Repurposing easy to obtain objects as Gardening Tools

anagami

Today I transplanted a 10 to 12 cm papaya plant from a small garden (my "semillero": seeder) to the main garden. Hoping it's now strong enough to grow taller in a new location. The tools used were quite common: one retractable 9 cm knife an a drawing pencil that I don't need anymore (it's too strong, I prefer 2B and 6B and lately I paint in digital with a WACOM tablet). The knife was used to start a wide enough whole, and the pencil for the depth of the whole and to help hold the plant for a few hours (it started raining).

And I remembered how I was able to grow small grape plants. I made a temporal greenhouse of a size of about 18x14x8 cm with one plastic food container and plastic with a bit of holes. My house is located in a hotter and less humid place than what is needed for grapes. About 7 plants were born and 1 lasted quite long, but I decided to euthanize it because it was almost dead. But I learned to improvise a small "seeder" greenhouse garden.

And remembering this, I'm thinking that for home food gardening, it may be possible to start with repurposed objects and will to do it. Any similar experiences with other improvised tools?
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Cashmere · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Mar 27, 2008 Posts: 1485

"Repurposed"?

Were you ever in middle management?
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anagami

alokin · Intermediate Crude Joined: Aug 24, 2007 Posts: 701

For gardening you need 4 decent tools:
a hoe, a spade, a rake and pruning shears (preferable these swiss ones), don't play around look if you have money and buy these 4 tools in a decent quality (at a store were tradespeople buy).
Transplanting you can do with your finger a stick or the better version a teaspoon. We reclaim milk bottles for watering and everything were you can poke holes in for seedraising.
But you need these 4 basic things.

Cashmere · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Mar 27, 2008 Posts: 1485

strider3700

You know I went for years without a hoe. Even these days I tend to use a small shovel rather then a hoe.

I'd go so far as to say you just need a good shovel to garden. If I had my choice I'd add a rake as well but really I can live without my hoe.

The other thing I can't really live without that isn't on your list is hoses, sprinklers and all the other fun watering parts.
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allenwrench · Intermediate Crude Joined: Apr 23, 2008 Posts: 728

http://www.gundogsonline.com/dog-grooming-supplies/dog-shedding-blade.html

...makes a good hand weeder as long as the soil is dry.

bobaloo · Heavy Crude Joined: Oct 14, 2004 Posts: 468

I have a concrete mason's trowel, diamond shaped blade about 5" long, that I sharpened the edges on. I use it all the time in the garden. Slide it along the ground, just under the surface, it's a great weeder in tight spots in raised beds. Also use it to dig holes for transplants in the summer when the ground is getting firmer.

Jenab6

anagami

lol, I didn't know the english names of most gardening tools.

But a rake is not that essential. And there are tools that do have to be bought, like a hose and a trowel.
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