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STIHL BG 50

Get superior performance! Built here in America*, this tool boasts the highest power-to-weight ratio in the STIHL gas-powered line, making it the perfect choice for homeowners seeking premium STIHL quality.

*Built in the U.S. from domestic and foreign parts & components.

Clean up yard waste and leaf piles quickly and easily with this affordable and convenient blower.

STIHL BR 800X

The all-in-one backpack blower sets the standard with its combination of power, fuel efficiency and durability. Boosts the highest air volume and velocity of all the STIHL backpack blowers with low-emission engine technology.

$64999* + tax

$14999* + tax

STIHL MS 170

Very dependable and powerful chainsaw with a 16” bar. Compact, lightweight with just the right amount of power, the MS 170 makes quick work of trimming or cutting small trees, fallen limbs after a storm, and other tasks around the yard.

$19999* + tax

STIHL FS 56RC-E

A straight-shaft grass trimmer with a fuelefficient engine and STIHL Easy2Start™. More power, less emissions. The FS 56 RC-E trimmer features a highperformance, fuel-efficient engine that runs cleaner and smoother and provides about 5% more power than the FS 55 R. When it’s not squeezing every last ounce of performance from its upright fuel tank, this straight-shaft grass trimmer keeps the weeds at bay, thanks to its AutoCut® cutting head.

* Supplies limited. Price subject to change

$22999* + tax

Herbs are quick-growing, can thrive anywhere, and liven up the taste of anything, including cocktails, according to Garden Guide editors. Some herbs may also be grown for the purpose of creating hand-blended remedies.

Gardeners are increasingly replacing too-thirsty lawns with native plants, vegetable gardens, and pollinator meadows. Sustainability is meeting aesthetics in other ways, such as the return of ornamental grasses that add dimension while managing storm water and a movement to save plants that are in danger of extinction.

The Garden Guide provides a step-by-step guide to starting seeds indoors, which ensures better germination and growth, and a garden historian’s ponderings over growing wisdom from the past.

Cutting Gardens

Cutting gardens are becoming more popular as gardeners look for ways to enjoy the fruit of their labor both inside and outdoors, according to Garden Guide editors, who note that the publication offers recommendations on stunning classic flowers and tips on how to create flower arrangements that will rival those of a professional.

While gardening may be a nice escape from technology, tech is embraced. Apps, including The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden Planner, are increasingly replacing paper-and-pen in garden planning, editors note. A developer behind the Garden Planner takes to pages of the Garden Guide to share the science behind one of the app’s most popular features — companion planting — and explains why this is so important for the health and longevity of any garden.

Companion plants help deter pests said Goodwin, adding: “In the end what it will do is increase your yield.”

Gardening is a nice activity for children, Goodwin said. “You’re giving these kids a pathway to a life-long activity they’re really going to enjoy,” he added.

The Garden Guide is published annually and available for $7.99 USD/CAD online and at local booksellers. A full list of retailers can be found at Almanac.com/WheretoBuy. A digital version of the Guide, plus other resources, is available at Almanac.com/GardenGuide.

Readers can share the joy of gardening with The Old Farmer’s Almanac on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.