It could be said that most of the products that I feature on Fredshed are environmentally friendly as I have chosen them for their quality and longevity. I like tools and equipment that lasts a long time because I don't need to replace them so often and they don't end up in a landfill site like poor quality tools.

The current trend today is to mass produce cheap tools in the far east. Many of these tools are copies of innovative quality products and are in big demand as they generate huge profit margins compared to the genuine product.

These cheap, poor quality tools contribute to the degradation of our environment as they use the same amount of energy to produce as good tools but don't last as long. I know for a fact that many of these products are designed to fail so that you have to revisit the shop and buy another. Below is an example of a copy of a quality item that I obtained for testing. It lasted 5 minutes cutting hard twigs and would cost more to send back to the catalogue than it is worth.

Felco secateurs, made in Switzerland, used by professionals, lasts for years. Spares are always available and models continue in production. A tool like this could last your lifetime - if you don't lose it on the compost heap!

buy Felco secatuers online from a discount supplier

(this supplier is a Fredshed affiliate and offers the best prices on Felco tools)

Compare prices on Felco secateurs at another Fredshed recommended supplier

A cheap copy, made in the Far East,  lasted 5 minutes.- blade not tempered. All the fuel and man hours that went into mining this metal, manufacturing the tool, and shipping this product were totally wasted and this in now landfill.

Tools like this can be bought in places like supermarkets for £2 but are a total waste of time and money.

Multi-coloured recycled tyre  Mulch

Available in bags, strips and tree discs!

This brown coloured mulch is a fantastic  product that is made from recycled fork lift truck tyres.

It comes in other colours including mixes of  Greens, and Browns and yellows so that it looks like leaf fall. Rubber mulch is particularly useful for children's play areas as it offers maximum protection in the event of a fall.

Rubber mulch makes a safe and longer lasting mulch that is less likely to blow away than woodchip since it is heavier. However I found that after a few years a lot of the mulch gets mixed up with the soil and then it is not much use.

This product is very expensive initially but will last at least 10 years if it does not get blown away or mixed in with your soil . This and the high cost makes rubber mulch more suitable for play areas and golf courses than garden borders.

A new development is that this material is bonded together in strips and sheets that you can lay beside lawn edges and around trees and shrubs.

The company selling these strips is called Ecoscape Uk and is based in Oxfordshire.

Now Available as strips and round discs for border edges and around trees!

Fredshed tip - buy a garden shredder and make your own mulch .

Coming Soon, Mighty Mulch

Mighty Mulch is made from recycled tyres and is made into a permanent fixed surface by mixing it with a resin bond

The resultant surface is attractive, durable and safe for children and people who may fall.

Mighty Mulch has to be installed by a trained contractor.

E-mail me for details

Who on earth would want a large plastic can full of worms- me for one!

To be blunt my original wormery was rubbish, (it was an adapted rubbish bin)  but this "Can O Worms" is much better. The waste (or compost) is segregated into layers and is easy to access. Our little friends stay down below and out of sight. A neat little unit for recycling your kitchen waste into a fine, clean compost. As well as compost the liquid from the worms and vegetation drains down in to the lower chamber where it can be let out via a tap and used as liquid fertilizer.

This Australian made plastic bin system is not cheap but twill provide loads of valuable top quality compost over many years.

This wormery is made from recycled plastic and is very durable - (6 years so far). I am now testing the Worm Works (below) which seems like a better design.

Most Environmentally Friendly Composter?

Whilst a wormery or compost bin made from recycled plastic is a good thing it does involve a fair amount of energy to make and transport it.

If you want to make a really environmentally friendly compostor I suggest you collect some scrap wood and make a large box from it and cover the top with a bit of old carpet to keep the heat in. Make sure the sides of the box allow some air in and if you can make a sliding front door for it to allow easy access.

Making compost is not rocket science and ANY organic material will rot down in time given a few simple conditions. Whilst I do like products like worm farms I am not generally a fan of anything plastic in my garden and £70-£90 for a plastic box is a lot of money.

If you cant make your own compost bin then The wooden compost bin opposite will manage larger quantities of material and I still recommend putting an old carpet or coat on the top to keep the heat in.

GOT A SMALL LAWN?

Modern push mowers are surprisingly easy to use and will reduce your carbon footprint and waistline!

The Qualcast Panther is one of the longest running garden products and has been around for donkeys years. Originally made in Suffolk it is now produces by Bosch and as long as you mow regularly it will produce a very fine finish even better than most electric rotary mowers currently being sold.

Also you will have no petrol to buy, electricity to pay for, batteries to replace or complicated parts to maintain.

NEW PRODUCT FOR 2011

FISKARS MOMENTUM PUSH MOWER

This new mower invented by my tools design Guru Marcus in Finland is the most advanced push mower yet.

It has a wider cut than previous push (or reel mowers) and unlike all of those that have gone before it can cut right to the edge.

The best feature of the Fiskars momentum is how easy it is too push and also that it can cut long grass!

Another good feature is that the handles are height adjustable and also can be quickly removed for easy storage.

I am currently testing the Fiskars Momentum and so far am very impressed.

The only downside I can see is that there is no grass box!, but there will be one available next year.

The mower is quite expensive but is superb quality and will save you a fortune at the Gym!  

Preserve your garden furniture

Is part of the rainforest in your garden?

Even if you had the best intentions it is quite likely that your garden furniture was once a part of the world's disappearing rainforest. When your grandchildren say - "grandpa what happened to the rainforests?" you can at least reply - "your sitting on it boy!"

To make my hardwood furniture last as long as possible I use and recommend Ecowood furniture oil, made from natural nut oils rather than  petro-chemicals as found in the most popular brands of wood preserver.

Available in clear, teak and mahogany shades. This oil is manufactured in Australia where they know how to protect and preserve wood and do it in the most eco-friendly way possible.

Wooden Decking - Preservation tips

I have 3 separate areas of decking and just love it. I can go outside anytime of year and enjoy my garden without getting my feet (tyres) muddy.

However I am NOT impressed with some of the rubbish that is sold under the name of "deck stain". I bought some and it  flaked off within months.. I suspect that it is because it is water based and just washes or wears off.. It "did what it said on the can",  stained the deck, but it doesn't last, was a waste of money (and god knows what's in it)

This year I am testing a special combination of natural oils from Australia and also Cuprinol deck oil.  If anyone knows about protecting wooden decking  it should be the Aussies,

"crack open a tinny Bruce and chuck another Sheila on the barbie" - what a  lifestyle!

Back to decking- once the old flakey stain was wire brushed off the oil went on really quickly, smelled fantastic and left a superb finish.

I will be reporting the durability of the Ecowood decking oil and Cuprinol deck oil on this page. E-mail me for details if you want some.

Ecowood Oil, RRP £49.99 for a 4 litre tin

Update - March 2010

Supplier details available - e-mail me

Tubtrugs come in 3 sizes and are so tough and flexible that they can be used to mix and pour concrete. Tubtrugs are easy to clean by  flexing the sides so that the debris cracks and falls off.

Tubtrugs are cheap to buy but only the black ones are made from recycled plastic and there are copies that are more expensive and are not made from recycled plastic!

see the range of sizes of tubtrug available

Get a rhino runner wheelbarrow frame for tubtrugs