The AMES Companies® Releases 2017 Spring Gardening Tips

CAMP HILL, Pa., April 12, 2017

"Spring is the perfect time for gardeners to plan ahead for the projects they want to accomplish throughout the year. We want to make sure that our customers are knowledgeable about what tools they need to make each project easier and to achieve success," said Stacie Pacheco, Vice President, Marketing at The AMES Companies. "AMES is known for delivering high-quality, long lasting tools and we enjoy getting the right tools in our customers' hands to help their gardening projects come to life."

Here are common spring gardening activities with tool recommendations for each:

1. Prepare your tools. Take some time up front to plan for your spring gardening activities! Clean and sharpen blades and assess your projects list and your tool inventory to see what tools you may want to acquire for the coming season.  
2. Weed when the weeding is good. The younger the weed, the easier it is to take it down, so do your best to capitalize on good weeding conditions. Take heed of the old saying, "Pull when wet; hoe when dry." Use a small hand weeder like the AMES gel grip weeder to help twist out smaller tendrils, such as henbit or chickweed, or an AMES innovative stand-up weeder to pry up taprooted weeds, like dandelion or pigweed. In dryer conditions, slice off weeds below the soil line using an AMES action hoe, a great tool to remove weeds quickly by their roots in narrow or confined spaces. 
3. Revitalize your soil. Plants live by their roots, so the most important part of your garden is below the ground. Over the winter, your soil becomes hard and compact with little to no moisture. Add organic material like compost or manure to add moisture, giving your soil the right nutrients. You can also grind eggshells into a powder for a calcium boost and use a soil thermometer to gauge when the soil is prime for planting. The Ames 4-tine forged cultivator is a great tool for mixing in soil amendments because of its curved tines.
4. Remove the roots. Roots rob nutrients from gardens, and spring is the ideal season to remove them. Do a quick check around your growing area and remove any roots that may have snuck in over the winter season, but be careful to not accidentally dig up the roots of growing plants that you want to keep in your garden or landscape beds. Then, patch any holes with mulch. The AMES 2-prong hoe will efficiently remove weeds in narrower spaces such as landscaped beds or gardens. 
5. Add new mulch. One to three inches of mulch will help retain your planting area's moisture and temperature while preventing weeds and diseases. There are several different types of mulch, so try to match your mulch to the crop, the soil type, and the weather conditions surrounding your garden area. A great tool to move mulch is the AMES 10-tine bedding fork; helpful for applying new mulch to a bed or turning and refreshing existing mulch.

About AMES
The AMES Companies, Inc., founded in 1774, is the leading U.S. manufacturer and a global provider of long-handled tools and landscaping products for homeowners and professionals. Headquartered in Camp Hill, PA, the company manufactures and markets a wide variety of long-handled tools, wheelbarrows, cutting tools, garden hoses and hose accessories, striking tools, snow tools, decorative garden accessories and planters. AMES' brands are among the most recognized across their primary product categories. Its brand portfolio includes AMES®, True Temper®, Razor-Back® Professional Tools, Jackson® Professional Tools, Southern Patio®, UnionTools®, Dynamic Design®, Garant®, Westmix™, Kelso™, Cyclone®, Nylex® and Northcote™.

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SOURCE The AMES Companies