This archive brings together practical, experience-led articles from The Backyard Farmer, covering gardening, DIY, indoor growing, foraging, reviews, and sustainable living. Each post is written with real-world use in mind — focusing on working with nature, building practical skills, and making sustainable choices more accessible.
Introduction Choosing between manual and powered pruning tools is not simply a question of cutting strength. The right choice depends on the type of growth, the number of cuts and how much control the job requires. In many gardens, the most practical setup is a
Introduction Choosing the right rotavator depends less on buying the biggest machine and more on matching it to your soil, plot size, and the job you need it to do. For small gardens and raised beds, a lightweight electric or cordless tiller is often enough
Introduction If you’ve ever balanced on the top rung of a ladder trying to tame an overgrown hedge, you’ll already understand why long‑reach pole hedge trimmers have become so popular. Tall conifers, wide boundary hedges, and fast‑growing garden screens can quickly turn into awkward, time‑consuming
Bosch Universal HedgePole 18 Review: Clean Cuts Without the Ladder If you’ve ever juggled a ladder, a trailing cable, and a top-heavy hedge trimmer, you’ll understand why cordless long-reach hedge trimmers are so popular — especially for tall hedges. The Bosch Universal HedgePole 18 is
Introduction Keeping tall hedges tidy often starts as a simple garden job. However, it doesn’t always stay that way. Before long, ladders come out, extension leads trail across the lawn, and you’re stretching at awkward angles just to reach the top. As a result, slips,
Einhell GE-HH 18/45 Li T-Solo Cordless Hedge Trimmer Review If you’ve ever battled tall hedges, deep garden borders, or those hard-to-reach spots your regular trimmer just can’t manage, a cordless long-reach hedge trimmer could be exactly what you need. The Einhell GE-HH 18/45 Li T-Solo
Introduction If you’ve ever stood at the bottom of a tall hedge, hedge trimmer in hand, weighing up whether to fetch a ladder or just leave the top for another year, you’ll already understand why pole hedge trimmers exist. They’re designed to make high, awkward
Introduction These days, most lawn mowers push buyers towards cordless systems, proprietary batteries, and steadily rising prices. For many gardeners, that makes sense. Cordless lawn mowers are convenient, flexible, and more capable than ever. However, that convenience often comes with a hidden cost. Batteries don’t
Intro: Real-World Use on a Maintained Lawn One of my regular clients recently upgraded to the EGO LM1903E-SP, a 56V self-propelled cordless lawn mower, for their garden — a lawn I look after throughout the year. Because of that, this isn’t a quick, first-impressions review.
Introduction: When power tools stopped earning their place I didn’t set out to make a statement about tools this year. I wasn’t chasing nostalgia, and I’m not anti‑technology either. Instead, the shift towards manual hedge trimming happened gradually — driven by frustration, repetition, and what
Introduction: Husqvarna 350iB Review The Husqvarna 350iB (also known as the Husqvarna Leaf Blaster 350iB) is a premium cordless leaf blower designed for anyone who wants serious performance without the hassle of petrol. As part of Husqvarna’s respected 36/40V battery platform, it delivers a powerful
Introduction If you’re looking for a Stihl BGA 60 review that tells it straight, you’re in the right place. The Stihl BGA 60 cordless leaf blower is one of the most powerful models in Stihl’s AK battery range, designed for UK gardeners who want petrol-like