Handy Hand Truck

 Tuesday, May 20, 2014

For years now I have used a hand truck when deliveries arrive at the flower farm. Long ago I learned about mechanical advantage and I respected easier means of lifting and moving heavy objects. A truckload of a hundred 3.8 cubic foot bales of potting mix, for example, starts out nicely but by bale number 5 you wish you were in a different place.

Hand trucks are available at all the box stores and are available for about $40. I always spring for a new set of wheels right from the beginning because from experience I find that the inflatable type just don't hold up and I always find this out on the day a tire is pancake flat and I have lots to move. The new tires with a solid core will last longer than me and cost about $20 a piece extra. It's kind of a pain getting the cap nut off to replace them but it's worth it.

Some people add a piece of pressure treated plywood to the bottom to enlarge the lift shelf. I have never done that but I have seen it done. When I am using the truck for awkward items I use a couple bungie cords to secure whatever I am moving. 

This might seem like an odd gift to buy for a gardening friend but I guarantee it will be well appreciated. In the meantime, think of yourself and what you lift and carry in the course of a summertime of gardening. It's worth it! And it works with moving big clumps of daylilies too!

George Africa

The Vermont Gardener

Vermont Flower Farm