win this collection of tools from Gilmour:
May is the month to celebrate Moms! If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be who we are today! Make sure you let all moms know that this year! There are a lot of great prizes in the MUM’S THE BEST Giveaway!
Anderson's Angels, Woven by Words, The More The Merrier, and This Mamas Life are very excited to bring you the Mum’s The Best Giveaway Event! We've teamed up with over 15 other wonderful bloggers, to bring you another great giveaway event! Each blog has gathered a prize package worth $25 or more so be sure to visit each blog and enter!Our backyard, by our shed has become the branch & twig collection area. When we have storms and branches fall from the trees, we just place them all next to or behind the shed. I miss having woods next to my house where I could just drag everything on a tarp. Now I have to discard them by taking them to the dump or putting them in the required lawn bags. Well, some of these limbs are too long or too big to put in the bag. Thanks to the lopper, cutting them down to size was like slicing through butter!
Well, my hubby went away for the weekend on a retreat, and I got my DIY on while he was gone. We grabbed a pallet from the hardware store to start with. I pulled out my pressure washer for the first time this season, and cleaned that nasty thing off. Then I laid out all of my tools to see how I wanted to have them all arranged. Thankfully the hubster had some hangers that I slightly modified to fit them. I ran to our local hardware store and grabbed a simple hose holder & plastic straps for the bigger tools, and a snap attachment for the extended wand. When Fred came home, he finished the frame for me!
I laid the pallet down and rearranged my tools numerous times to get it just how I wanted it. I put the hooks, straps, snap, and hose holder where I wanted them. I was going to attach a wire basket for the nozzle, but I couldn't find one anywhere. Thankfully one of the o-rings worked. When I attached the hooks I realized that my #10 screws weren't going to keep them up. Glad the hardware store is like a minute from my house. It's also a dangerous thing!
This will fit perfectly in the shed and since Fred made an angled frame it won't have to lay against the wall, which the shed company says shouldn't be done. The frame is narrow enough that it won't take up a lot of room, but angled enough so the tools won't fall off. I can also store my 5 gallon buckets behind it when they're not in use.
Now you have the opportunity to win this collection of tools from Gilmour:
Hosts & participating hop bloggers of the Mum's The Best Giveaway Event are not responsible for sponsors or self-sponsoring bloggers that do not fulfill prize obligations.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
86 comments:
Heavy Duty
Stationary Square Sprinkler
I need a sprinkler kit for my really large plants.
I really need the Heavy Duty EZ Click Control Watering Nozzle. It would be so nice to use for may watering.
I would also love to have their drinking water safe hose.
I like the Adjustable Circular Tripod Sprinkler.
I could really use the Adjustable Circular Tripod Sprinkler. I have a circular sprinkler that sits on the ground and it's a pain to move around. This one covers a larger area and it would be great!
I could use the Watering & Garden Hose nozzles.
I would love the Front Control nozzle for my garden hose.
I also like the Medium Duty
Elevated Sprinkler
I'd like the Heavy Duty Front Control Watering Nozzle to use on my garden.
Thank you!
I guess my lawn could use a good sprinkler.
I need a Traditional Anvil Pruner.
Also could use the Heavy Duty Powerjet Wand ,Trigger lock allows for continuous spray without squeezing
Lifetime warranty.
I like the Medium Duty
Elevated Sprinkler. I would place it in our raspberry patch.
I love their watering nozzle. The variety of spraying options are awesome! Fingers crossed I win...our garden tools are pretty sad looking right now!
Great Giveaway! I could certainly use all these garden tools!
Thanks so much!
I would love to try the Medium Duty
Elevated Sprinkler.
I could really use the Telescoping Bypass Lopper!
I'd love to own the My Design Sprinkler kit!
I love the front control watering nozzle! I love all the different settings - something for everything in my yard!
I'd like their Flexogen super duty garden hose for watering plants.
mia2009(at)comcast(dot)net
I could use the Heavy Duty Fireman-Style Cleaning Nozzle
We like the adjustable circular tripod sprinkler.
We could use a 50 foot soaker hose for our garden when we are away from home to set up with a timer.
I could use some Garden Sprinklers.
I know my husband would like the Flexogen® Super Duty Hose.
twinkle at optonline dot net
Oh one that I would love for our garden is their Medium Duty 7-Pattern Thumb Control Watering Wand!
I need the stationary sprinkler.
We could use the Gear-Driven Tree Pruner for all the trees that need to be trimmed.
I could also really use the Medium Duty
Adjustable Circular Swivel Sprinkler
70 square feet and it says I should use Medium Duty
Stationary Square Sprinkler
I also love the garden hose nozzle
Thank You for the chance!
Fiona N
I could use one of their Flexible Hoses
I need the Flexogen® Super Duty Hose
4,765 Sq Ft Heavy Duty Adjustable Width and Length Pattern Master® Rectangular Sprinkler
I could really use the Telescoping Bypass Lopper for my fruit trees.
I really need a Heavy Duty
Stationary Square Sprinkler.
I also like the My Design Sprinkler Kit.
I could uze a sprinkler. // 70 sguare feet. Medium
I would like to get Gilmour's Dual Outlet Electronic Water Timer
abfantom at yahoo dot com
I could really use the Heavy Duty
Adjustable Spray Nozzle for my garden hose.
I would like the Adjustable Circular Sprinkler, I think it would fit our needs with the yard.
I need the circular sprinkler.
I would also love to have the Adjustable Circular Tripod Sprinkler.
i really need that sprionkler kit... great!
I'd love to try the gear-driven tree pruner.
Ooooo we could really use the Power Jet Wand around here!
We could definitely use a Telescoping Bypass Lopper, too!
I would love to have one of their sprinkler kits!
skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net
I could use the Flexogen® Heavy Duty Hose.
I need a Traditional Anvil Pruner
I could use the Flexogen Pro Hose this summer
I would love to have the Dual Outlet Electronic Water Timer. I can not tell you how many times I start the water and then forget it. This is an absolutely amazing prize package.
I think the Folding Saw from Gilmour would be useful for pruning tree branches this summer.
I would like to have the Heavy Duty
Elevated Sprinkler.
Hose.
I'd like to have an outdoor water bowl for my 2 dogs, so the Drinking Water Safe Hose is a product I'd like to have!
I absolutely need the powegear lopper!
The sprinklers are much needed.
I could really use their Front Control hose attachment. My sulcata tortoises cruise the yard day & night, but they aren't potty trained and I have to hose off my patio's concrete often.
The light duty elevated sprinkler would be perfect in my garden.
The garden sprinkler would be a big help to me. Thanks.
Honestly, we could use most of it! We live in Northern MN and already started our garden for the year!! I'd love the Flexogen Super Duty Hose, Large Bypass Prunes,Basic Hedge Shears, and the Heavy Duty EZ Click™ Watering Nozzle!
Thank you so much for the chance, and thank you for introducing me to this brand:)
babydjs_mom@yahoo.com
We could use the hose end sprayer to help in cleaning our cars!
We need Light Duty Elevated Sprinkler. I think it will help our lawn stay green!
The elevated sprinkler is awesome!
Medium Duty
Elevated Sprinkler looks amazing to use love to try their products.
My yard could for sure use a sprinkler.
the elevated sprinkler would be perfect for my garden bed.
I would love to have the spray nozzle for my plants.
I would love to have the flexible hose and adjustable sprinkler!
I would like to get one of their garden sprinklers.
I would love the Flexogen® Pro Hose
I like the Medium Duty
Elevated Sprinkler.
The Heavy Duty Elevated Sprinkler would be great.
I could use a new flexible water hose
I would love to have the Heavy Duty Stationary Rectangular Sprinkler.
I'd like one of the loppers to cut branches
I would love to have the Medium Duty Elevated Sprinkler.
Laurie Emerson
I am in desperate need of a new garden hose! I have been coupling mine back together for the last couple of years. Time to splurge!
To save money on water, I sure could use the electric water timer
Dual Outlet Electronic Water Timer.
I also love the Medium Duty Elevated Sprinkler!This would be great for my dry yard.
Medium Duty Elevated Sprinkler.
I could use the Heavy Duty Adjustable Spray Nozzle for my job as an apartment manager.
We could use a few Clamp Mender's - Heavy Duty Zinc & Brass at our place !
Rafflecopter: Bryan E.
I could really use the Power Jet wand.
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