How to Select the Perfect Rake
Rakes are one of the staples of the toolshed, but the well-equipped gardener will have several to choose from. How do you know which rake you need? Here are some guidelines for choosing the right rake for the job.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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1
Select a small, short-handled fan rake to clean under shrubs and in tight areas of the garden. Fan rakes resemble folding fans.
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2
Use a larger fan rakes for fallen leaves. Some types of fan rakes have replaceable tines.
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3
Buy an expanding stainless steel fan rake if you love gadgets. These are not especially useful for anything other than pine needles but are darned pretty!
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4
Select a metal bow rake for moving soil and leveling a new planting bed. Or choose the modern, plastic version of the old-fashioned bow rake, which has a closed set of tines on the back to be use used for picking up and moving mulch or leaves.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Look for lightweight tools with aluminum handles and plastic heads. Maintenance for these types of tools is easy - just wash them off before you put them away.
Wooden handles need some type of oil treatment, and metal rake heads need a spray of lubricating oil several times a year.
Using a small, metal Shrub Rake you can clear leaves from those hard-to-reach places around flowers, shrubs and trees.
If you have to step away from your raking for a moment, always lay rakes with the tines facing down.
