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Simplify Gardening - Close to perfect tools?

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  • Yes AK exactly right, there are already bulb planters on the market but they're not very good. It would be useful to plant bulbs between other plants.

     

     

  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841

    For those looking for bulb planting help have a look for ground auger bits which fit on a battery operated drill - like this one http://www.amazon.com/Tanaka-745201-3-Inch-7-Inch-Planting/dp/B0015Z3OZ2/ref=pd_sim_86_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=31Yxrn8CM0L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0AAG7CBJA7HBXMEQXHVT

    There are several sizes from various makers available in the USA but these are very hard to find in the UK for some strange reason.

  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,015

    From the number of times the topic has been raised over the years, including by myself, I would go along with the others pleading for something which would actually work to keep cats out of the garden.

  • DyersEndDyersEnd Posts: 730

    AK, maybe 6" bits of wood is a bit OTT - 4" is probably nearer the mark. As far as I can tell, chainsaws are a bit of a faff with oiling and sharpening to worry about although I dare say I could learn how to deal with that.  It must be cordless for me and I'd like it to use the same battery as my existing 'ahem' Bosch tools (strimmer and hedge trimmer).

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,503

    I like the idea of a hand-held auger-type tool which could cope with planting bulbs in heavy clay.

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888

    did someone mention cat deterrent? another £1 for me. image

    Devon.
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,015

    No you don't Hostafan1.  It wasn't a question about dealing with the ****** things.  It was a suggestion for an issue which requires a solution.

  • Hi, the thing that bugs me is wasted time looking for my trowel or the little fork or whatever tool I have put down and forgotten were ?..

    im thinking if you could make something to stick on the tool you are useing, while you have a small device in your pocket which you can press and make your tool bleep when you've lost it??

  • @ KT53: From what I've seen and heard so far, cats are really the demons of the gardening community - it would be quite an interesting concept to design but I'd have to double check if I'd be allowed to proceed down that route, ahaha.

    I do have an idea for it though but I'm not sure if it currently exists - you can get PIR sensors that effectively take an 'image' of the surround environment (well whatever it fits into its viewing angle) and then if something changes, they send out a signal.

    So theoretically speaking, you could connect several of these sensors so that the entire garden is mapped and then if a cat (which would be a suitably large change in the environment) comes along, you play a sound at a frequency that only the cat can hear (like a cat whistle or something, ahaha) which would probably send it packing. And of course, this would only work when a change occurs so the system itself would be quite 'intelligent'.

    @ DyersEnd: Yeah I suppose they are a bit more effort than they're worth but sure, I'll keep the idea in mind for a motorised saw. I think the 'one battery fits all' scheme is becoming more popular these days; I've seen adverts for Ryobi and similar brands introducing it and I think its a lovely idea although I assume in the past due to the issues with battery technology, they couldn't have support for everything.

    @ Passionate: I believe another member asked something similar earlier - its a good idea; some form of tracking tag that sends out a signal to a beeper (or even your phone if that's something people have out with them in the garden). Would you prefer something to clip onto the butt of the tool or something that could be wrapped around the handle without interfering with the use?

  • Hey AK, Apologies for thinking outside the box, but if you don't know anything about gardening why are you doing a project about it??  BUT since I'm here, if anyone could invent something that both attracts destroys and turns into harmless dry pellets all the slugs and snails in my garden which I can never get rid of on account of there being derelict council land on two sides, they would get my vote for an award. 

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