Best tool in my garden ? A decent Garden Chair ! Great to sit back in and admire all the work I've done each day during Lockdown . Also to contemplate what else needs doing !!
I'm an Aussie and proudly so, but I think what makes me even prouder is reading the comments from all the subscribers and visitors for this dinkum aussie icon! You are loved. 👍👍👍👏👏😊😉😘
I often get asked, "how do you deal with trolls and negative comments?" Simple, there are so many more positive comments from wonderful people that it's impossible to feel down or disappointed by abuse or unfair online commentary. I accept constructive criticism - I think that's good - it helps me improve, but there are so many helpful and uplifting comments under my videos that I'm only ever left feeling good after reading through them. Lots of funny dad jokes too lol... Cheers :)
@@Selfsufficientme As we get older we learn to ignore negativity.... unfortunately not so at schools. Shame we cannot put an old head on young shoulders.
There are at least 4 buckets on my porch at any given time! My favorite is an old one that's really thick metal and heavy, that's about 70 years old. Doubles as a weapon!
Don’t stop what you’re doing! My parents just gave me 48’x26’ of their land to do whatever with not much but its the greatest gift I’ve ever received. I wanna start a garden on it so it’s gonna be fun. I’ll be coming back to your videos to learn from your experience. Thanks for making awesome videos! Prayers for you and your land from Utah!
Don't worry about the background sound Mark! I literally can't even hear it. Your mic must be really good at only picing up stuff close by or something, but don't sweat the stuff in the background so much :) You're awesome - thanks for all your hard work!
@@Selfsufficientme Can confirm, I only hear the birds, never a neighbor. Plus, we all love you so much, even if we could hear the tractors, we wouldn't mind.
Hey man, I’m a us soldier and use my E-tool all the time! Thanks for your service. My wife and I bought 20 acres in the forest and plan to start a self sustaining life, so I watch your videos all the time.
Ok Mark - we did it. We just ordered an 82 foot HoseLink, cover, additional bracket and connects. Thank you for the 10 percent discount (we also got a first order $10 discount and free shipping!)! You are the second TH-cam person who recommended this product and as soon as you said you liked it, we were sold! If one person who we trust says it, it's an eye-opener. If another person who we trust says the same thing, it's a SALE! We appreciate you sharing your experience and helping us to be more and more self-sufficient!
G'day Sue and thanks for letting me know about your purchase and that the discount worked (thank goodness) I hope you guys are as happy with the product as I am. Cheers :)
I met the old fellow that does the ads at a gardening event at Centennial Park in Sydney about 12 or 13 years ago. I was sold then and am still waiting for the opportunity to buy one... although lockdown is driving me to the country. I could tell back then it was a good product and I'm glad they've done well.
@Jules Mac I'm able to pull on the HoseLink hose with one hand, with very little effort. I walk all over the garden (we have the 82 foot length hose). When I'm done, I pull the hose towards me once (the way I do when I use the vacuum cleaner and want the cord to retract) and HOLD ONTO the hose as it retracts into the housing. Why? Because you don't want the spray nozzle to hit the floor and get damaged. So I walk towards the housing while holding the nozzle and let it go once I see that there's no more hose on the floor. It's very simple and requires VERY LITTLE effort.
I just had to replace my wheelbarrow. I got one with two front wheels. It is such an improvement for me. I often work alone, so I don't have someone to steady the wheelbarrow when I am loading it. It is so easy to throw something off the truck into the wheelbarrow and hit a side so it tips over. I haven't had that problem at all with the two-wheeled variety. I expected to have a loss of mobility and for it to be harder to push. But it has been no problem at all. In fact, the double wheel is easier to push over rough or soft ground. If one wheel falls in a hole or rut the other wheel supports the load until the hole is passed. The double wheels also do not sink as badly in soft ground or soft soil. I actually replaced my weelbarrow in the middle of a bigger job. I was impressed because I noticed that the single-wheel barrow had left some fairly deep ruts in the ground where it was soft. The double wheel was leaving almost no rutting in the same ground with roughly the same moisture content. I was hauling 5 cement blocks in each load, so the weight was identical. It was good visual evidence that the double wheel was indeed easier to push over that stretch. As a side benefit the double wheels should have been giving me less soil compaction over my lawn. The double wheel is itself heavier than the single wheel. But that is only an issue on the rare occasions when I have to lift the wheelbarrow. For rolling and using it on a daily basis it actually feels lighter and easier to use.
I replaced my rusted through barrow with a two wheeler too. It has a much deeper capacity and I love it. I rarely push it though, neither did I push my barrow. I've always found it easier to pull it, horse and cart style, although I'm more of a Shetland Pony than a horse so maybe that's why I find pulling easier!
I've often wondered why the one-wheeled barrow still exists. I thought there was a good reason for it but about all I can think of is that it's slightly easier to tip out a heavy load, if you don't mind it going sideways. But I guess the real reason it only has one wheel is because it was cheaper to produce many moons ago when things were hand made. With the price of mass-produced goods today, it makes much more sense to get a two or even four wheeled version I think, unless you have particular niche requirements.
Growing up in England, my dad worked at a Royal Airforce Base, he had somehow acquired a wheelbarrow that someone had made that had an aircraft nose tyre and a huge box, you could load this barrow up with an incredible amount. Steel handles and with that tyre it would go anywhere. I’m sure that is still doing as good a job today as when I used it 60 years ago.
He didn't really come out for or against her. I'm not sure what's not to like about AOC. She's one of the few federal level politicians in the US that's not bought by corporations and is actually for working people. The only way you could think otherwise is if you didn't do that research on your own and just believed what American conservatives say about her.
The tools I use more than any others on my little homestead are: * Carabiners in various sizes. I clip them to just about every hand tool and watering device I own so that I can easily hang it on a fence - otherwise, I put the tool down somewhere and lose it for a year or so. * zip ties - I use these to make temporary fence gates, fence corners and many other quick jobs. Most recently I used them to attach Tibetan prayer flags to conduit in the corners of my raspberry patch to make the deer thing the fence is much taller than it is. Working so far! * hog rings & hog ring pliers for more permanent\heavy duty gate hinges, etc * rolled welded wire - from hardware cloth to field fencing, I use tons of this stuff to exclude/protect animals and plants. I _always_ make a ring of welded wire to protect young trees and shrubs. I use hardware cloth to protect planting from my ducks & geese, and to keep snakes and rodents out of the aviary. * welded wire panels make great fences, trellises, arches, and gates/ The are great fencing for my berry patches and veg garden. * (powered) angle grinder for cutting welded wire - works great on hardware cloth all the way up the cattle panels. * bonsai wire for training young fruit trees - I don't prune trees as much as I used to; now I shape my young fruit trees for easier harvesting. E.g., my apple trees are 4-5 feet tall. * concrete mixing tubs - great for mixing soil, fertilizer, and compost or for bathing ducks & geese * t-post driver (American version of star post). I like you hand sledgie, but I love my t-post driver. I'm only 5'3" - the sledgie is too much work to drive posts for me. * buckets! Buckets for watering my flock, for organizing tools by type of job, for weeding, for portable seating. I have lots of buckets!
I'll collect & recycled the plastic political signs after voting day in the multiple sizes for my homestead. The metal stakes are a sturdy gage for projects & useful in the garden too. I use the signs in my coop to block holes in the fence or stop drafts, bury it to keep the fowl from digging down. Set up under purches to easily catch & remove their waste...ect. Multiple uses in a garden too! Best part...free, free, free! 😁
I have my dad's garden cart with its bottom very rusty and holey--- I put a large cardboard box in and the cart still works fine. Thought about getting a piece of sheet metal, thought about getting a new cart, decided the box works well for me.... and it's a free fix.
inow have one at the age of 72. I ran an organic seedling nursery for many many years and we always watered by hand. The most important tool I think for a gardener especially organic so you can use your next best tools fingers for pest control. Keeping a careful eye out when watering, you can control many pests long before they ever become a real problem.
Having a good set of gloves, a long sleeve workshirt and pants is a necessity for me. After military service and years in the garden you may have developed rough hands, so that may not be as essential to you. I like touching the plants with my bare hands and do most of the time. But some jobs inevitably lead to a lot of scratches and my skin is pretty sensitive. Finding some protection that isn’t too heavy and is still comfortable in the heat takes some time, but it is well worth it.
Hey mate, already been binging your vids since yesterday but just wanted to say how much I appreciate your candidness (especially when you admitted they sent you one and you’ll get a percentage of sales from your viewers) when discussing products and how refreshing your approach was rather than tiptoeing around collaborations with companies and acting coy. Just that one line of honesty made a world of difference to my experience on your channel 🤙
I'm late to the video, but my top tools include: a kneeling pad, a circle hoe, a hand spade, a long handled spade, a wheel barrow, a sprayer, a basket for collecting stuff in, my different pruners, a hose, and my labels for when I plant things!
The timing is awesome. Just got my first cup of coffee in my hand and watching this is a good way to start the Sunday morning. Excavator....another great tool. 😎🐝
Hello from Virginia 🇺🇸 My wife and I love your channel. We'd love to come to Australia and visit you someday . What you do is really great and teach a lot.
Thoroughly entertaining as always. I’m ex-Navy myself! My dad has trillions of tools in triplicate, so after watching this video I’m going to ask him for the army style mini pick. We used those for digging a hole for toileting when camping. Had not thought about it for the garden. Would be perfect.
Nice to see someone with practical experience that shows actually useful tools. Most channels are just promoting gadgets for sale that are not really that useful. Nice work mate!
Another great video! Try coating the wooden handles of your tools with Boiled Linseed Oil. They will look better, feel better, and last a long long time.
Thumb up! 👍 The not listed tools that I use the most are: Watering can Flexi tub Lopping shear Cultivator Trowel Sickle Stirrup hoe Telescopic polesaw Hedge shear Pocket chainsaw Rope I don't have engine tools so I need several non powered tools.
recently built my first raised bed garden. 3.6m x 1.2m and 0.8m high. Filled with stumps, smaller stumps, kitchen waste, topped up with home made compost. Prepping it for the coming winter, and in the next season it will take its maiden voyage. Thanks for all the inspiration man
This is my favorite video that you have done... (And I've watched a LOT of em) I was just recently given several worn down, VERY used tools that were my Daddy's, who passed away almost 5 years ago. Before they were my Dad's, they belonged to my Granddaddy. They are absolute treasures to me. And my husband is using my Dad's John Deere riding mower (still going strong and my Dad bought her a couple of years before he passed) to cut our lawn while I'm using Dad's old, big, wheelbarrow that I love.🥰
You know you're a SERIOUS gardener when you have minimum 3 types of rake :) Those bags do open, but you have to cut the string. Then you pull one of the ends and the stitching comes undone. Finding the right end to pull is the tricky bit, but I always take the time because those plastic sacks are great for storage.
Thanks Mark. The two tools not mentioned that I find used a lot are the Dutch Hoe and a curved blade lino knife which is great for cutting string, plastic whipper snipper trimmer and plants.
I too use an army entrenching tool. They were very good quality and useful in the army and quite handy in the garden as well. The only thing I'd add to your list is a yard or meter stick, just to measure depth and spacing because I'm not experienced enough to eyeball everything; or use my fingers alone for reference.
We can hear you very clearly so the tractor next door wasn’t a problem. You have great sound. Great information! So good that your boys do work in the garden to and your wife… great channel :)) thanks
here in the U.S. of A, the blue big box store with a name that starts with "L" carries a small childsize rake for less than $7.00. works great and is even made of metal with a wood handle. Great rundown of neededs. thanks
The definition of a (machine) is something that creates a mechanical advantage, or any tool! A crowbar, a screwdriver, a spade, they are machines or tools. Thanks Mark you do an awesome explanation of everything you do, I have the same passion.
I admire your resourcefulness. I find it equally challenging to keep my tools as well maintained as they deserve. I’m usually so pooped after a day of gardening, rounding them all up and getting them out of the elements is usually as good as it gets. And.. I could easily compare holes in our 2 wheelbarrows with yours!!!😉 but a good wheelbarrow is definitely well worth the $$$!! I find the small hand shovel very useful as well as a soil screening tool and my garden fork is so bent, I use it backwards to try and straighten it out!!!🤣 those darn rocks. My digging bar has helped me move more big rocks than I can count. And I enjoy the effect my edging tool has in the garden. Kudos to the inventors of all these useful implements.
This list will be so helpful on my gardening journey. I definitely could have used this before I started gardening this year! The one tool that has been essential for me has been my bypass loppers. My home’s previous owners planted a ton of fruit trees. It’s helped me a lot with the branches.
I'm officially a fan. I didn't get into being a plant mom during the start of Covid/in 2020 like many others my age, but now live in a home & have the space in the yard for plants and gardening, so THANK YOU, Mark! SO excited to watch ALL of your videos!
Amanda Powell it’s not easy, being a dressmaker I understand how to do it. You need to untangle the bobbin/bottom thread from the top thread, then you can just pull the bottom and it undoes in a jiffy. Oh you need to start at the end of the bag which was last to be sewn. I think it’s harder to explain than to do it, lol.
Just love your show Mark. The table is an absolute necessity. So my star of a husband built 5 raised beds from treated pine lined with plastic. Around the tops he fixed pine edges 6 inches in width and boy are they great . Everything that went on the ground now sits on the tops.....including but not limited to me, the cordial jug and glass, gloves secateurs and so on. I just love growing my own food!!
The hoe is my number one used tool in the allotment- mainly for weeding and not having to bend. I LOVE the animals that scream at you and am looking forward to watching your vids as we go into the uk winter
G'day Louise, a hoe is definitely handy in your allotment situation - a perfect tool! Yes, honestly, I really do love all the animals that scream at me too - it's like living in an Australian zoo here lol... You guys go into the big freeze and we head into the big fry pan. Cheers :)
Literally only 0.30 in and had to pause this to say something. That claw hammer... is tool #1!!! Not kidding. I am an auto mechanic by trade, but switched to carpentry/remodel/deck and docks construction over the last decade in my rural area. So... why do I say it about the hammer... it is in fact an excellent digging/gardening tool! I have ended up using it so often especially when driving stakes or digging ect working hand on in a garden area! ML and Blessings Always. TY for the great video! 💪❤🙏💯
I started watching this channel because of my curiosity in chickens. Lol I've watch soo many videos now. I truelly appreciate the thought and work put into all of these videos. So informative. Thank you for all your help in my self sufficient journey! ❤
I just replied to someone else re my new two wheeled barrow. I love it, but I've always found it easier to pull my barrows than push them. I find pulling reduces my fatigue.
This is a very good starting point for anyone not knowing where to start on tools. So many options can be overwhelming, but this narrows it down nicely to what you're most likely to need. Mark, I do think you need a bucket full of sand and oil for a little rehab on those tools. A few plunges in will get the existing rust off, and the oil left behind helps prevent further rusting. A lot of folks say to use old motor oil, but that always seemed kinda icky to me. Expired cooking oil makes more sense, in my view.
@@edwardwhite9793 No, thank you, Edward. What you are doing is quite suspicious. Your mother should have also told you it is impolite to scam internet strangers. Shame on her, and shame on you.
Heya Mark, the background noise wasn't a big problem even with the hullabaloo over there - but if you're worried about it there's this free program called audacity that's really good at editing out background noise. Works a treat and dosn't add much time to editing, probably enough that you can make it up with the time you save not having to reshoot things. Especially since you would only have to use it in particularly rowdy days. It's a bit long for the comments, but there's better video tutorials out there than I could give anyways. Great video as always!
You’re doing bloody well Mark. What are you doing uploading at midnight? Sneaky sneaky, ha ha. It won’t be long before you got that 1,000,000 subs mark Mark, ha ha, congrats to you.
Hello Mark, from Colorado in US. I love your videos, always very knowledgeable. Which is also a big tool, your brain besides your hands. I also use a hand spade and a hand three prong rake for very small spaces that a large tool won't fit in. Your garden is incredible, thank you for sharing your expertise. Crystal
@@mattk6101 Hi Matt, thank you for your question. I don't have problems with peppers and the humidity. However, I have a 10 x 12' greenhouse that I use which helps with the humidity. The only problem is it can overheat during our hot summers, so using fans is necessary. Depending on where you plan to move to here in Colorado will depend on your soil type. We have a lot of clay, so working soil is critical. I also use timers on my watering, especially when we r under water restrictions. I have been gardening here for at least 40 years. I also use a companion planting guide which helps in maximum production.
As an expat pomme out in the West Indies, I have learned to use a variant of what you would call a machette which locally is called a cutlass, they have varying lengths but their shape is different to yours, with a long parallel blade with a curved tip which has more metal than the rest of the blade which gived it inertia, making it very effective at chopping thick tree trunks, brush or in skilled hands hedges and grass. It is an all round tool which because of the wider curved top is also used for digging holes, and when you want to chop weeds but don't want to dull the blade you use the back of the top part of the blade. When I first started gardening here I wanted to use the specialised tools from the UK to do sundry jobs. But now apart from a fork, spade, large plastic rake, and sometimes tree loppers and chainsaw, the most common tool I use is "The Cutlass". Love your vids by the way. My chucks have donated quite a few stale eggs to the garden thanks to your tips. We have around a hundred totally free range, and many times if we didn't find where they are sitting, and they have bombed a hen with maybe a dozen eggs which we don't want to hatch, after a cooling off period they fertilize the tomatos and corn.
I live on a mountain made of decomposing granite, boulders and rock everywhere. The mattocks and my 10 foot heavy iron prybar are used frequently. I'm a skinny old lady, so I need a big lever to move heavy stuff, since I don't have anyone around to help.
You’re such a COOL NICE guy I enjoy your hands on teaching with a positive sense of humor 😆 I look forward to your videos keep us updated and laughing 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
I just found you a couple of weeks ago and Oh what a blessing you are. I quit growing a garden about nine years ago. I wanted to start up again but felt lost. Not anymore Thank You. One thing I wanted to share. In Texas when I was growing tomatoes, we had a Stink Bug that damaged the tomatoes when they crawled on the fruit. We took a 55-gallon plastic barrel filled with water to about 9 inched from the top. Then cut Stinging Weed and or Bull Nettle growing on our place. Put the cuttings that filled a small wheelbarrow full into the water. Let it sit overnight. The water is now ready to dip out with a watering can. Pour over your tomatoes. The bugs will stay away and birds won't peck the tomatoes. I don't know if you have this plant down under. But It grows all over the United States. I hope this will help someone . Anyway thanks for all of your great information.
Bucket dude, you forgot the bucket hahaha. Just kidding, but I use it a lot, for carrying vegetables or solid fertilizers. Love your videos mate, keep on.
You are just like me. Your gesture and your body language and above all your approach to life, I think, is pretty much like me. What I like most is your attitude of doing everything yourself and invent tools for the. I like the long saw with the wooden handle you invented the most, though. Thank you for sharing. Love you.
I have two tools, my top two favorites, which you didn't mention. The first is a manure fork, which has a long handle and four thin cold-forged tines like a pitch fork, and a cane knife, which is a slightly down sized, shorter knife similar to a machete, but much lighter and more easily managed. The manure fork is my main compost turning tool, and it is magic. It is about 100 times easier to use for turning compost piles than a digging fork with thick stuuby tines and a short handle, as it slips into the material without stress, and does not require bending over. I would not make compost if I didn't have a manure fork. The quality forks are expensive, but for moving most organic materials, are simply wonderful. The cane knife also saves much wasted energy compared to a machete due to the weight being about half of a machete or even a lightweight tommahawk or hatchet. I use it for cutting weeds as you would use a sickle, in combination with a short four legged stool so I can avoid bending. This is an amazing tool which I also use with the stool and a chopping block for sizing mateials for the compost heap.
@@Selfsufficientme I love your masses of harvested veggies. I make a lot of compost at my place because I am employed manageing the forest fuel in a productive way. I end up spending most of my time processing this stuff, dragging it back out of the forest in twenty kilo bundles with a rope. Then I run it through a chopper that is solar electric, and make compost out of it as I go. It is comprised of dead palm fonds, dead tree fern branches, bark, leaves, dead wood, weeds, sticks, lots of lantana, privet, bracken, tobacco bush, and twenty other things. I am in the middle of a forest in the semi tropical area south of you in NSW, and I have no crop protection and a zillion predetors, so gardening is a challenge. Now, I will have the green sunami to deal with again, and I am still behind from last autumn with that. As a weed farmer, the feed stock is coming out of my ears. Anyway, thanks for your kind reply and keep up the excellent work. You are doing a great public service and providing great advice, and all with a friendly countenance.
When I was in Vietnam we spent an evening with some Australian soldiers and had a blast. They had a terrific sense of humor like you do. Plus I like the accent.
Hi Mark. I loved this segment about your garden tools. I have some smaller hand tools that I like to use. One is a small thing that looks like a short handled spade or a miniature. Also I have a 4 prong Rake, with long tines. The handle is about 18 inches and I like using it. It extends my reach and helps me dig around to loosen the soil so I can pull up the weeds. My other small tool is a 3 prong "fork" that I like digging with. It has a short handle. It helps pull up weeds that have really stubborn roots. I really enjoy watching your garden show. I am a U.S. citizen living in Iowa. So our seasons are quite different, but I like watching and learning.
We have our original wheelbarrow from 25years ago...when the bottom rusted out we screwed in a carpet square...the best thing ever...used it for another 5 years before we had to replace the wheelbarrow.
Hi Smart, it’s nice meeting you here.. I’m Edward, it would be nice getting to know you,if that’s ok with you? My mom once said good friends are never too much to have. if you don’t mind, can we be friends?? Lovely smile you got there on your profile picture😊.
Mark just want to thank you from the UK love your videos and thoughts... IV been with out TV for three months now only u tube and Netflix. Your videos keep me going and learning everyday keep.upmthe good work.your a legend over here peace and love... Adrian
I know this was posted several months ago but I really enjoyed seeing your choices. Like you, I love having my hands in the soil and one garden tool I have found extremely useful, because of that is a hori hori knife. It has a measure guide in it's center, can be used like a trowel and the other side has a serrated edge for cutting through root systems. It's great for working up the soil to losen it. I've used it to remove tree/shrubbery roots, trenching to make potato hills, and so much more. It's my favourite go to tool because I don't have to constantly be switching one tool for another and at my age, once down I like to stay there for awhile. My knees are just so grateful for that.😃
💜🤩🥰🤗 I bought my elder parents one of those wagons (with the removable sides) to bring in their fire wood from the large pile in the yard- now they also use it to take out the trash & bring in the groceries - it goes up the porch steps so easily... I just use mine for the yard.
Love my pick mattock! Great list and coverage. Would be interesting to list in order of “what to buy first” for a home gardener - obviously generalised for general purpose gardens :) would not be first on the list but the mattock is my top 3, great for moving, turning and even digging
@@robotsnthat Australia has many species of tarantulas. They include some species that are called "whistling spiders," that are famous for their unique stridulation. I've seen some American widows kill tarantulas unfortunate enough to wander into their webs, but tarantulas certainly aren't a normal part of a widow diet. I'm betting the same is true of redbacks. Redbacks stay in their webs and tarantulas generally stay in their burrows until a male goes looking for a mate.
@@thistles I sure hope they don't have tarantula hawk wasps in Australia. Poor tarantulas! The wasp stings the spider (second most painful sting in the insect kingdom) which paralyzes it. Then the wasp drags the spider back into it's own hole and lays its eggs in the spider's abdomen. The larvae hatch, while the spider is still alive but disabled, and eats the poor spider. I like tarantulas, we have lots here in the desert and they are docile, and eat lots of pests. When I see a tarantula hawk, I usually try to smush it to protect my hairy friends.
@@turpy1234 Me too. Or club hammer. But Mash hammer is more popular. I was a brickie and needed one of these things daily. I remember calling to my apprentice " get me the mashie " I still have 3 different sizes from my bricklaying days.
another tool I use quite often is one of those Flat Looped Weeding Hoes which has a sharp cutting surface each side of the lower blade. They're invaluable in cutting off the roots to many weeds, specially thick stemmed ones.
I keep spray oil at the back door, everytime somthings a bit rusty just give it a quick spray and keeps everything coated and protected also in spring i give my wood handled tools a wipe with linseed oil keeps the handles from splintering
I Found Spray Cans So Troublesome - Always Stop Working Before The Cans Empty ;-( So I Started Get'n The Large Gallon Or Pour Style & Put'n It In Squeeze Bottles W/A Pointed Nozzle (Beauty Supply Stores, Etc Carry Them Cheap)...Works Gr8 & No Clog'n ;-)
My Dad used to paint the handles or metal of some tools a bright fluorescent color to be able to see it if he laid it down somewhere. He never lost a tool that way. Love your helpful videos. Hugs from Illinois USA.
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Best tool in my garden ? A decent Garden Chair ! Great to sit back in and admire all the work I've done each day during Lockdown . Also to contemplate what else needs doing !!
Beautiful! :)
Yeah a chair a bottle opener and a stubbie👍sit and admire your work and all its positive achievement
@@Selfsufficientme in i. Msg the ta
a few chairs and a small table to gather your friends to admire your work and have a toast
and a bottle of water to sip while admiring what you have accomplished
I'm an Aussie and proudly so, but I think what makes me even prouder is reading the comments from all the subscribers and visitors for this dinkum aussie icon! You are loved. 👍👍👍👏👏😊😉😘
I often get asked, "how do you deal with trolls and negative comments?" Simple, there are so many more positive comments from wonderful people that it's impossible to feel down or disappointed by abuse or unfair online commentary. I accept constructive criticism - I think that's good - it helps me improve, but there are so many helpful and uplifting comments under my videos that I'm only ever left feeling good after reading through them. Lots of funny dad jokes too lol... Cheers :)
@@Selfsufficientme As we get older we learn to ignore negativity.... unfortunately not so at schools. Shame we cannot put an old head on young shoulders.
Never forget, the humble bucket.
Which brings to mind the watering can.
Seriously! I'm not digging all season long he has 4 shovels and 3 rakes in this list haha
There are at least 4 buckets on my porch at any given time! My favorite is an old one that's really thick metal and heavy, that's about 70 years old. Doubles as a weapon!
I never have enough of those!!!!
Bucket! Yes! OMG you've nailed it... Cheers :) P.S If I had thought of that I could have made several "kick the bucket" jokes... :)
Don’t stop what you’re doing! My parents just gave me 48’x26’ of their land to do whatever with not much but its the greatest gift I’ve ever received. I wanna start a garden on it so it’s gonna be fun. I’ll be coming back to your videos to learn from your experience. Thanks for making awesome videos! Prayers for you and your land from Utah!
I'm curious - how you going with that mate?
Same here, I'm curious too. How is the garden growing?
aye, whats you got growing bruh?
Well I guess we'll never know
I think he turned it into a cricket 🦗 farm. 😂. Get it?
Don't worry about the background sound Mark!
I literally can't even hear it.
Your mic must be really good at only picing up stuff close by or something, but don't sweat the stuff in the background so much :)
You're awesome - thanks for all your hard work!
Thanks for the feedback I do appreciate it - I was wondering if people were getting annoyed by the noise or not... Cheers :)
@@Selfsufficientme . Not at all. Hardly noticeable.
Have a great day:)
@@Selfsufficientme Can confirm, I only hear the birds, never a neighbor. Plus, we all love you so much, even if we could hear the tractors, we wouldn't mind.
@@Selfsufficientme There's background noise? It's not noticeable.
Agreed, he uses a good microphone. Cant hear the background noise much at all..:)
Hey man, I’m a us soldier and use my E-tool all the time! Thanks for your service. My wife and I bought 20 acres in the forest and plan to start a self sustaining life, so I watch your videos all the time.
I find a kitchen fork handy for weeding around tiny seedlings, like new carrots, for example.
Ok Mark - we did it. We just ordered an 82 foot HoseLink, cover, additional bracket and connects. Thank you for the 10 percent discount (we also got a first order $10 discount and free shipping!)! You are the second TH-cam person who recommended this product and as soon as you said you liked it, we were sold! If one person who we trust says it, it's an eye-opener. If another person who we trust says the same thing, it's a SALE! We appreciate you sharing your experience and helping us to be more and more self-sufficient!
G'day Sue and thanks for letting me know about your purchase and that the discount worked (thank goodness) I hope you guys are as happy with the product as I am. Cheers :)
I met the old fellow that does the ads at a gardening event at Centennial Park in Sydney about 12 or 13 years ago. I was sold then and am still waiting for the opportunity to buy one... although lockdown is driving me to the country.
I could tell back then it was a good product and I'm glad they've done well.
@Jules Mac I'm able to pull on the HoseLink hose with one hand, with very little effort. I walk all over the garden (we have the 82 foot length hose). When I'm done, I pull the hose towards me once (the way I do when I use the vacuum cleaner and want the cord to retract) and HOLD ONTO the hose as it retracts into the housing. Why? Because you don't want the spray nozzle to hit the floor and get damaged. So I walk towards the housing while holding the nozzle and let it go once I see that there's no more hose on the floor. It's very simple and requires VERY LITTLE effort.
I just had to replace my wheelbarrow. I got one with two front wheels. It is such an improvement for me. I often work alone, so I don't have someone to steady the wheelbarrow when I am loading it. It is so easy to throw something off the truck into the wheelbarrow and hit a side so it tips over. I haven't had that problem at all with the two-wheeled variety. I expected to have a loss of mobility and for it to be harder to push. But it has been no problem at all. In fact, the double wheel is easier to push over rough or soft ground. If one wheel falls in a hole or rut the other wheel supports the load until the hole is passed. The double wheels also do not sink as badly in soft ground or soft soil. I actually replaced my weelbarrow in the middle of a bigger job. I was impressed because I noticed that the single-wheel barrow had left some fairly deep ruts in the ground where it was soft. The double wheel was leaving almost no rutting in the same ground with roughly the same moisture content. I was hauling 5 cement blocks in each load, so the weight was identical. It was good visual evidence that the double wheel was indeed easier to push over that stretch. As a side benefit the double wheels should have been giving me less soil compaction over my lawn. The double wheel is itself heavier than the single wheel. But that is only an issue on the rare occasions when I have to lift the wheelbarrow. For rolling and using it on a daily basis it actually feels lighter and easier to use.
I replaced my rusted through barrow with a two wheeler too. It has a much deeper capacity and I love it. I rarely push it though, neither did I push my barrow. I've always found it easier to pull it, horse and cart style, although I'm more of a Shetland Pony than a horse so maybe that's why I find pulling easier!
I've often wondered why the one-wheeled barrow still exists. I thought there was a good reason for it but about all I can think of is that it's slightly easier to tip out a heavy load, if you don't mind it going sideways. But I guess the real reason it only has one wheel is because it was cheaper to produce many moons ago when things were hand made. With the price of mass-produced goods today, it makes much more sense to get a two or even four wheeled version I think, unless you have particular niche requirements.
I love my WORX wheelbarrow
I've never seen or heard of a two-wheeled barrow (until now) see, that's why I read the comments! Thanks Evan cheers mate :)
Growing up in England, my dad worked at a Royal Airforce Base, he had somehow acquired a wheelbarrow that someone had made that had an aircraft nose tyre and a huge box, you could load this barrow up with an incredible amount.
Steel handles and with that tyre it would go anywhere. I’m sure that is still doing as good a job today as when I used it 60 years ago.
That AOC comment at 17:36 is the best!
I liked the video before but now I wish I could like it a second time!
Even Australians know about this wack job? I wonder if they, also, think of farting cows every time her name is mentioned. . . . . Hmmm
@@nathanz4922 Brit here, I hate her more than my own politicians and that takes some doing haha!
That was SO funny, Not AOC. Oh my god, my sides are splitting.
He didn't really come out for or against her. I'm not sure what's not to like about AOC. She's one of the few federal level politicians in the US that's not bought by corporations and is actually for working people.
The only way you could think otherwise is if you didn't do that research on your own and just believed what American conservatives say about her.
@@ryno4ever433 good joke
Remember to passive aggressively share this video with all the tools in your life.
I’ll passive aggressively hit the like button
I didn’t mean to make a face, but it did, 😂
Top comment
th-cam.com/video/O0VAQjps9mQ/w-d-xo.html
@@shawtop Youd think a grown man would know better than to act like an unsupervised 8 year old on a laptop.
The tools I use more than any others on my little homestead are:
* Carabiners in various sizes. I clip them to just about every hand tool and watering device I own so that I can easily hang it on a fence - otherwise, I put the tool down somewhere and lose it for a year or so.
* zip ties - I use these to make temporary fence gates, fence corners and many other quick jobs. Most recently I used them to attach Tibetan prayer flags to conduit in the corners of my raspberry patch to make the deer thing the fence is much taller than it is. Working so far!
* hog rings & hog ring pliers for more permanent\heavy duty gate hinges, etc
* rolled welded wire - from hardware cloth to field fencing, I use tons of this stuff to exclude/protect animals and plants. I _always_ make a ring of welded wire to protect young trees and shrubs. I use hardware cloth to protect planting from my ducks & geese, and to keep snakes and rodents out of the aviary.
* welded wire panels make great fences, trellises, arches, and gates/ The are great fencing for my berry patches and veg garden.
* (powered) angle grinder for cutting welded wire - works great on hardware cloth all the way up the cattle panels.
* bonsai wire for training young fruit trees - I don't prune trees as much as I used to; now I shape my young fruit trees for easier harvesting. E.g., my apple trees are 4-5 feet tall.
* concrete mixing tubs - great for mixing soil, fertilizer, and compost or for bathing ducks & geese
* t-post driver (American version of star post). I like you hand sledgie, but I love my t-post driver. I'm only 5'3" - the sledgie is too much work to drive posts for me.
* buckets! Buckets for watering my flock, for organizing tools by type of job, for weeding, for portable seating. I have lots of buckets!
Hey champ you missed the difference between a comment and a fucking thesis🤪
@@Luke-xx1ri If it is too long for you to read, skip it. Don't be a troll.
Top list and I agree with them all! You've given me several ideas thanks Kirsten! Cheers :)
I'll collect & recycled the plastic political signs after voting day in the multiple sizes for my homestead. The metal stakes are a sturdy gage for projects & useful in the garden too. I use the signs in my coop to block holes in the fence or stop drafts, bury it to keep the fowl from digging down. Set up under purches to easily catch & remove their waste...ect. Multiple uses in a garden too! Best part...free, free, free! 😁
@@kajala11 Great ideas!
I have my dad's garden cart with its bottom very rusty and holey--- I put a large cardboard box in and the cart still works fine. Thought about getting a piece of sheet metal, thought about getting a new cart, decided the box works well for me.... and it's a free fix.
One should never forget the humble hand trowel. My most used tool.
th-cam.com/video/O0VAQjps9mQ/w-d-xo.html
I agree, I use mine all the time.
a trowel helps us to bow. give thanks to what you have. :) long live the king. 👑
inow have one at the age of 72. I ran an organic seedling nursery for many many years and we always watered by hand. The most important tool I think for a gardener especially organic so you can use your next best tools fingers for pest control. Keeping a careful eye out when watering, you can control many pests long before they ever become a real problem.
Perfect! Couldn't have put it better myself... All the best Pru! :)
Having a good set of gloves, a long sleeve workshirt and pants is a necessity for me. After military service and years in the garden you may have developed rough hands, so that may not be as essential to you. I like touching the plants with my bare hands and do most of the time. But some jobs inevitably lead to a lot of scratches and my skin is pretty sensitive. Finding some protection that isn’t too heavy and is still comfortable in the heat takes some time, but it is well worth it.
Hey mate, already been binging your vids since yesterday but just wanted to say how much I appreciate your candidness (especially when you admitted they sent you one and you’ll get a percentage of sales from your viewers) when discussing products and how refreshing your approach was rather than tiptoeing around collaborations with companies and acting coy. Just that one line of honesty made a world of difference to my experience on your channel 🤙
I'm late to the video, but my top tools include: a kneeling pad, a circle hoe, a hand spade, a long handled spade, a wheel barrow, a sprayer, a basket for collecting stuff in, my different pruners, a hose, and my labels for when I plant things!
I appreciate how open you are about any affiliations you have to the products you talk about.
I really like your drying rack! So simple but I never thought of it before. 💚
The timing is awesome. Just got my first cup of coffee in my hand and watching this is a good way to start the Sunday morning. Excavator....another great tool. 😎🐝
Great way to get the day going. Just got my coffee as well headed to the grow room now lol. 💪🌱
Hello from Virginia 🇺🇸
My wife and I love your channel.
We'd love to come to Australia and visit you someday .
What you do is really great and teach a lot.
Loppers! More for my trees and brush than the garden, but I love 'em nonetheless.
I love how passionate you are about your garden, wildlife and products you enjoy using.
Mate agree with all of them. I use Grandpa's old tools as well, he's helping me in the garden that he loved to do.
Just started following you....Thanks mate! Grateful 63 year old grandmother in USA!
Thoroughly entertaining as always. I’m ex-Navy myself! My dad has trillions of tools in triplicate, so after watching this video I’m going to ask him for the army style mini pick. We used those for digging a hole for toileting when camping. Had not thought about it for the garden. Would be perfect.
You are both a garden wizard, and a mic sorcerer. I am on the path toward trying to homestead myself and your advice has been invaluable
Get yourself some linseed oil for restoring those wooden handles. Especially for your grandads heirloom shovel. They come up all lovely and shiny.
Friends - Use BOILED linseed oil.
I add mineral turps 50:50 to regular linseed oil to act as the drying agent.
He should have some left over from his military days, I know I did from mine servicing rifles.
I put some on an 50 year old cricket bat & if was like a sponge. I don't know how many times I coated it but it was a thirsty bugger!
Will do Tony thanks mate! :)
Nice to see someone with practical experience that shows actually useful tools. Most channels are just promoting gadgets for sale that are not really that useful. Nice work mate!
I enjoy learning your tips and tricks. One of the greatest TH-cam channels. Have a wonderful day. :)
👍really good, your sound is so good, we can hear you clearly above the birds & machines
Hello Fiona.
Another great video! Try coating the wooden handles of your tools with Boiled Linseed Oil. They will look better, feel better, and last a long long time.
Will do thanks Terry! Cheers mate :)
Also, less prone to develop blisters this way. For the white collar office crowd (like me…).
Great video again!
Thumb up! 👍
The not listed tools that I use the most are:
Watering can
Flexi tub
Lopping shear
Cultivator
Trowel
Sickle
Stirrup hoe
Telescopic polesaw
Hedge shear
Pocket chainsaw
Rope
I don't have engine tools so I need several non powered tools.
recently built my first raised bed garden. 3.6m x 1.2m and 0.8m high. Filled with stumps, smaller stumps, kitchen waste, topped up with home made compost. Prepping it for the coming winter, and in the next season it will take its maiden voyage. Thanks for all the inspiration man
This is my favorite video that you have done... (And I've watched a LOT of em)
I was just recently given several worn down, VERY used tools that were my Daddy's, who passed away almost 5 years ago. Before they were my Dad's, they belonged to my Granddaddy. They are absolute treasures to me.
And my husband is using my Dad's John Deere riding mower (still going strong and my Dad bought her a couple of years before he passed) to cut our lawn while I'm using Dad's old, big, wheelbarrow that I love.🥰
I'm a complete gardening novice, and I can't tell you how much I've learned from your videos. REALLY, thanks a lot mate. All the best
Great to know and thank you! Cheers :)
Mark, you give me reason for getting out of bed to garden, loving it, failures and successes.
You know you're a SERIOUS gardener when you have minimum 3 types of rake :) Those bags do open, but you have to cut the string. Then you pull one of the ends and the stitching comes undone. Finding the right end to pull is the tricky bit, but I always take the time because those plastic sacks are great for storage.
Hey, Are there videos on how this is done? I've also struggled with the stitching as well. LOL
I like to paint the handles of my wooden garden tools bright orange. Great video, thumbs up.
i've actually got more than half of these and i'm not even a good gardener. maybe there is hope for me yet.
LOL... Mark, if I can grow a ton I'm sure you can! Cheers :)
Thanks Mark. The two tools not mentioned that I find used a lot are the Dutch Hoe and a curved blade lino knife which is great for cutting string, plastic whipper snipper trimmer and plants.
I too use an army entrenching tool. They were very good quality and useful in the army and quite handy in the garden as well. The only thing I'd add to your list is a yard or meter stick, just to measure depth and spacing because I'm not experienced enough to eyeball everything; or use my fingers alone for reference.
We can hear you very clearly so the tractor next door wasn’t a problem. You have great sound. Great information! So good that your boys do work in the garden to and your wife… great channel :)) thanks
here in the U.S. of A, the blue big box store with a name that starts with "L" carries a small childsize rake for less than $7.00. works great and is even made of metal with a wood handle. Great rundown of neededs. thanks
Love your humour and straight forward honesty
Love how you don't beat around the bush. Here's the tool, here's what it does, here's why it's great, next.
The definition of a (machine) is something that creates a mechanical advantage, or any tool! A crowbar, a screwdriver, a spade, they are machines or tools. Thanks Mark you do an awesome explanation of everything you do, I have the same passion.
Australian Army: Uh... so THAT'S where that equipment went!
tbh I am the biggest tool in my garden.
Great video. It's never to long with you . I could watch for hours
I admire your resourcefulness. I find it equally challenging to keep my tools as well maintained as they deserve. I’m usually so pooped after a day of gardening, rounding them all up and getting them out of the elements is usually as good as it gets. And.. I could easily compare holes in our 2 wheelbarrows with yours!!!😉 but a good wheelbarrow is definitely well worth the $$$!!
I find the small hand shovel very useful as well as a soil screening tool and my garden fork is so bent, I use it backwards to try and straighten it out!!!🤣 those darn rocks. My digging bar has helped me move more big rocks than I can count. And I enjoy the effect my edging tool has in the garden. Kudos to the inventors of all these useful implements.
I want you to know you are one of the few people I actually look up to, thanks
This list will be so helpful on my gardening journey. I definitely could have used this before I started gardening this year! The one tool that has been essential for me has been my bypass loppers. My home’s previous owners planted a ton of fruit trees. It’s helped me a lot with the branches.
I'm officially a fan. I didn't get into being a plant mom during the start of Covid/in 2020 like many others my age, but now live in a home & have the space in the yard for plants and gardening, so THANK YOU, Mark! SO excited to watch ALL of your videos!
So good to see I'm not the only one unable to undo those bag ties. 😂 Another excellent video
Worst invention ever. Never worked.
Occasionally I succeed, then the next bag I think right I got you this time.... I never actually hear the bag laughing but........
Amanda Powell it’s not easy, being a dressmaker I understand how to do it. You need to untangle the bobbin/bottom thread from the top thread, then you can just pull the bottom and it undoes in a jiffy. Oh you need to start at the end of the bag which was last to be sewn. I think it’s harder to explain than to do it, lol.
Mark L 😆😆😆. so true!
June Shannon how about a video?
Just love your show Mark. The table is an absolute necessity. So my star of a husband built 5 raised beds from treated pine lined with plastic. Around the tops he fixed pine edges 6 inches in width and boy are they great . Everything that went on the ground now sits on the tops.....including but not limited to me, the cordial jug and glass, gloves secateurs and so on. I just love growing my own food!!
The hoe is my number one used tool in the allotment- mainly for weeding and not having to bend. I LOVE the animals that scream at you and am looking forward to watching your vids as we go into the uk winter
G'day Louise, a hoe is definitely handy in your allotment situation - a perfect tool! Yes, honestly, I really do love all the animals that scream at me too - it's like living in an Australian zoo here lol... You guys go into the big freeze and we head into the big fry pan. Cheers :)
That Sulphur Crested Cockatoo proves Mark is in Australia. Noisy buggers.!!
Hello Louise.
Literally only 0.30 in and had to pause this to say something. That claw hammer... is tool #1!!! Not kidding. I am an auto mechanic by trade, but switched to carpentry/remodel/deck and docks construction over the last decade in my rural area. So... why do I say it about the hammer... it is in fact an excellent digging/gardening tool! I have ended up using it so often especially when driving stakes or digging ect working hand on in a garden area! ML and Blessings Always. TY for the great video! 💪❤🙏💯
For clearing out an overgrown garden bed by hand, my favorite tool is a hand held Japanese Weeding sickle. It’s great for hacking at tough roots
Would that be a Okatsune 405 or 404 red handle?? That is my weapon of choice against vines and massive blackberries!
I started watching this channel because of my curiosity in chickens. Lol I've watch soo many videos now. I truelly appreciate the thought and work put into all of these videos. So informative. Thank you for all your help in my self sufficient journey! ❤
When the wheelbarrow gives out. Get one with 2 wheels next time. The added stability is so nice. Helps with arm fatigue too.
Interesting never even thought of that or even seen them
I just replied to someone else re my new two wheeled barrow. I love it, but I've always found it easier to pull my barrows than push them. I find pulling reduces my fatigue.
They have lots of 2 front wheels in Thailand(i now actually like them) and very rarely a single
Great idea! Thanks :)
He wants the arm fatigue, helps him keep his forearms looking like popeye's
This is a very good starting point for anyone not knowing where to start on tools. So many options can be overwhelming, but this narrows it down nicely to what you're most likely to need.
Mark, I do think you need a bucket full of sand and oil for a little rehab on those tools. A few plunges in will get the existing rust off, and the oil left behind helps prevent further rusting. A lot of folks say to use old motor oil, but that always seemed kinda icky to me. Expired cooking oil makes more sense, in my view.
@@edwardwhite9793 No, thank you, Edward. What you are doing is quite suspicious. Your mother should have also told you it is impolite to scam internet strangers. Shame on her, and shame on you.
Heya Mark, the background noise wasn't a big problem even with the hullabaloo over there - but if you're worried about it there's this free program called audacity that's really good at editing out background noise. Works a treat and dosn't add much time to editing, probably enough that you can make it up with the time you save not having to reshoot things. Especially since you would only have to use it in particularly rowdy days.
It's a bit long for the comments, but there's better video tutorials out there than I could give anyways. Great video as always!
OMG, You are a beautiful human being.I love watching your relation with nature and I love listening to your words . 🙏
You’re doing bloody well Mark. What are you doing uploading at midnight? Sneaky sneaky, ha ha. It won’t be long before you got that 1,000,000 subs mark Mark, ha ha, congrats to you.
Hey Mark ! Maybe you can make some interesting plans for getting to a million subscribers.
He probably started the upload much earlier, and it took a great bit to upload a quality video.
Lookout, Andy is dropping in trying to get extra subs off more successful Aussie youtubers...
@Max Raider That good ole NBN. No Bloody Net
Hmmm nice
Great homemade wooden tool handle on your saw, very cool tool.
Hello Mark, from Colorado in US. I love your videos, always very knowledgeable. Which is also a big tool, your brain besides your hands. I also use a hand spade and a hand three prong rake for very small spaces that a large tool won't fit in. Your garden is incredible, thank you for sharing your expertise. Crystal
How do the plants do with the low humidity in CO? I want to move there in the future and I wonder if my peppers and others will do okay.
@@mattk6101
Hi Matt, thank you for your question. I don't have problems with peppers and the humidity. However, I have a 10 x 12' greenhouse that I use which helps with the humidity. The only problem is it can overheat during our hot summers, so using fans is necessary. Depending on where you plan to move to here in Colorado will depend on your soil type. We have a lot of clay, so working soil is critical. I also use timers on my watering, especially when we r under water restrictions. I have been gardening here for at least 40 years. I also use a companion planting guide which helps in maximum production.
G'day Crystal! A hand spade and three-pronged rake/trowel for smaller spaces or jobs are top suggestions. Thank you :)
As an expat pomme out in the West Indies, I have learned to use a variant of what you would call a machette which locally is called a cutlass, they have varying lengths but their shape is different to yours, with a long parallel blade with a curved tip which has more metal than the rest of the blade which gived it inertia, making it very effective at chopping thick tree trunks, brush or in skilled hands hedges and grass. It is an all round tool which because of the wider curved top is also used for digging holes, and when you want to chop weeds but don't want to dull the blade you use the back of the top part of the blade. When I first started gardening here I wanted to use the specialised tools from the UK to do sundry jobs. But now apart from a fork, spade, large plastic rake, and sometimes tree loppers and chainsaw, the most common tool I use is "The Cutlass". Love your vids by the way. My chucks have donated quite a few stale eggs to the garden thanks to your tips. We have around a hundred totally free range, and many times if we didn't find where they are sitting, and they have bombed a hen with maybe a dozen eggs which we don't want to hatch, after a cooling off period they fertilize the tomatos and corn.
My personal favorite is a hand mattock. Drop forged head with the standard flat blade on one side and three times on the other.
They're awesome
I live on a mountain made of decomposing granite, boulders and rock everywhere. The mattocks and my 10 foot heavy iron prybar are used frequently.
I'm a skinny old lady, so I need a big lever to move heavy stuff, since I don't have anyone around to help.
I see I'm not alone in that. We have two: one like yours described, and one like Mark's in the video, only with a short handle. GREAT tools!
Yes! I've had mine for over 20 year. I'd be lost without it.
We discovered hand mattocks a year or two back and now they’re indispensable!
You’re such a COOL NICE guy I enjoy your hands on teaching with a positive sense of humor 😆 I look forward to your videos keep us updated and laughing 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
“I wouldn’t recommend joining the military just to get one of these”.... hahaha 🤣
th-cam.com/video/O0VAQjps9mQ/w-d-xo.html
Very good one xD
Military surplus is your friend...😏
Neither would I. Im still walking around cripled with ankle rebuilds that the army said was part of the job.
I just found you a couple of weeks ago and Oh what a blessing you are. I quit growing a garden about nine years ago. I wanted to start up again but felt lost. Not anymore Thank You. One thing I wanted to share. In Texas when I was growing tomatoes, we had a Stink Bug that damaged the tomatoes when they crawled on the fruit. We took a 55-gallon plastic barrel filled with water to about 9 inched from the top. Then cut Stinging Weed and or Bull Nettle growing on our place. Put the cuttings that filled a small wheelbarrow full into the water. Let it sit overnight. The water is now ready to dip out with a watering can. Pour over your tomatoes. The bugs will stay away and birds won't peck the tomatoes. I don't know if you have this plant down under. But It grows all over the United States. I hope this will help someone . Anyway thanks for all of your great information.
Hello Cheryl.
Bucket dude, you forgot the bucket hahaha. Just kidding, but I use it a lot, for carrying vegetables or solid fertilizers. Love your videos mate, keep on.
Yes, a bucket is definitely a big miss on my part (should have been 21 lol) cheers :)
You are just like me. Your gesture and your body language and above all your approach to life, I think, is pretty much like me. What I like most is your attitude of doing everything yourself and invent tools for the. I like the long saw with the wooden handle you invented the most, though. Thank you for sharing. Love you.
I love hearing about your army days!
Man, I just enjoy listening to you talk about gardening. I love your attitude and enthusiasm. It is very enjoyable. Thanks
I have two tools, my top two favorites, which you didn't mention. The first is a manure fork, which has a long handle and four thin cold-forged tines like a pitch fork, and a cane knife, which is a slightly down sized, shorter knife similar to a machete, but much lighter and more easily managed.
The manure fork is my main compost turning tool, and it is magic. It is about 100 times easier to use for turning compost piles than a digging fork with thick stuuby tines and a short handle, as it slips into the material without stress, and does not require bending over. I would not make compost if I didn't have a manure fork. The quality forks are expensive, but for moving most organic materials, are simply wonderful. The cane knife also saves much wasted energy compared to a machete due to the weight being about half of a machete or even a lightweight tommahawk or hatchet. I use it for cutting weeds as you would use a sickle, in combination with a short four legged stool so I can avoid bending. This is an amazing tool which I also use with the stool and a chopping block for sizing mateials for the compost heap.
G'day Ken! I'll have to find myself a manure fork! Cheers mate :)
@@Selfsufficientme I love your masses of harvested veggies. I make a lot of compost at my place because I am employed manageing the forest fuel in a productive way. I end up spending most of my time processing this stuff, dragging it back out of the forest in twenty kilo bundles with a rope. Then I run it through a chopper that is solar electric, and make compost out of it as I go. It is comprised of dead palm fonds, dead tree fern branches, bark, leaves, dead wood, weeds, sticks, lots of lantana, privet, bracken, tobacco bush, and twenty other things.
I am in the middle of a forest in the semi tropical area south of you in NSW, and I have no crop protection and a zillion predetors, so gardening is a challenge. Now, I will have the green sunami to deal with again, and I am still behind from last autumn with that. As a weed farmer, the feed stock is coming out of my ears.
Anyway, thanks for your kind reply and keep up the excellent work. You are doing a great public service and providing great advice, and all with a friendly countenance.
When I was in Vietnam we spent an evening with some Australian soldiers and had a blast. They had a terrific sense of humor like you do. Plus I like the accent.
The empty box of "Free Tools" and your reaction really made me laugh. Your videos are great!
Hi Mark. I loved this segment about your garden tools. I have some smaller hand tools that I like to use. One is a small thing that looks like a short handled spade or a miniature. Also I have a 4 prong Rake, with long tines. The handle is about 18 inches and I like using it. It extends my reach and helps me dig around to loosen the soil so I can pull up the weeds. My other small tool is a 3 prong "fork" that I like digging with. It has a short handle. It helps pull up weeds that have really stubborn roots. I really enjoy watching your garden show. I am a U.S. citizen living in Iowa. So our seasons are quite different, but I like watching and learning.
I always have my Hori Hori Soil knife on my side.
We have our original wheelbarrow from 25years ago...when the bottom rusted out we screwed in a carpet square...the best thing ever...used it for another 5 years before we had to replace the wheelbarrow.
Hi Smart, it’s nice meeting you here.. I’m Edward, it would be nice getting to know you,if that’s ok with you? My mom once said good friends are never too much to have. if you don’t mind, can we be friends??
Lovely smile you got there on your profile picture😊.
Something about Winter gives you a deadline to restore or maintain tools. Glad we have 4 seasons.
Mark just want to thank you from the UK love your videos and thoughts... IV been with out TV for three months now only u tube and Netflix. Your videos keep me going and learning everyday keep.upmthe good work.your a legend over here peace and love... Adrian
I know this was posted several months ago but I really enjoyed seeing your choices. Like you, I love having my hands in the soil and one garden tool I have found extremely useful, because of that is a hori hori knife. It has a measure guide in it's center, can be used like a trowel and the other side has a serrated edge for cutting through root systems. It's great for working up the soil to losen it. I've used it to remove tree/shrubbery roots, trenching to make potato hills, and so much more. It's my favourite go to tool because I don't have to constantly be switching one tool for another and at my age, once down I like to stay there for awhile. My knees are just so grateful for that.😃
I really love hearing from the animals. It means that the ecosystem is healthy and vibrant. I love seeing your garden, and watching your videos.
The number one tool in my garden is the internet, anything I need to know, find out, or order, I use it.
💜🤩🥰🤗
I bought my elder parents one of those wagons (with the removable sides) to bring in their fire wood from the large pile in the yard- now they also use it to take out the trash & bring in the groceries - it goes up the porch steps so easily...
I just use mine for the yard.
Love my pick mattock! Great list and coverage. Would be interesting to list in order of “what to buy first” for a home gardener - obviously generalised for general purpose gardens :) would not be first on the list but the mattock is my top 3, great for moving, turning and even digging
That saw bolted to the wood handle is a great idea !
i work in landscaping and use a "double action hoe" for weeding, edging, and turning soil. But i've found many other uses for it over the years
So that's what it's called!? I don't have a double-action hoe but I'm keen to check it out further now that you mentioned it! Cheers :)
I think it's also called a stirrup hoe. Great tool.
@@Selfsufficientme in California I think they may be called a "hula hoe"!
Love how proud you are of the homemade extended saw handle
I usually just use my hacksaw...
In Australia every animal screams at you! 🤣
Even the tarantulas!
Only those that can't kill you, out of frustration
@@thistles Tarantulas' wouldn't last long in Australia, the little Redbacks would have them for breakfast.
@@robotsnthat Australia has many species of tarantulas. They include some species that are called "whistling spiders," that are famous for their unique stridulation.
I've seen some American widows kill tarantulas unfortunate enough to wander into their webs, but tarantulas certainly aren't a normal part of a widow diet. I'm betting the same is true of redbacks. Redbacks stay in their webs and tarantulas generally stay in their burrows until a male goes looking for a mate.
@@thistles I sure hope they don't have tarantula hawk wasps in Australia. Poor tarantulas! The wasp stings the spider (second most painful sting in the insect kingdom) which paralyzes it. Then the wasp drags the spider back into it's own hole and lays its eggs in the spider's abdomen. The larvae hatch, while the spider is still alive but disabled, and eats the poor spider.
I like tarantulas, we have lots here in the desert and they are docile, and eat lots of pests.
When I see a tarantula hawk, I usually try to smush it to protect my hairy friends.
I love all of these tools. Now I have a birthday, anniversary, Christmas and Mother’s Day list!! Thank you.
The mini sledge hammer, or as I’ve called it for 30 years, the “WUMP” hammer!
I've always known them as a Mash Hammer.
@@turpy1234 Me too. Or club hammer. But Mash hammer is more popular. I was a brickie and needed one of these things daily. I remember calling to my apprentice " get me the mashie " I still have 3 different sizes from my bricklaying days.
Un the US that is called a 2 pound drilling hammer.
another tool I use quite often is one of those Flat Looped Weeding Hoes which has a sharp cutting surface each side of the lower blade. They're invaluable in cutting off the roots to many weeds, specially thick stemmed ones.
I have one of those, it makes quick work of weeding in fine gravel and elsewhere in the yard. I've heard it called a swive hoe.
I keep spray oil at the back door, everytime somthings a bit rusty just give it a quick spray and keeps everything coated and protected also in spring i give my wood handled tools a wipe with linseed oil keeps the handles from splintering
I Found Spray Cans So Troublesome - Always Stop Working Before The Cans Empty ;-( So I Started Get'n The Large Gallon Or Pour Style & Put'n It In Squeeze Bottles W/A Pointed Nozzle (Beauty Supply Stores, Etc Carry Them Cheap)...Works Gr8 & No Clog'n ;-)
My Dad used to paint the handles or metal of some tools a bright fluorescent color to be able to see it if he laid it down somewhere. He never lost a tool that way.
Love your helpful videos. Hugs from Illinois USA.
That's a good idea! Cheers :)
Quote from old fireman to young:-
"Nay son, it's not a 41 B hammer - its a 4lb hammer.
;¬)
Another great video! Don't know about anyone else but I found the generator running in the background relaxing.