The Gardening Rake- An Invaluable Gardening Tool
A rake is something that no gardener should be without. If you are, then shame on you! How do you manage in your garden minus the all important rake? A rake is essential for any garden whether you just have a lawn or a vegetable or a flower garden. Even if you have shrubs, a rake is a vital gardening device.
There are different types of rakes on the market including the garden rake, lawn rake, flat rake, border rake and hay rake but most gardeners need only one or two rakes to do all of their gardening jobs. It is generally only professional gardeners who need to have more than one rake in their garden shed. The good news is that many rakes are all purpose.
The garden rake is the most commonly used rake. It is the most appropriate rake to use when preparing seed beds and breaking soil down. Use the garden rake when you are spreading fertilizer and compost, mounding vegetables, or clearing stones and/or general debris from your yard. Flat rakes can be substituted for a garden rake for these same purposes.
The second most common rake is the lawn rake. This versatile rake can be used for a variety of duties connected to the lawn, such as raking up and collecting grassing clippings as well as leaves. A lawn rake can come in handy when applying fertilizer to the lawn.
If you have a rather large area to prepare the seedbed, then a garden rake would work but it will take you a considerable amount of time to get your work done. In this instance you would be better off using a wooden hay rake. This rake will take you half the time as compared to a regular garden rake.
If you have flowers or shrubs that are in close proximity, then a border rake would be the rake of choice for the job. The same holds true if your vegetables are planted very close together.
When shopping for a garden rake, buy the best one you can afford. If you do, it will last you for many years to come. A top quality garden rake will not need to have its handle replaced. In the same way, the blade teeth should continue to be sharp for the life of the rake.
