Equipment and Tool Reviews
How many times have you flipped on the television and saw this "amazing, can't do without" product that you had to have for your garden, but found out when it arrived to your house it was junk? Hopefully this page will guide you through the myriad of products available to you.
How many times have you flipped on the television and saw this "amazing, can't do without" product that you had to have for your garden, but found out when it arrived to your house it was junk? Hopefully this page will guide you through the myriad of products available to you.
The GroPole
Every once in a blue moon, someone comes up with a new idea for a garden tool or implement that makes you say, “Wow, what a great idea!” Well, the product we are reviewing is one of those new products that I am sure everyone will want to have for their gardens – The GroPole.
Speaking from personal history, I have used wooden stakes to support everything from tomatoes to cucumbers to large sunflowers. Once you find a 6 foot stake to use, it looks horrible from a landscape point of view to see this large piece of wood sticking out of the garden when the plant is only one foot tall. Unfortunately you need to begin the staking process early for proper support as the plant grows. The next problem with wooden stakes is that they only last for a year or two, when they start to rot from exposure, then it is off to the store to buy more. Even bamboo begins to deteriorate within a few years, and you can never seem to find one with a large enough circumference to give the plant proper support.
Brand new to the market this year is the GroPole, an adjustable plant stake made from UV resistant plastic with some recycled content. What makes this stake different from anything else I’ve seen on the market is that the stake actually grows with the plant, telescoping up to a full 5 feet tall. No longer will you landscape look like a staked out mess. The GroPole is adjustable, so as the plant grows, so does your GroPole. It is a well thought out product, which includes locking supports which click into place while adjusting the pole upward, notches along the ribbed edge so you can have a place to attach your plant ties, even to the cap on the top of the extended pole to prevent water build up inside the pole. Unlike wooden stakes, the GroPole has a flat base which you can step on to push the stake into the ground, and can even take the abuse of a mallet to apply a little more pressure in securing it in the hardest of soil types. How many times have you broken a wooden stake trying to get it in the ground?
Once the gardening year is over, just remove the GroPole and wash it with soapy water to remove any garden debris or soil and store it away for next year – it is that simple. It is so reliable and durable the company backs up the product with a one year warranty, so you know it must be a quality product. Finally, it is made in the USA, which means jobs in this country, something I support whole-heartedly.
For more information and to buy a couple GroPoles for yourself, visit their web site at www.gropole.com. You will surely love this product as much as I do.
Every once in a blue moon, someone comes up with a new idea for a garden tool or implement that makes you say, “Wow, what a great idea!” Well, the product we are reviewing is one of those new products that I am sure everyone will want to have for their gardens – The GroPole.
Speaking from personal history, I have used wooden stakes to support everything from tomatoes to cucumbers to large sunflowers. Once you find a 6 foot stake to use, it looks horrible from a landscape point of view to see this large piece of wood sticking out of the garden when the plant is only one foot tall. Unfortunately you need to begin the staking process early for proper support as the plant grows. The next problem with wooden stakes is that they only last for a year or two, when they start to rot from exposure, then it is off to the store to buy more. Even bamboo begins to deteriorate within a few years, and you can never seem to find one with a large enough circumference to give the plant proper support.
Brand new to the market this year is the GroPole, an adjustable plant stake made from UV resistant plastic with some recycled content. What makes this stake different from anything else I’ve seen on the market is that the stake actually grows with the plant, telescoping up to a full 5 feet tall. No longer will you landscape look like a staked out mess. The GroPole is adjustable, so as the plant grows, so does your GroPole. It is a well thought out product, which includes locking supports which click into place while adjusting the pole upward, notches along the ribbed edge so you can have a place to attach your plant ties, even to the cap on the top of the extended pole to prevent water build up inside the pole. Unlike wooden stakes, the GroPole has a flat base which you can step on to push the stake into the ground, and can even take the abuse of a mallet to apply a little more pressure in securing it in the hardest of soil types. How many times have you broken a wooden stake trying to get it in the ground?
Once the gardening year is over, just remove the GroPole and wash it with soapy water to remove any garden debris or soil and store it away for next year – it is that simple. It is so reliable and durable the company backs up the product with a one year warranty, so you know it must be a quality product. Finally, it is made in the USA, which means jobs in this country, something I support whole-heartedly.
For more information and to buy a couple GroPoles for yourself, visit their web site at www.gropole.com. You will surely love this product as much as I do.
PREDATOR PEE
Who is crazy enough to sell pee? That's a very interesting question. How about two middle-aged men named Ken….and Ken living in the heart of the Maine woods. Sound too good to be true? Well, maybe it is, but the truth is that Ken Johnson and Ken Theobald have been peddling their liquid wares out of a Maine office for over 13 years to stores and individuals all over the country. Around here we know that Ken and Ken have been partners from birth, it just took them 20 years to figure it out. In 1973 they started working together in an ad agency in Bangor, Maine. It was fairly simple then. Ken Johnson created stuff and Ken Theobald sold it. Twenty seven years later its still just about as simple. Walk into one office and you'll find KJ clad in cowboy boots and dungarees, feet up, eyes fixed on the window, chewing over his newest idea.Just one office over, you'll find the other Ken on the telephone working a potential customer over with his lethal charm. KT's Dockers, v-neck sweater, and boat shoes make you wonder if the Stork was seriously lost when he dropped him in coastal Maine. As different as they seem, there is one thing that binds this unlikely pair together, an undaunted sense of optimism. Indeed, the belief that their next "widget" will outsell the likes of Bill Gates keeps these guys trying and trying.
How do they get their ideas?
Well, the words, "Danger! Men Thinking" inscribed on a sign outside the office of Ken Johnson aptly describes the creative process that has led to the birth of many unique product lines including 100% Predator Urine. Picture verbal sumo wrestling, add a lot of laughter, five cups of coffee and you've got one of their "sessions". Sometimes a new product is born in only minutes and sometimes, only after hours of "work" is a viable idea conceived. Well, whatever the method, the madness seems to work. Over the past 20 years, Ken and Ken have successfully launched several product lines that have risen to national prominence, marketed existing agricultural products in Maine, and even jumped feet first into the political arena defeating the Maine governor's controversial forestry proposal.
Of course, the question always on our minds and probably on yours now is, "What's next?" I'd tell you, but then Bill Gates might find out.
Predator Urine and how it works
The Predator Urine concept is based upon the principal of duplicating the use of urine by animals in the wild. Predators mark the perimeter of their territory with urine helping prey like deer and other animals tell whether an area is safe or dangerous. When using our Scent Darts, place them into the ground every 10-12 feet around the designated area and saturate with the appropriate Predator Urine. Reapply every 7-10 days or immediately after rain. It is recommended that Scent Darts be placed out of reach of sprinklers or irrigation systems. An 8oz bottle should be enough for 3 applications to a 400 square-foot area.
If you are using our 30 Day Dispensers, fill them to just below the holes with Predator Urine and hang every 10-12 feet from a tree or a free-standing stake. For deer, be sure to place the Dispenser bottles at nose level. For smaller animals, they should be hung closer to the ground. Refresh with urine every 30 days. An 8oz bottle should be sufficient to cover a 400 square-foot area for 30 days. We do not recommend squirting the urine directly on plants or other living vegetation.
Some testimonials on their product
"…a friend who has been using a bottle of your product. He uses nothing else…we are convinced the product is working."
Jane Tesky
Nanaimo, British Columbia
CANADA
"A few years back my neighbor was in Idaho…my name was mentioned.. So, that's how I got to know your product Coyote Urine. It seems to be working."
Angelo Fogliari
Belmont, California
"I am very pleased with your Coyote Urine."
Ed Harris
Duxbury, Massachusetts
"The Coyote Urine…has been effective."
Benjamin Kuhn Oko, M.D.
Ridgefield, Connecticut
"...we have found your Coyote Urine to be effective..."
Neal Charydcak
Egg Harbor, New Jersey
"...your Coyote Urine is most excellent. I have tried many other products, none have performed as well..."
Michael Salmon Renton,
Washington
"A friend gave me a bottle of Coyote Urine. It was the only effective method I have ever used... thank you so much, you have a wonderful product!"
Mrs. Marie Gilmore
Basking Ridge, New Jersey
"I find your Coyote Urine, which I purchase from Agway, is the only thing that works. I wish to purchase it in larger quantities."
Mrs. Randy Blake
Kingston, New
"...The Coyote Urine worked wonders!"
Evelyn Paslawski
Middlebury, Connecticut
"We are a not-for -profit 434 acre historic site... we started using your Fox Urine. We tell all our visitors about your product."
Anne Evensen
Horticulturist Historic Hudson Valley Annadale-On-Hudson New York
"I found a website advertising predator urine -- www.predatorpee.com -- and it seemed logical so I ordered a bottle of coyote urine."
John Shaw
Shaw Nursery and Landscape
South Miami, Florida (As reported in the Miami Herald)
"I have so far used a product of yours called Coyote Urine plus Bobcat Urine and have found this use very much satisfactory."
Raymond Giffen
Staten Island, New York
"...It appears your Fox Urine works really well!"
Joan Adams
Wilmington, Delaware
"I live in San Diego, Cal. and we have so many skunks this year. Everyone said to get a trap and take them to the country to release them. I'm in my 70's and am not about to trap a skunk! My son in Seattle, Wash. sent me some Fox urine. He said everyone up there uses it but down here they laughed at me. However, it has worked for 3 weeks. Help! How can I order more Fox Urine?"
Eleanor Hanley
San Diego, California
Their website is www.predatorpee.com and they have secure online ordering to help simplify matters. Also check out their "Got Pee" hat that will start a conversation anywhere!
Who is crazy enough to sell pee? That's a very interesting question. How about two middle-aged men named Ken….and Ken living in the heart of the Maine woods. Sound too good to be true? Well, maybe it is, but the truth is that Ken Johnson and Ken Theobald have been peddling their liquid wares out of a Maine office for over 13 years to stores and individuals all over the country. Around here we know that Ken and Ken have been partners from birth, it just took them 20 years to figure it out. In 1973 they started working together in an ad agency in Bangor, Maine. It was fairly simple then. Ken Johnson created stuff and Ken Theobald sold it. Twenty seven years later its still just about as simple. Walk into one office and you'll find KJ clad in cowboy boots and dungarees, feet up, eyes fixed on the window, chewing over his newest idea.Just one office over, you'll find the other Ken on the telephone working a potential customer over with his lethal charm. KT's Dockers, v-neck sweater, and boat shoes make you wonder if the Stork was seriously lost when he dropped him in coastal Maine. As different as they seem, there is one thing that binds this unlikely pair together, an undaunted sense of optimism. Indeed, the belief that their next "widget" will outsell the likes of Bill Gates keeps these guys trying and trying.
How do they get their ideas?
Well, the words, "Danger! Men Thinking" inscribed on a sign outside the office of Ken Johnson aptly describes the creative process that has led to the birth of many unique product lines including 100% Predator Urine. Picture verbal sumo wrestling, add a lot of laughter, five cups of coffee and you've got one of their "sessions". Sometimes a new product is born in only minutes and sometimes, only after hours of "work" is a viable idea conceived. Well, whatever the method, the madness seems to work. Over the past 20 years, Ken and Ken have successfully launched several product lines that have risen to national prominence, marketed existing agricultural products in Maine, and even jumped feet first into the political arena defeating the Maine governor's controversial forestry proposal.
Of course, the question always on our minds and probably on yours now is, "What's next?" I'd tell you, but then Bill Gates might find out.
Predator Urine and how it works
The Predator Urine concept is based upon the principal of duplicating the use of urine by animals in the wild. Predators mark the perimeter of their territory with urine helping prey like deer and other animals tell whether an area is safe or dangerous. When using our Scent Darts, place them into the ground every 10-12 feet around the designated area and saturate with the appropriate Predator Urine. Reapply every 7-10 days or immediately after rain. It is recommended that Scent Darts be placed out of reach of sprinklers or irrigation systems. An 8oz bottle should be enough for 3 applications to a 400 square-foot area.
If you are using our 30 Day Dispensers, fill them to just below the holes with Predator Urine and hang every 10-12 feet from a tree or a free-standing stake. For deer, be sure to place the Dispenser bottles at nose level. For smaller animals, they should be hung closer to the ground. Refresh with urine every 30 days. An 8oz bottle should be sufficient to cover a 400 square-foot area for 30 days. We do not recommend squirting the urine directly on plants or other living vegetation.
Some testimonials on their product
"…a friend who has been using a bottle of your product. He uses nothing else…we are convinced the product is working."
Jane Tesky
Nanaimo, British Columbia
CANADA
"A few years back my neighbor was in Idaho…my name was mentioned.. So, that's how I got to know your product Coyote Urine. It seems to be working."
Angelo Fogliari
Belmont, California
"I am very pleased with your Coyote Urine."
Ed Harris
Duxbury, Massachusetts
"The Coyote Urine…has been effective."
Benjamin Kuhn Oko, M.D.
Ridgefield, Connecticut
"...we have found your Coyote Urine to be effective..."
Neal Charydcak
Egg Harbor, New Jersey
"...your Coyote Urine is most excellent. I have tried many other products, none have performed as well..."
Michael Salmon Renton,
Washington
"A friend gave me a bottle of Coyote Urine. It was the only effective method I have ever used... thank you so much, you have a wonderful product!"
Mrs. Marie Gilmore
Basking Ridge, New Jersey
"I find your Coyote Urine, which I purchase from Agway, is the only thing that works. I wish to purchase it in larger quantities."
Mrs. Randy Blake
Kingston, New
"...The Coyote Urine worked wonders!"
Evelyn Paslawski
Middlebury, Connecticut
"We are a not-for -profit 434 acre historic site... we started using your Fox Urine. We tell all our visitors about your product."
Anne Evensen
Horticulturist Historic Hudson Valley Annadale-On-Hudson New York
"I found a website advertising predator urine -- www.predatorpee.com -- and it seemed logical so I ordered a bottle of coyote urine."
John Shaw
Shaw Nursery and Landscape
South Miami, Florida (As reported in the Miami Herald)
"I have so far used a product of yours called Coyote Urine plus Bobcat Urine and have found this use very much satisfactory."
Raymond Giffen
Staten Island, New York
"...It appears your Fox Urine works really well!"
Joan Adams
Wilmington, Delaware
"I live in San Diego, Cal. and we have so many skunks this year. Everyone said to get a trap and take them to the country to release them. I'm in my 70's and am not about to trap a skunk! My son in Seattle, Wash. sent me some Fox urine. He said everyone up there uses it but down here they laughed at me. However, it has worked for 3 weeks. Help! How can I order more Fox Urine?"
Eleanor Hanley
San Diego, California
Their website is www.predatorpee.com and they have secure online ordering to help simplify matters. Also check out their "Got Pee" hat that will start a conversation anywhere!
MEET THE BIONIC GLOVES
I received a pair of these gloves about three months ago and have literally tried to neglect them, but to no avail. In the past when I have used gloves, I always had the leather palm gloves with the knit cuff. By the end of a full day of gardening, the seams were coming apart and they were guaranteed to have at least one hole, usually in between the thumb and forefinger. These gloves have outlasted my efforts in an especially rainy spring, and after a wash, are close to being new again. The interesting part of these gloves is that they were designed by a hand surgeon (who better to design a glove?) and the thought behind them shows. From the velcro wrist closures, which do an excellent job of keeping soil and debris from getting into your glove, to the relief pads on each knuckle to help prevent blisters after a full day of use, these gloves have protection and comfort in mind. Even better they are made of soft Cabretta leather, which is washable. Just allow these gloves to air dry and they will be ready to go again.
These gloves are custom made to fit your specific hand size, which means more comfort and workability for you. You can literally pick up dimes with these gloves, they fit so well. To measure your hand, just wrap a tape measure around the area above, and that is the measurement. I have to say that these even impressed the toughest critic I know, Mrs. Gardening Guru. The price for these gloves are $45, which at first may seem pricey, but let me do the math for you. If your like me and spend almost $50 on a dozen leather palm gloves with knit cuffs, and they last about one day of tough work, you can get two weeks of work for the same price of a years' worth of comfort can give you with these gloves. As you all know by now, my favorite motto is "You get what you pay for". In this case you get a whole lot more!
I received a pair of these gloves about three months ago and have literally tried to neglect them, but to no avail. In the past when I have used gloves, I always had the leather palm gloves with the knit cuff. By the end of a full day of gardening, the seams were coming apart and they were guaranteed to have at least one hole, usually in between the thumb and forefinger. These gloves have outlasted my efforts in an especially rainy spring, and after a wash, are close to being new again. The interesting part of these gloves is that they were designed by a hand surgeon (who better to design a glove?) and the thought behind them shows. From the velcro wrist closures, which do an excellent job of keeping soil and debris from getting into your glove, to the relief pads on each knuckle to help prevent blisters after a full day of use, these gloves have protection and comfort in mind. Even better they are made of soft Cabretta leather, which is washable. Just allow these gloves to air dry and they will be ready to go again.
These gloves are custom made to fit your specific hand size, which means more comfort and workability for you. You can literally pick up dimes with these gloves, they fit so well. To measure your hand, just wrap a tape measure around the area above, and that is the measurement. I have to say that these even impressed the toughest critic I know, Mrs. Gardening Guru. The price for these gloves are $45, which at first may seem pricey, but let me do the math for you. If your like me and spend almost $50 on a dozen leather palm gloves with knit cuffs, and they last about one day of tough work, you can get two weeks of work for the same price of a years' worth of comfort can give you with these gloves. As you all know by now, my favorite motto is "You get what you pay for". In this case you get a whole lot more!