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             The Gardener Guy of Tulsa, Oklahoma

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Wheelbarrows

Everyone needs a basic barrow. It has a single wide tire in front, a body made of either plastic or metal, and two wooden handles. They come in various sizes and colors, and turn on a dime, literally, which is nice for delivering bark mulch or manure down a narrow footpath.

The basic barrow distributes weight equally between the wheel and gardener, so it can get very heavy if you are loading it with rocks or soil. It unloads easily: just lift the two long handles, and it dumps out the contents. Plastic ones are less heavy, but metal ones are sturdier. I don't like those huge ones that have twin tires in the front- they are awkward when turning. And although a friend has one with hand brakes, I don't need that feature. Cost? About $75 for the 6 cu ft metal one, $89 in heavy plastic at your local feed and grain store.

The one I use most often is called the Smart Cart. Made in Maine, it has a plastic body the pops in and out of a tubular aluminum frame. They come with either 4-inch wide wheels, which I have, or bicycle-tire wheels. I love the wide wheels because they don't sink into soft wet soil. And in the 10 years I've had my Smart Cart, the tires have never gone flat - unlike all my other barrows. It is rated for 600-pounds of load, and the balance is such that even heavily loaded it moves easily.

I like the fact that the bin part of the Smart Cart can be taken out of the frame. I used it recently to collect chicken manure from a friend, sliding the bin into the back of my little Toyota hatchback. Other barrows would not easily do the job. Or I can de-skunk a dog in it instead of the family bathtub. (See sidebar for a good recipe for skunk-odor remover, another spring task.) Available from the manufacturer for $285, the Smart Cart is worth every penny of the cost. Contact them at (800) 366-6026 or go to Muller's Smart Carts for more information.

Garden carts are good too. I have the biggest size plywood garden cart made by Carts Vermont (or 800-732-7417). They come in 4 sizes, from 200 to 400 pound load-carrying capacity, and 4 from to 13.6 cu ft. Mine is great for carrying bulky stuff: leaves, hay or 4 snow tires at once, for example. It has bicycle tires, and is well balanced and rolls easily. I have never tipped one over by accident on a hillside, a common problem with the 1-wheeled basic barrow. But emptying mine is awkward: the front piece does not slide out easily (it's a 15 year old cart), so I rarely bother when tipping out a load of weeds. I end up unloading them by scooping them up in my arms. Not the best barrow for carrying manure.

I have a lightweight aluminum wheelbarrow that folds up so you can hang it on the wall of your garage or put it in the back of your car. Although I know people that love them, I rarely use mine except when I convert it to use as a pull-behind the lawn tractor cart, using a kit. Not available from the maker, they can be ordered on line for about $250 (Tools Deals).

Polyethylene wheelbarrows come in a variety of sizes, shapes and qualities. Big Box stores will sell you a little cheapie for under $50, or you can get a good one such as the long, sturdy one I have from Kadco, a Carry-It with bicycle tires. The plastic tub is 44 inches long and 24 wide. It holds water, so I use it to soak my logs that I use for growing shiitake mushrooms. I like the barrow: it has good balance and carrying capacity.Available by calling (800) 448-5503 or on line at KADCO USA, they cost about $234.

My sentimental favorite is an Amish-made wooden wheelbarrow just like the one my grandfather had. It has removable sides, making it great for carrying long objects such as fence posts. Available from the maker, Ike Lapp, by calling (717) 355-9366. An old order Amish, he generally doesn't answer the phone, but you can leave a message. I got the metal liner with mine, which allows me to grow flowers in it without damaging the wood. That is an extra $45. Available in a variety of sizes and colors, the large deluxe wooden wheelbarrow costs about $231 plus shipping. Mr. Lapp has no website, but to see them, go to Lehmans.

You probably don't need half a dozen wheelbarrows. I'm not sure I do. But one of my first memories in life is a ride in a wooden wheelbarrow, on top of a load of weeds. My gardening grandfather, John Lenat, scooped me up, popped me into the barrow, and raced us home ahead of a thunderstorm. I regularly give my grandson George a ride in one of mine, and I even let him float down our stream in the tub of my Smart Cart. After all, wheelbarrows are for fun, too.

Henry Homeyer is a gardening coach. His web site is www.Gardening-Guy.com. You may reach him at P.O. Box 364, Cornish Flat, NH or at gardening.guy@valley.net.

Sidebar: Peter Shack's De-Skunking Recipe

• 1 Qt. hydrogen peroxide (3%)
• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1 teaspoon liquid soap