There are two perspectives on gardening. “Younger people tend to view gardening as something to get done so that they can get their kids to their soccer game,” says Alan Rutkowski, product manager of Fiskars, in Sauk City, Wis. “Middle-aged and elderly people see gardening not just as a way to control weeds and plants in their yards, but as a pleasurable activity.”
No matter how people feel about doing the work that gardening requires, they will welcome the new designs of tools now in the stores.
“The whole thrust of our garden tools is to make the activity easier and more enjoyable,” says Rutkowski.
Dan Caspall, vice president of V&B Manufacturing Co., based in Walnut Ridge, Ark., agrees. He says, “Good health is important to people today so they are looking for tools that will do the job in a manner that is not going to (overexert) them.”
Since gardening is supposed to produce beautiful results, not aches and pains, more and more tools are being designed so that they will work in harmony with the human body.
Some are simply lighter weight and/or weighted to reduce strain on the arm and wrist.
Long-handled tools such as rakes and shovels may have handles contoured with a bend here or a curve there in order to reduce back strain.
Many tools have handles covered with soft material so that they are comfortable to hold and won’t slip. Often the handles of hand tools are styled to fit the shape of the palm of the hand and the fingers.
Although computer users in the 1990s may end up with debilitating pain in their wrists, the complaint is not new. “People who garden and do a lot of pruning develop carpal tunnel syndrome,” explains Rutkowski, “so we are developing tools that keep your wrist in a neutral position.”
While many of today’s lawn and gardening tools are “smart,” so are consumers. “The buyers are more knowledgeable and better educated, so they’re looking for tools that have true value,” says Caspall. “That means that we’ve got to keep the price down as low as possible and have quality built into them.”
A number of new lawn and garden tools are described below with suggested retail prices. Contact the listed manufacturers for help in finding a retailer in your area who carries a specific item.
– Curvy design. The ErgoConcept long-handled lawn and garden tools may look as though they have been bent out of shape, but they have been designed that way for a purpose. The handle on each of the eight tools in the series is curved so gardeners won’t have to lean over and put stress on their backs. The line includes four rakes, two shovels, a garden hoe and a cultivator. The contour of each handle was shaped with the input of medical professionals and ergonomic experts in accordance with how the tool is used, since each one makes unique demands on our muscles and joints.
The handles are made of lightweight aluminum and have slip-free cushioned grips that are extra long so that people of any height can grasp them comfortably. Price: $25 each. Ames Lawn & Garden Tools, P.O. Box 1774, Parkersburg, W.Va. 26101; 800-725-9500.
– Landscaping tools. V&B Manufacturing has introduced three small landscaping tools for use in confined spaces such as water gardens and finishing beds. The line includes a Mini-Tiller, Mini-Planter and Mini-Pick. Lightweight with short handles, they are balanced so that they can be used with very little effort. Each tool can be used for a variety of tasks because one edge of every blade is shaped for digging while the other one is designed for the specific purpose of planting, trenching or tilling. Price: $13 each. V&B Manufacturing Co., P.O. Box 268, Walnut Ridge, Ark. 72476; 800-443-1987.
– Power pruner. The PowerGear Pruner from Fiskars has a special mechanism that helps to open and close the tool easily and thus reduce strain of the hands and wrists. The handles are shaped to fit easily in the hand. The bottom handle rotates gently in the hand as the pruner is used in order to minimize fatigue.
The opening between the handles can be adjusted to suit the individual user. The cutting blade has a non-stick coating to help cut green and growing wood. The attractive black tool has orange accents so that it can be easily located if it’s left of the ground. Fiskars’ PowerGear Lopper also has a gear mechanism that makes it easier to use, reducing strain on hands and wrists.
Both the PowerGear Pruner and the PowerGear Lopper have won Good Design Awards from the Chicago Athenaenum Museum of Architecture and Design. Price: $32.95. Fiskars Wallace Division Customer Service Dept., 780 Carolina St., Sauk City, Wis. 53583; 800-500-4849.
– A clean cut. Takagi Tools has added a Root Cutter to its line of CleanCut gardening hand tools. Its blades are inspired by the traditional technology used in samurai swords and tools used in the art of bonsai. The Root Cutter’s blade is made of tempered carbon steel. Its teeth have two cutting edges so that it works with both a pushing and pulling motion.
The blade is stiff and has a chisel-shaped point so that it will plunge through the ground. The tool’s plastic handle, shaped to fit comfortably in the hand, is textured to provide a slip-free grip. Price: $14.49. Takagi Tools Inc., 337-A Figueroa St., Wilmington, Calif. 90744; 800-777-5538.
– Lawn aerator. Bond Manufacturing has introduced Green Giant Spiked Shoes, which offer an unusual way to aerate lawns. These spiked shoe soles are designed to be strapped on over shoes. Then a walk across the lawn can loosen hardened ground, aerate the soil and give the grass a better chance to grow.
Not only can Spiked Shoes perk up your lawn, they also can provide a mini-workout for the wearer. Price: $9.99. Bond Manufacturing Co., 105 Channel Rd., P.O. Box 2010, Benicia, Calif. 94510; 800-359-8665.
