Student P-Patch Garden at UW

Student P-Patch Garden

Tool Use Guidelines

Welcome to the toolbox! Feel free to use any of the tools inside to work on your garden plot. A few rules to keep in mind:

Mind the irrigation

Do your utmost to avoid damage to the irrigation. Please remove (and keep track of) the metal staples, and pull back the drip irrigation lines prior to any serious digging in your plot which might endanger the piping. Return lines and staples to their original position after digging.

Clean the tools

Use a rag to wipe any dirt off of the heads of the tools before putting them away in the toolbox.

Put tools away

Remember to return tools to the toolbox after you use them so they stay safe.

Here is a brief introduction to each tool:

Digging fork

This is a great tool for cultivating soil and loosening it to remove weeds. Stomp the head into the soil with your foot and wiggle it back and forth to loosen soil. Also useful for spreading wood chips.

Spade

Good for digging in and moving soil. More ergonomic than a regular shovel because of its flat head and short handle.

Shovel

Regular multi-purpose shovel, used for digging and moving loads of wood chips and compost.

Hori hori

Very useful weeding and transplanting tool. Use it as you would a trowel.

Quick coupler key

Connects to quick coupler to provide direct access to water. Yellow bar perpendicular to the rest of the tool stops water flow, parallel releases water. To use, open lid to quick coupler and align nub on tool with gap in top of pipe and rotate until it feels tight. Turn yellow bar to start water flow. Rotate the opposite direction to remove. Do not yank!

Hose

Ordinary garden hose. To use, attach to quick coupler key, taking care not to yank on the hose (because it will pull on the quick coupler key). Use with hose nozzle for best results. Always water the soil below the plants (rather than the leaves) as much as possible to prevent water loss and rot.

Hose nozzle

Helps make watering gentler and more natural for the plants by simulating rainfall. Turn off by orienting small bar perpendicular to the water flow, and on by orienting the bar parallel to water flow.

Watering can

Fill using quick coupler key. Good for watering freshly planted seeds and starts, which needs to be done more often than the drip irrigation runs. Tilt the nozzle upwards for ideal watering force.

Broom

Use to sweep pathway if it becomes cluttered by wood chips, soil, or anything else to prevent a safety hazard.

Grub hoe

Strong, heavy-duty tool good for breaking sod. Swing enthusiastically (but carefully) and orient force on corner of head for greatest power.

Gloves

Help keep hands blister-free and warm on cold days. Return them to the bag as clean as possible and folded in pairs.

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	Digging fork This is a great tool for cultivating soil and loosening it to remove weeds. Stomp the head into the soil with your foot and wiggle it back and forth to loosen soil. Also useful for spreading wood chips.
	Spade Good for digging in and moving soil. More ergonomic than a regular shovel because of its flat head and short handle.
	Shovel Regular multi-purpose shovel, used for digging and moving loads of wood chips and compost.
	Hori hori Very useful weeding and transplanting tool. Use it as you would a trowel.
	Quick coupler key Connects to quick coupler to provide direct access to water. Yellow bar perpendicular to the rest of the tool stops water flow, parallel releases water. To use, open lid to quick coupler and align nub on tool with gap in top of pipe and rotate until it feels tight. Turn yellow bar to start water flow. Rotate the opposite direction to remove. Do not yank!
	Hose Ordinary garden hose. To use, attach to quick coupler key, taking care not to yank on the hose (because it will pull on the quick coupler key). Use with hose nozzle for best results. Always water the soil below the plants (rather than the leaves) as much as possible to prevent water loss and rot.
	Hose nozzle Helps make watering gentler and more natural for the plants by simulating rainfall. Turn off by orienting small bar perpendicular to the water flow, and on by orienting the bar parallel to water flow.
	Watering can Fill using quick coupler key. Good for watering freshly planted seeds and starts, which needs to be done more often than the drip irrigation runs. Tilt the nozzle upwards for ideal watering force.
	Broom Use to sweep pathway if it becomes cluttered by wood chips, soil, or anything else to prevent a safety hazard.
	Grub hoe Strong, heavy-duty tool good for breaking sod. Swing enthusiastically (but carefully) and orient force on corner of head for greatest power.
	Gloves Help keep hands blister-free and warm on cold days. Return them to the bag as clean as possible and folded in pairs.