Fresh Impressions May 2007

Friday, March 30, 2007 | by Chesapeake Home Magazine

TOOL-ERIFFIC

While gardeners have known for years that spraying water on plants can eliminate pests such as aphids, whiteflies, mealy bugs, and spider mites, limitations of the typical hose sprayer have hindered its effectiveness. To combat this problem, the Bug Blaster creates a 360° wall of water, which blasts bugs from the underside and tops of leaves, cleaning into the center of the plants to effectively maintain clean, healthy plants or rejuvenate old ones. (thebugblaster.com or 949-493-3310)

The Reel Smart Wooden No-Crank Hose Reel from Hydro Industries eliminates the tedious and often difficult manual cranking often associated with other hose reels. The self-winding reel is powered by a water-piston engine that uses the water pressure in the hose to turn the reel and automatically rewind the hose at the push of a lever. No-Crank Hose Reels are available at many home improvement retailers and garden centers. (no-crank.com or 866-493-7638)

Great for fruit trees or to combat gypsy moths and tent caterpillars, the nickel-plated brass Trombone Sprayer from Lee Valley Tools reaches where most cannot, spraying the tops of trees and tall vines over 20 feet away. Pumping the handles draws liquid through a hose into the sprayer, which features a nozzle that can point in any direction and adjusts from jet stream, for height and distance, to fine mist, for shorter distances and greater width. (leevalley.com or 800-267-8735)

ECO-FRIENDLY

Available at retailers throughout Maryland, the 100% organic, all-natural, Bay-friendly Leafgro is an excellent soil amendment produced strictly from pure, organic yard waste such as leaves and grass clippings. A recycled product developed by the state agency, the Maryland Environmental Service, Leafgro is nutrient-rich, PH-neutral, and the result of a lengthy and carefully-monitored process. The product is composted almost twice as long as similar products, no chemicals are added to speed the process, bagged material is screened twice, and temperature and moisture are consistently maintained. (menv.com or 888-A1-HUMUS)

Last year CH introduced you to TerraCycle, the world’s most eco-friendly manufacturer of plants foods.  100% of the product is made from waste—from the content to the packaging. The all-natural, nutrient-rich plant food is made by “feeding” organic waste to worms that consume and “process” it. The resulting worm excrement is liquified and packaged in recycled soda bottles. New to the Terra Cycle line of products are Tomato Food and Lawn and Garden Fertilizers. (terracycle.net to order or for retailers)

Cockadoodle DOO organic fertilizers and weed control products are earth-friendly, totally safe to use around kids and pets, and an excellent alternative to chemical products. The fertilizers are made from dehydrated and sterilized chicken manure, and the pre-emergent organic weed control product (for combating broad leaf weeds like crab grass, dandelions, and chickweed) is made from corn gluten meal, a natural by-product of the manufacture of cornstarch. (purebarnyard.com or 877-use-organic)

SUPERIOR PLANTERS

Available through select retailers, the EarthBox, self-watering planter is a maintenance-free, high-tech growing system that controls soil conditions, eliminates guesswork, and more than doubles the yield of a conventional garden with less fertilizer and less water. Better yet, at just 21/2 feet long by 1 foot wide, the EarthBox is big enough for most veggies and small enough to be portable and reusable or recyclable. (earthbox.com or 888-917-3908)

Grow delicious fresh salad greens, gourmet herbs, cherry tomatoes, or chili peppers right in your kitchen with AeroGrow’s AeroGarden, which uses a dirt-free growing method where plant roots are suspended in a highly oxygenated, 100%-humidity growing chamber. The planter also features computerized “Smart Garden” technology, which automatically turns the lights on and off, and a built-in reminder to let you know when to add more water or nutrients. And at 16 inches wide by 101/2 inches deep, the AeroGarden doesn’t take up too much precious counter space. (aerogrow.com or 800-GROW-NOW)
This ingenious planter literally turns gardening upside down. The Upside Down Tomato Garden elevates the planting bed so vines grow downward and need almost no attention as tomatoes ripen in the air (not on the ground) where they won’t rot. Annual herbs such as basil, parsley, and rosemary can grow from the top, which holds up to 80 lbs. of topsoil. At around 4 feet tall and 2 feet square, the compact planter can fit in any space with adequate sunlight—even small urban decks and balconies. (hammacher.com or 8000-321-1484)