by Mary Houle, Shelburne News’ own master gardener

The things my father taught me still resound in so many details of day-to-day life on the farm and in the garden. One of the gems was dealing with firewood, "The more times you move the firewood before you burn it, the more warmth you get from it." One does not have to think too long to affirm this to be true. Another of his true-isms I bring to these pages is related to safety: "The harder you work with a dull tool, the more likely it is to cut you." He meant that the force of the person behind the tool cannot make up for poor quality on the edge of the tool. That is why we have tools at all, to make our work easier. Beyond brute force, tools carry the load and cut the wood, leverage the stone, and so much more.

Although some of these will be so obvious to all gardeners, once in a while a gentle reminder is a dose of good medicine and a welcome nudge.

Sharpen all tools before you need them. This means clippers, scissors, knives, and hoes as well. I use my dad’s broad steel hoe which takes a good edge. I have a triangular one and a tiny six-inch cutting blade hoe as well. Shovels slice into the earth much easier when they have a good edge on them. Your local hardware store clerks can help you with the sharpening technique. Tune up mowers at a repair shop. Have the plug changed, get the air filter replaced, and that blade under everything needs a good sharp edge as well. The best thing about the shop changing the oil, is that they get to recycle it and you have much less mess at home. Even clippers, knives, saws, and scissors need a new edge as well.

Assemble the power tools you have: chain saw, mowers, tillers, string trimmers – if you know the procedure to tune them up and sharpen the ones that need sharpening and are so inclined, proceed with the task. I do bring all these tools to the repair shop at least once a year for the professional approach. I can replace a spark plug but cannot diagnose why there is so much carbon on it. Is the machine burning too rich and adjusting the carburetor is required? Is there another problem that the repair shop can diagnose and solve? Does a belt need to be replaced? Does a fuel or air filter need changing?

Buy some of the new duct tapes that are neon colors. Put strips of these colors on the handles of hand tools to find the tools if you accidently put them down or otherwise loose them in the garden. Using colors not usually found in nature make the tool easier to relocate. I prefer applying two rows of tape an inch apart.

I mark my power tools with address labels in conspicuous and inconspicuous areas to easily identify my tools when they are at the shop. I add neon tape on the handles as well. Even clippers, knives, saws, and scissors should be marked.

Mark gas cans too. Is the gas mixed or is it straight gas? Is the gas fresh? Mark the date on a tag on the handle of the gas can. Use up all the gas you have bought over the summer before the first snow flies in the winter.

Mark rows: what is planted in each row, and when was it planted? Memory fades and even the marker on the tag in the garden fades with the weeks of sun beating down on it. By the time the marker is faded, the plant will have emerged.

Lately ticks have become a problem in Vermont. Two years ago I had a varmint tick stuck in my leg. I removed the thing and called my physician immediately. The doctor’s office seemed less concerned than the local veterinarian was.

Taping pant legs closed over a good sturdy boot offers failsafe protection to a hoist of unwanted bugs, bees, ground wasps and snakes too. Strong soled boots with high sides (like the military style combat boot) are the absolute best choice for digging and protection.

If you or another gardener has an allergic reaction to bee stings, get the proper prophylactic treatment from your physician to be prepared, just in case. Practice the procedure on what to do and when to do it. Know where the medication is stored. None of us expects our homes to catch on fire but we all have fire insurance, just in case.

There are some horrid weeds that are just too nasty to believe. The wild parsnip family includes giant hogweed and it could not be nastier. This non-native and invasive plant species thrives in poor soils and is found in abundance along roadsides. It will gobble up a meadow quite fast too, and that is where the best soils for growing the best grasses for horses and cattle feed are. Be aware of the yellow flower head which is about the size of the white flower top of the Queen Anne’s lace. Although related, both Queen Anne’s lace and the garden cultivated parsnip are merely distant relations and not noxious to the skin. The worst offense of the wild parsnip and giant hogweed is the serious rash and blistering from the sap exposure to the skin; the resulting phytophotodermatitis can leave the host with second-degree burns, scarring, and a skin discoloration that can last for months. Pay prompt attention to any skin that may have been exposed to the sap by immediately washing with mild soap and water. Wash all clothing that has had any sap on it as well because the sap will dry and can be reactivated with sweating and sun exposure causing blisters to appear. Long sleeves, long pants, eye protection, and gloves are the proper attire for removing the weed and only on a dull day when the sun is on holiday. An overcast or rainy day is perfect. Be equally as cautious to care for the outer attire the same as if it were sunny – wash and dry everything. These weeds belong bagged and in a landfill, not the compost pile. Do not burn them as the smoke may be harmful to by-standers similar to when poison ivy is burned because oils in the ivy become vaporized and can travel in the smoke and disperse as a fine mist.

Some folks are allergic to sumac and blisters develop just as they do with exposure to poison ivy. Stinging nettles once kept me from school because the blisters on my face had swollen my eyes closed. I could not even wiggle my fingers. Believe me, I would have preferred school.

There is a coco mulch which is toxic to dogs. Although it imparts a nice aroma to the garden, when Fido chomps on it, you may end up with a vet bill and a sad trip home. A safer alternative is just using local bark mulch, or if you are using it as a weed block, plain wood chips are fine.

Let someone else know where you are if tending to a particularly awful task and doing it solo. Bring a cell phone along. Most days, I also wear a safety vest to alert passers-by that I am present in the garden.