Quick — What’s your best garden purchase of 2009 so far?

Me? I just went out and bought myself a cultivator.

When I prep my soil in the spring, I usually use a pitch fork and a rake to fluff up the soil in my raised beds. It works great for small spaces. No roto-tilling, no worries.

A few weeks ago, I scored a plot at a brand new community garden in St. Louis Park. The city had plowed the field, but big chunks of sod hid under the soil. My pitchfork and rake technique was painstakingly slow. After thirty minutes, I was covered in dirt.

My new neighbor, Betty, made quick work of her plot using only one tool. It ripped through the clods while making nice neat rows.

“I found this cultivator in my daughter’s garage. I think I am the first one to use it.”

I just had to have one.

So, what is your must have garden tool of 2009? Has it met your expectations or are you looking for your receipt?

PS: If you’re looking for soil prep tips, check out: http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/essential-tools-working-soil.aspx.

This weekend I got into a fight with my shovel. Can you guess who won?

I was mixing soil in a wheel barrow. I grew impatient and decided it would be easier to mix it with my hands. I leaned the shovel against the wheel barrow and got to work. My vigorous mixing knocked the shovel loose and the wooden handle knocked me squarely in the head.

“Ka-THUNK!” — I could hear the sound echo in my skull and across the yard. There were birds and stars and swearing.

Four days later, I still have a giant goose egg on the side of my head. It still smarts when I touch it.

When I am slow and methodical, no body — not even my body — gets hurt. When I rush and get overwhelmed, my garden turns into the set of The Three Stooges.

Big, clumsy and prone to making the same mistakes over and over, I turn into Curly. I get tangled up in cords and hoses. I knock over buckets, planters and my morning cup of coffee. Branches whack me in the face. Ants bite me. I lose my tools one minute, then trip over them the next.

Sound familiar? Are you klutz, too? What’s your silliest garden injury? Did you learn from your mistake or do you repeat the same lesson every growing season?

Just when I thought it was safe to go to the mailbox again because I’d already received every seed catalog ever produced, I am coming to realize it’s “garden stuff” catalog time.

You know garden stuff. The fiberglass fan trellis that is zero maintenance and a cinch to store; the pickup wizard that makes gathering nuts and fruits a whiz, and an entire line of fake rocks to hide other garden stuff that you never put away.

Sometimes, in the avalanche of garden stuff, there is a brilliant idea. Really, those things that guide the hose around corners so it doesn’t wipe out your borders? I think they’re smart. But not everything makes the cut.

Last year I bought no-hassle veggie cages that are expandable plastic spirals anchored at the top of a post. The marketing chatter in the catalog promised they fold flat (they do), won’t rust (they don’t) and that you can use them for everything from snow peas to tomatoes. That turned out to be a funny joke on my tomatoes.  After about two weeks as must-haves, they were relegated to the junk heap.

Especially in this economy (ever notice that everyone now says “this economy”?), I’m trying to be a bit more discerning in the garden stuff category. You?

Do you have a favorite must-have for the garden? Something you tried that didn’t work out for you? Or maybe you just point and laugh at some of the wacky garden stuff that’s out there.

Let me get this straight — I have to remember to turn the compost AND sift it, too? I thought GG reader JudyBusy was talking crazy, but riddles are no joking matter. They actually make a lot of sense — especially for someone like me who forgets to remove twist ties and rubber bands.

DIY Danika works 60 hours a week and still found time to assemble her very own riddle:
I took the frame from a broken tray, a bit of hardware mesh, and a staple gun to make me a riddle! It took about 15 minutes

Are you into riddles? Or is it like the gardener’s form of flossing, you know, something you mean to do but never seem to find the time to do it?

When it comes to gardening, it seems like the UK is way ahead of us yanks. Planters, tools, boots and gloves, I can’t help but envy some of their solutions from everything from weeding to patio gardening.

GG reader Patty stumbled across this marvy potato barrel (right) from UK gardening institution, Suttons Seeds :

Hi Greengirls!

I’ve been trying to locate someplace here in MN (or at least the US!) that carries the potato barrel and/or strawberry tubs shown below. I love these, but refuse to pay to have them shipped from the UK! Any chance you or the rest of the gardening crew have any hints for me where to find these (or something similar)?

Thanks!
Patty

Truth be told, these pots make potato planting and harvesting look like a grab-and-go counter. (See how easily the cleaned-handed gardener fills her basket?) Seriously crush worthy. I’d like 3 or 4 of these on my patio, but I haven’t seen them in any TC garden center. Have you?