Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Tools that prove invaluable in gardening even though they are not designed for that purpose

amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
edited 7 February in Problem solving
As I was using my trusted stiff brush to clean a few terracotta pots I remembered that it arrived in my hands as a bundled tool with out car to clean the alloys 😂 it has never been used on the car but is great for removing soil or salt deposits off terracotta. 


Other brands are available but that's the one I have 

What other unconventional tools do you enjoy using? Add them below. 
To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
«1345678

Posts

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    That type of brush is useful for all kinds of things. Highly recommended from me too.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I have a stack of washing up buckets (mostly picked up off the street) and find them just the right size for sorting homemade compost. They stack well and don't take up much space and are robust (stored out of the sun).

    Also - as I imagine lots of us do - I use old spray bottles for all sorts, homemade garlic spray, teak oil spray etc. I rarely throw out an old spray bottle. Just be careful to label it very clearly with the new contents.
  • Songbird-2Songbird-2 Posts: 2,349
    I use a small double ended knitting needle sometimes as a dibber for making holes /indents  in pots when potting on seedlings. Easy to clean too. 
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    Metal Kebab sticks for piercing holes in plastic trays to use as seed trays.
    Wooden pestles for grinding up egg shells after baking them.
  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    Clear plastic storage tubs are great as propagators.
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    A washing up brush for cleaning the bird bath, pots and tools. An old kitchen knife is also good for removing weeds from lawns, paths and borders and for opening boxes containing new plant deliveries!
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    A dinner fork is very good for pricking out. Prongs to get the seedlings apart, handle to make the hole


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Paint/ wallpaper scraper. I have two sizes. Great for hoeing, scraping moss and weeds off the path, edging small bits of lawn lawn, jiggling the clay after you've stepped on it. Hoiking out annual weeds, slicing slugs in half, scraping up poo , making drills for sowing seeds etc  etc.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • CrankyYankeeCrankyYankee Posts: 504
    edited 7 February
    Plastic jugs that kitty litter comes in make great watering cans - they have handles and all I need to do is drill holes in the screw top. 
    New England, USA
    Metacomet soil with hints of Woodbridge and Pillsbury
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Water or fizz bottle slotted over bird feeder so that squirrels and parakeets can't get purchase to circumvent the spring loaded mechanism
    In London. Keen but lazy.
Sign In or Register to comment.