Recently I got a new toy — I mean tool. I added a weed whacker to my arsenal of weed control tools. My collection already includes a scythe with two different blades and a reel lawn mower. I also occasionally borrow from my father’s assortment of lawn mowers.
My brand new battery-powered model is currently my favorite tool. I’ve used it for several sessions between charging the battery. Fairly light, it works beautifully keeping down grass around garden beds.
If you’d asked me the last couple years what my favorite tool was, I would have said my scythe. Now bumped to a close second place (the weed whacker is new and shiny), I still love it. I found though, that certain applications exceeded my skill level with the scythe.
Buying a new tool, when I could just try to improve my skills with the ones I have has induced some guilt. The quick and easy results yielded by the weed whacker have quelled this guilt somewhat.
Heavier than the scythe, my weed whacker is lighter than gas-powered counterparts, also quieter, and doesn’t smell bad. Its compactness allows me to get close to plants and objects in my garden without accidentally trimming them or dulling a blade. I also like that I can hold it in either hand, which helps both with fatigue and adjusting the angle at which I’m trimming.
The weed whacker’s battery charges quickly, so that all in all using it is an easy process for me. Batteries present their own environmental problems, but I do enjoy not using gasoline. I don’t like the smell, or the hassle. I don’t like the smell on my clothing after using gas-powered machines.
I’ve been considering what I like about my other tools. I love the motion of scything: the swinging and force without moving weight that it entails. That can also have a down side though, as at the moment I am out of shape and can only scythe for short periods.
I find cutting grass tricky with the scythe — if I don’t swing quickly enough the blade tends to bend rather than break the grass. The necessary continuous rapid movement ends up being cumbersome and I get frustrated before I get too far.
The scythe does work easily for cutting sturdy plants like goldenrod. I want to cut back a blackberry patch and am planning to use the scythe for that job.
I also prefer the results of the scythe for raking up for mulch. If I do it right, it cuts longer growth than any other tool.
My reel mower is probably my least used tool. It works really well on even ground so long as I cut the grass before it gets too tall. These two conditions are rarities around my home. If I plan to scythe, I also prefer to let the grass get a little longer before cutting — the exact opposite of what my reel mower needs.
I don’t use the reel mower much, but do like it when I am able to use it effectively. I particularly appreciate that it uses neither gas nor batteries.
I borrow a lawn mower from my father when all else fails — mostly when I want to clear a large area quickly.
With all these tools I still can’t seem to keep the garden path weeds or grassy areas under control. Maybe there is some other tool I can find, which will be the solution …
ALDONA BIRD is a journalist, previously writing for The Dominion Post. She uses experience gained working on organic farms in Europe to help her explore possibilities of local productivity and sustainable living in Preston County. Email columns@dominionpost.com
