GardenMate editorial

Practical gardening guides

Useful advice for choosing and using garden gear, grounded in the jobs it needs to do.

Cordless garden clean-up

Makita DUB363PT2V: a powerful cordless blower for serious garden clean-up

A practical, first-hand guide to where Makita’s dual-battery blower/vacuum kit earns its keep—and when a smaller or larger machine makes more sense.

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Whipper snippers & brushcutters

Battery vs petrol whipper snippers: why I still lean towards petrol

Why Luke still prefers the feel of petrol while regularly reaching for a 36V cordless Makita—and where the Stanley FATMAX V20 fits as another battery option.

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Trimming & lawn edges

Does better whipper-snipper line make a difference?

The cord matters. So do the head, the grass and the person holding the machine. Our experience with STIHL line, plus practical ways to get more useful cutting from each refill.

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Watering & irrigation

How to plan drip irrigation for pots and raised beds

Map the plants, separate unlike watering needs, check the tap and flow, then build and test one zone at a time. This planning method works whether you buy a kit or choose parts separately.

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Pruning & hand tools

Secateurs, loppers or pruning saw: which tool should you use?

Choose by branch size, wood condition, tool rating and access. This guide shows where each hand tool fits, how to avoid forcing a cut and when the job belongs with an arborist.

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Trimming & lawn edges

How to trim lawn edges without wasting whipper-snipper line

Prepare the boundary, use only the cutting end of the line, take shallow passes and stop grinding against concrete, wire, rocks or tree bark.

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