Reach for the right tools to take on tough autumn tasks safely

Invest in a few new and nifty gadgets to help you tackle those out-of-reach, awkward chores like harvesting and pruning, says Jean Vernon

After a tumultuous start to autumn, with Storm Ali and Storm Bronagh arriving right on cue for the autumn equinox, we now seem to be enjoying a relatively calm interval in which to size up whatever needs doing in the garden before winter. It’s time to reduce the gangly growth of summer, blitz any weeds and finish bringing in the fruit harvest.

If you are still using tools from yesteryear that were built to last, but probably weigh a ton, consider investing in some of the latest lightweight, telescopic, adaptable and extendable innovations to make life easier.

You can donate your heritage garden tool collection to the younger generation starting on their gardening journey and treat yourself to a battery of new kit to tackle tall or just plain awkward gardening operations.

AUTUMN TASKS

The last of the tree fruit hangs high in the branches, out of reach. Harvest it fast and transform it into fresh juice, or store in racks or dry in a dehydrator for healthy snacks grown at home.

High winds and storms will whip and rip tall branches and long stems from your trees and shrubs. Wounds and splits allow diseases to take hold and can be the death knell, so it’s better to prune back hard now to prevent wind rock and falling branches. Choose aluminium handles and extendable long-reach tools to safely prune from ground level. Buy the best cutting blades to ensure a clean wound and an easy cut – these tools will become future classics and serve you well.

Leaves and twiggy debris also need to be collected up, not only from the lawn but from guttering, beneath garden furniture and awkard nooks – all tasks made much easier with the right equipment. Modern materials, engineering advances and a revolution in manufacture have created a raft of garden tools fit for the 21st century. Where once less-abled gardeners struggled to wield a saw or lopper, today, geared and ratchet mechanisms reduce the effort needed to grip, aluminium reduces the weight and extendable poles bring branches comfortably into reach.

The dream of a large garden can become a struggle as age, agility and health starts to limit what we can achieve. Nifty tools that reduce effort are useful for everyone; especially those who are struggling to bend, reach and stretch or carry heavy loads.