Northern & Central Midwest
September, 2004
Regional Report
Tool or Gardening Product
Circle Hoe
This tidy little hoe is the best tool I've found for taking care of weeds between my vegetables. It fits easily in the hand and cleanly slices off weeds just below the surface. Its design actually keeps weeding from being tiring!
Clever Gardening Technique
Little Copper Wires are Miracles!
When my tomato plants are about as big around as a pencil, I insert 2-inch-long pieces of 18-gauge copper wire sideways through the base of each stem, leaving the ends of the wire sticking out the sides of the stem. The copper wire acts as a fungicide, and I've had virtually fungus-free tomatoes since I started using the method. As a test, this year I didn't use it and my tomatoes are covered with the usual early and late blights!
