Not every garden tool guzzles gas and puffs exhaust. Not every piece of equipment requires brute force and sweat for operation. Sometimes, the handiest tool that saves the most time and effort is as simple as a string. Garden twine, The Magnificent Multitasker, is the do-all, must-have piece of the garden tool pie. So maybe it doesn’t do everything. But, it can sure make things a lot easier and more enjoyable.
I’m referring to any sort of string, rope or twine that can be used to complete a number of different tasks. These simple lengths of string can be pulled from the barn at any point from planning to harvest. When the brand new reel is rolled out, it can be wound back up onto a new makeshift spool to be used time and time again. It helps prepare the beds and support the plants. It lays out straight and holds the weight of ripe tomatoes. It lifts things up, it ties things down. Every gardener needs it. It is The Magnificent Multitasker.
While planning a new garden space, a good roll of twine is your best friend. It can be used to measure your distances and stake out your entire growing space before making any permanent commitments. It serves as a great visual aid that helps you see where you’re headed like a glimpse into the near future. This is very important. When you can see where you’re going, it’s easier to spot potential problems before you begin building. That fence line is too close to the maple’s roots, we have to move it back a few feet. The edge of the vegetable garden is too close to that cherry tree, we need to move it over a touch. There’s not enough room here for grape vines without shading the herbs, let’s rethink this a bit. There it is. That’s where we need to be. Let’s build it. Garden twine makes it possible.
When the plan is put into action, so is the string. With a handful of rocks and some string, you can build perfectly spaced and straight rows. Simply cut a length of twine long enough to span the length of your rows. Tie a rock to each end. Cut a second length of twine, just long enough to span the width between your rows. Tie a rock to each end. Lay the short string out to know exactly where your next row needs to be. Lay the long string out and plant beside it to make sure your rows stay straight. It’s that simple to have a functional and aesthetically pleasing layout.
A skinny white string is stronger than it may look. It’s got the power and longevity needed to trellis vining peas and support the heavy fruit of an August tomato plant. So many people purchase expensive metal trellises and supports, when they likely have the material lying around to do it with. With stakes and string, you can build a simple trellis that allows your peas to vine straight toward the sun, where they want to be. You can train your pumpkins to stay put and you can keep your heavy tomato vines out of the dirt when they’re weighed down with fresh fruit. Twine makes it happen.
For many of us, chickens are an important part of our garden system. They provide us with fresh food daily and make some effective compost while doing it. They keep bugs down and cultivate the ground during the off-season as they peck and scratch. They’re important to us, so it’s important that we protect them. Simple string can span across a chicken yard to deter airborne predators from making a swoop at your hens. Predation from the sky can be a huge threat to your backyard flock. Garden twine offers a simple solution. Simply tie sections of string from one end of the yard to the other, attaching them directly to the top of the fence. Do this about every 2 feet or so. Now, watch the hawks circle about, just before flaring off to look for a new target.
There is no room in the garden for uni-taskers. We need tools that can handle numerous jobs and handle them well. Garden twine is one of those tools. So start snipping, stretching, tying and training. Put this easy going, user-friendly material to work for you. You’ll learn to love The Magnificent Multitasker that makes it happen.
