Re: [gardeners] Carts 'n stuff, was Saturday in the garden

Linda Baranowski-Smith (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Tue, 9 Mar 1999 17:20:38 -0500 

George wrote, in part:

>Put about half the brick down around the outside of the herb garden too.
>That gets old quick for me, crawling about on my arthritic knees, and
>pushing the old wheelbarrow full of bricks. Gotta get me one of those
>good garden carts - one of these days someone will throw one out where I
>can see it. ;-)

Well, George, looks like you're practicing what you preach:  Gardeners
gotta suffer for the art.  I empathize with the arthritis woes.

Regarding carts...  About 5 years ago, we bought one of those "balanced"
carts from Norway Carts.  They advertize in Organic Gardening and other
mags.  The tires are like bicycle tires, with tubes.  The sides, bottom,
and front are made from plywood.  The front slides off for easy dumping.
They come in different sizes but ours needs a 4 ft gate opening so it must
be about 40-45 in across.  We haul everything but find that with heavy
loads (like brick and wood) it's important to stack the weighted center
over the wheels.  Otherwise, it's a breeze to push or pull.

We had a problem (a bad tire tube) and my GP wrote to the company about the
tube.  He also suggested to them that for greater durability they place the
grain of the bottom plywood perpendicular to the sides.  Norway Carts
didn't have the courtesy to acknowledge the letter so we won't deal with
them again.  We have strong feelings about businesses that are not customer
service oriented.

We also have standard wheelbarrows and a deep plastic cart (Rubbermaid)
that are ok.  The cart that we use the most, however, is one we got from
Sears.  It's 4 ft x 5 ft and hitches to the lawn tractor.  Why suffer with
heavy loads when they can be pulled?  Now, if it would only self-load!
(vbg)

Hope your weather is spring-like where you are.  We are snowin' and
'blowin' here again today.  Expect to see another 8 in on top of what we
have and it doesn't look like peas will go in on St Patty's Day.  We
(mostly my DH) are painting the walls in the house today.  It's a good week
for that.  Expect to start seed next week in the greenhouse.

Linda in NW Ohio near Toledo/Lake Erie, USDA Zone 5
llbs@mail.glasscity.net