Raking the soil in a plant bed with a metal rake is a skill, an art to be mastered. I learned this, years ago, when I was a newbie in the world of professional horticulture. My boss was Alain Grumberg, a French gardener who had worked in the formal gardens of Versailles. He was a true professional and had little patience with my lack of raking ability. He would not let me touch a rake until I had watched him for weeks on end preparing the numerous flower beds in the expansive display garden at Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York. Like a chef handling a carving knife, he told me, you must learn how to use the tool properly.
In the early spring, we added a layer of aged horse manure and straw from a nearby barn to the existing flower beds. We turned over the soil using a rototiller. Then, Alain raked the soil in each of the beds— first rough grading to take out larger stones and clods, then fine grading to smooth it out and remove smaller pebbles. Finally, he turned the rake over and used it, upside down, to press down on the edges around the perimeter of the plant bed. The rhythm of the strokes he made as he raked exhibited his command of the tool, holding it low to remove large stones, then raising it high to rake out smaller pebbles. It opened my eyes to the art of raking. I said to him, “You are a rake master.”
I use that term now to impress upon others the importance of the rake in preparing plant beds. I suggest you aim to become a rake master. It takes a while. Practice makes perfect. And by the way, raking is a great form of exercise! Studies show that raking in the garden can burn between 200 and 224 calories per hour!
If you’re only going to have one rake, choose a good-quality metal bow rake. It is shaped differently from a leaf rake. It has a curved bow that extends from both sides of the head, which gives the rake some spring action. The sturdiness of the head makes the bow rake the best tool for leveling soil. The metal tines are short and thick and can pull and mold the soil well. A bow rake can also be used for spreading mulch, raking leaves, and removing small stones from the soil. This versatile tool may be the only rake you need. Get a professional-grade bow rake that will not come apart under pulling pressure.
Get a rake with a lightweight fiberglass handle with a vinyl sleeve grip. Its comfortable and easy to carry.
If you have the wrong rake for your task, raking can be a chore. Do not use a fan-shaped leaf rake to grade the soil. It is designed to pick up lightweight leaves with its long thin tines that flare out like a fan. These rakes are used for cleaning lawns and gardens from fallen leaves. The metal fan rake is perfect for working with turf. Because the item has good rigidity, it can also thin out the lawn or remove mowed grass if necessary.Another kind of grading rake is a lightweight, aluminum rake. It has a wide head and a long handle. It is perfect for spreading loose soil and fine grading, but it will bend - it is aluminum - if used for heavier tasks.
Practice raking - it is fun and makes gardening so fun. Grading and leveling soil can be a masterful exercise. Or, in the case of raking gravel in a Japanese style garden, a meditation practice.
Here is a statement by Martin McKellar who raked the dry Japanese garden at the Cofrin Asian Art Wing of the Harn Museum in Gainesville, Florida:
“I now see raking the garden as trying each time to do a better job. People should walk into the garden space and sense they are in a sacred space with power, shouldn’t they? If I do a good job, I can elicit that response from visitors, I believe.”
Rake master, indeed!
Terrific overlooked topic.
Always appreciate that you choose to share apt quotations as well as reference your empirical garden repertoire.
Thank you for sharing.
Go with that 224 calorie burn, not 200. 👍🏻