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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.

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    Difficulty:
    Easy

    Instructions

    Things You'll Need

    • Bow Rake
    • Fan Rake
    • Steel Fan Rakes
      • 1

        Select a small, short-handled fan rake to clean under shrubs and in tight areas of the garden. Fan rakes resemble folding fans.

      • 2

        Use a larger fan rakes for fallen leaves. Some types of fan rakes have replaceable tines.

      • 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!

      • 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.

    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.

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