Best Gadgets of 2010

TomatoDon · August 9, 2010

I documented my tomato garden more this year, and tried a few new things. Here's a picture of some of my favorite tools for the year.

1. On the left is a tomato peeler that I found in late June at the Crystal Springs, Mississippi. I am absolutely terrible at trying to peel tomatoes with a knife, and in fact finally gave up trying and just sliced them and ate them with the skin on. That was a poor 2nd to a rightly peeled tomato. So I saw this gadget at the tomato fest and the guy demonstrated it and I got one. I like it so well I found more on the internet and now have several. It is without a doubt the best and fastest way to correctly peel a tomato that I've ever tried. I've given some away and they say the same thing, best they ever tried. And...I found I was eating more tomatoes because I like them so much better without the skin and now can actully peel them. Even the smaller sized like Purple Haze, and some are olny about 2 inches wide. I show a picture of one on the display card and the one I'm using.

2. My trusty Canon SD 1100 IS. I've had it a couple of year and just love it. Some reviews say it's the best point and shoot ever and I wouldn't doubt it. I can stick it in my pocket and I'm ready to go.

3. Pruning shears. This is an inexpensive pair from Lowe's, and has been worth its weight in gold. Everything from snipping off damages leaves to larger branches to neatly clipping off fruit. It does a great job and along with the peeler are the best additions for the year.

4. Ruler. I haven't used this one in my other pictures, but this ruler is light and handy to carry and use when taking pictures of tomatoes.

I didn't have room to show my scales, 3x5 cards and Sharpie pens, and my planting chart, but those are very important too and I carry all of this in a heavy cloth tote bag and leave it in the vehicle. I use every thing in it all the time.

I'm hoping some of you will also include some ideas and gadgets that have been especially useful to your tomato gardening this year.

Thanks again to Feldon Central for the photo hosting.

habitat_gardener · August 9, 2010

These aren't new this year, but they're my favorites.

1. Fiskars pruning snips. They're as narrow as needle-nose pliers and as sharp as pruning shears, so they let me make precise cuts in tight places, such as in the middle of a tomato plant. I use them more than regular pruners for everyday garden tasks.

2. knee pads. They originally cost under $5 and I've had them for at least 5 years. I got them after I'd ruined a couple pairs of pants. They also keep blackberry stains and mud off my pants, and allow me to kneel anywhere in the garden without a second thought to look for hidden tomatoes.

3. lightweight hat. I have a Sunday Afternoons hat that's so light I hardly notice it, which enables me to work outdoors longer on sunny days. For the winter (rainy season), I have a good rain hat that keeps my head dry while I'm setting up my cold frame, watering tomato seedlings, setting up walls-o-water for new plants, bubblewrapping tomato cages, etc.

4. garden journal. A basic blank book that includes a tomato map for each year, notes on harvests, reminders of garden tasks to do, seed sources, etc. I've been keeping one for several years and it's interesting to go back and see what changes from year to year. It comes to the garden with me, so I can write things down immediately, rather than when I'd get a round tuit. Once I started growing more than a handful of tomatoes and got curious about the yield, I added a notebook to log the daily yield and weight for each variety.

5. seed-saving kit. I use 6 oz. soy yogurt cups to save the seeds (usually 1-2 tomatoes at a time), my hose-end sprayer to rinse the fermented seeds, and sheets of paper to dry them on (thicker paper if I have some I'm recycling), which I place in cardboard flats so I can stack 4-6 different types of seeds to dry. I use a pencil or a plastic plant marker to separate the wet seeds (so they don't dry in clumps). They're stored in paper envelopes.

6. walls-o-water (wow) and bubble wrap. I like to plant at least a couple plants "too early" so I can get tomatoes earlier in the season, but I've found it's usually not worth it to plant all my plants while it's cold and rainy in March . So I use walls-o-water to protect the first few plants, then when they've outgrown the wow I bubblewrap the cages and use the wow for the next round of plants. This year I lost 4 seedlings I planted in June because of the wind, so I replanted with walls-o-water.

dustdevil · August 9, 2010

Don, I didn't see this tool on your list:

http://www.life.com/image/76796742/in-gallery/25371

TomatoDon · August 10, 2010

Gee thanks Dust. You wait till the end of the season to show me the best tomato gadget of all time -- invented by L Ron Hubbard the creator of Scientology! And ranked in the Top Thirty inventions of all time!

dustdevil · August 10, 2010

Maybe you can pick one up at a scientologist estate sale. I wonder if it has an adapter for peppers...

rnewste · August 10, 2010

My vote for best garden gadget is this battery powered handheld 48 ounce sprayer:

I now own 6 of them, as I keep specific insecticides and fungicides in their own units.

Can be found on Amazon for about $15.00.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ef=oss_product

Raybo

JoAnne · August 10, 2010

Thanks Raybo - I've had carpel tunnel and this could a life saver!

rnewste · August 10, 2010

JoAnne,

I had spent hours pulling on the trigger of a Windex bottle filled with insecticide / fungicides spraying in the past - resulting in very sore wrist muscles. Then I found this battery powered sprayer on Amazon. The 2 AA batteries last a surprisingly long time. I would be in trouble without these handy sprayers.

Raybo

TomatoDon · August 10, 2010

This is proving to be as helpful as I hoped it would be. Can't wait to see what other handy gadgets show up.

DS

Timmah! · August 10, 2010

That guy was one megalomaniacal whack job, if ever there was one.

dustdevil · August 10, 2010

Don..."The only tool you'll ever need":

http://www.cubic.hu/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/mac.jpg

Tormato · August 10, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by dustdevil

Don, I didn't see this tool on your list:

http://www.life.com/image/76796742/in-gallery/25371

You missed this one...

http://www.life.com/image/3136964/in...unb-inventions

...the high tenement block window tomato cage.

And...

http://www.life.com/image/2716512/in...umb-inventions

...the fertilizer stake pack holder (only for growing tomacco)

Also...

http://www.life.com/image/82496367/i...umb-inventions

...the cherry tomato sunscald preventer.

amideutch · August 10, 2010

Here is one of the most useful kitchen tools I have ever found and cannot be without. The Borner V-Slicer. This little jewel will slice, dice, make french fries you name it. I bought my first one in 1976 which I still have and upgraded in 1982 and am still using the same unit today and have not had it sharpened once. Check out the video and the website given below. There have been many imitations made of this unit but this is the real deal and should last you a life time. Ami

http://www.swisscatalogue.com/swissm...Counter&-find=

dice · August 10, 2010

No sharpening required:
http://sp.life123.com/bm.pix/utility-knife.s600x600.jpg

Barbee · August 11, 2010

Here's my favorite new tool of all time.

The Wolf-garten push pull weeder. The fiberglass handle is a separate buy and snaps on and off with the push of a button. This baby will slice thru any weed and any hard ground. It leaves the soil darn near perfect and the angle on it is just right. No more bending at funny angles to hoe...plus it works both forward and backwards. I actually enjoy hoeing with this thing and when working around a cage or in tight areas in the flowerbeds, the handle just pops off and away we go

August 9, 2010	#1
TomatoDon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MS Posts: 1,523	Best Gadgets of 2010 I documented my tomato garden more this year, and tried a few new things. Here's a picture of some of my favorite tools for the year. 1. On the left is a tomato peeler that I found in late June at the Crystal Springs, Mississippi. I am absolutely terrible at trying to peel tomatoes with a knife, and in fact finally gave up trying and just sliced them and ate them with the skin on. That was a poor 2nd to a rightly peeled tomato. So I saw this gadget at the tomato fest and the guy demonstrated it and I got one. I like it so well I found more on the internet and now have several. It is without a doubt the best and fastest way to correctly peel a tomato that I've ever tried. I've given some away and they say the same thing, best they ever tried. And...I found I was eating more tomatoes because I like them so much better without the skin and now can actully peel them. Even the smaller sized like Purple Haze, and some are olny about 2 inches wide. I show a picture of one on the display card and the one I'm using. 2. My trusty Canon SD 1100 IS. I've had it a couple of year and just love it. Some reviews say it's the best point and shoot ever and I wouldn't doubt it. I can stick it in my pocket and I'm ready to go. 3. Pruning shears. This is an inexpensive pair from Lowe's, and has been worth its weight in gold. Everything from snipping off damages leaves to larger branches to neatly clipping off fruit. It does a great job and along with the peeler are the best additions for the year. 4. Ruler. I haven't used this one in my other pictures, but this ruler is light and handy to carry and use when taking pictures of tomatoes. I didn't have room to show my scales, 3x5 cards and Sharpie pens, and my planting chart, but those are very important too and I carry all of this in a heavy cloth tote bag and leave it in the vehicle. I use every thing in it all the time. I'm hoping some of you will also include some ideas and gadgets that have been especially useful to your tomato gardening this year. Thanks again to Feldon Central for the photo hosting. __________________ Zone 7B, N. MS

August 10, 2010	#4
TomatoDon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MS Posts: 1,523	Gee thanks Dust. You wait till the end of the season to show me the best tomato gadget of all time -- invented by L Ron Hubbard the creator of Scientology! And ranked in the Top Thirty inventions of all time! __________________ Zone 7B, N. MS

August 10, 2010	#9
TomatoDon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MS Posts: 1,523	This is proving to be as helpful as I hoped it would be. Can't wait to see what other handy gadgets show up. DS __________________ Zone 7B, N. MS

August 10, 2010	#13
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	Here is one of the most useful kitchen tools I have ever found and cannot be without. The Borner V-Slicer. This little jewel will slice, dice, make french fries you name it. I bought my first one in 1976 which I still have and upgraded in 1982 and am still using the same unit today and have not had it sharpened once. Check out the video and the website given below. There have been many imitations made of this unit but this is the real deal and should last you a life time. Ami http://www.swisscatalogue.com/swissm...Counter&-find= __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

August 10, 2010	#14
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	No sharpening required: http://sp.life123.com/bm.pix/utility-knife.s600x600.jpg __________________ -- alias

August 9, 2010	#2
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	These aren't new this year, but they're my favorites. 1. Fiskars pruning snips. They're as narrow as needle-nose pliers and as sharp as pruning shears, so they let me make precise cuts in tight places, such as in the middle of a tomato plant. I use them more than regular pruners for everyday garden tasks. 2. knee pads. They originally cost under $5 and I've had them for at least 5 years. I got them after I'd ruined a couple pairs of pants. They also keep blackberry stains and mud off my pants, and allow me to kneel anywhere in the garden without a second thought to look for hidden tomatoes. 3. lightweight hat. I have a Sunday Afternoons hat that's so light I hardly notice it, which enables me to work outdoors longer on sunny days. For the winter (rainy season), I have a good rain hat that keeps my head dry while I'm setting up my cold frame, watering tomato seedlings, setting up walls-o-water for new plants, bubblewrapping tomato cages, etc. 4. garden journal. A basic blank book that includes a tomato map for each year, notes on harvests, reminders of garden tasks to do, seed sources, etc. I've been keeping one for several years and it's interesting to go back and see what changes from year to year. It comes to the garden with me, so I can write things down immediately, rather than when I'd get a round tuit. Once I started growing more than a handful of tomatoes and got curious about the yield, I added a notebook to log the daily yield and weight for each variety. 5. seed-saving kit. I use 6 oz. soy yogurt cups to save the seeds (usually 1-2 tomatoes at a time), my hose-end sprayer to rinse the fermented seeds, and sheets of paper to dry them on (thicker paper if I have some I'm recycling), which I place in cardboard flats so I can stack 4-6 different types of seeds to dry. I use a pencil or a plastic plant marker to separate the wet seeds (so they don't dry in clumps). They're stored in paper envelopes. 6. walls-o-water (wow) and bubble wrap. I like to plant at least a couple plants "too early" so I can get tomatoes earlier in the season, but I've found it's usually not worth it to plant all my plants while it's cold and rainy in March . So I use walls-o-water to protect the first few plants, then when they've outgrown the wow I bubblewrap the cages and use the wow for the next round of plants. This year I lost 4 seedlings I planted in June because of the wind, so I replanted with walls-o-water.

August 9, 2010	#3
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	Don, I didn't see this tool on your list: http://www.life.com/image/76796742/in-gallery/25371

August 10, 2010	#6
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	My vote for best garden gadget is this battery powered handheld 48 ounce sprayer: I now own 6 of them, as I keep specific insecticides and fungicides in their own units. Can be found on Amazon for about $15.00. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ef=oss_product Raybo

August 10, 2010	#7
JoAnne Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 69	Thanks Raybo - I've had carpel tunnel and this could a life saver!

August 10, 2010	#10
Timmah! Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Elizabethtown, Kentucky 6a Posts: 754	That guy was one megalomaniacal whack job, if ever there was one.

August 11, 2010	#15
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	Here's my favorite new tool of all time. The Wolf-garten push pull weeder. The fiberglass handle is a separate buy and snaps on and off with the push of a button. This baby will slice thru any weed and any hard ground. It leaves the soil darn near perfect and the angle on it is just right. No more bending at funny angles to hoe...plus it works both forward and backwards. I actually enjoy hoeing with this thing and when working around a cage or in tight areas in the flowerbeds, the handle just pops off and away we go __________________ *Barbee*