Like me, if you are green-fingered, you are probably looking for some gardening tools that might make your tasks complete with easy efforts that would otherwise be essential.
Here is a complete list of worth gardening tools; pick the right one for you. Before buying tools on the pricey side, get real knowledge if you are not much experienced. Your garden size and type both determine the need of a particular instrument.
Don’t waste your time unnecessarily in gardening without tools; rather be comfortable with the tool ( s) intended only for your needs!
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12 Essential Tools: You Need To Get Started
Trowel
As a gardener the tool you will first feel indispensable is a hand trowel, I think. When it comes to planting, digging out weeds, repotting from a small pot to a large container or at least loosen the soil, think of a trowel.
It is specialized for weeding out although; it would perform getting the holes of your garden plot refilled as well. You can do some edging works and spreading fertilizer with a trowel.
Note
- A scoop-shaped trowel is easy on losing the soil while the V-shaped one is for digging out tough weeds and cultivating pot plants.
- Make sure the trowel you buy has comfortable grips and blades are well-fitted that would not loosen.
- Find a robust, non-breakable, especially aluminum, made a trowel that is much more durable.
- But when you need a sharp blade, a stainless steel trowel is the best choice.
Shovel
Preparing a bed for planting requires heavy-duty digging of the hardened soil. A heart-shaped, long-handled shovel makes this a whole lot easier.
Two types of shovel come with a different shape of cutting edge. Unlike trowel, a well-made and robust curved blade shovel allows you to work on a lot of soil to plant trees or bushes.
An ideal garden plot is a must-have for a beautiful garden. A full-length flat digging shovel helps you trim the edges after breaking the lumps of soil into smooth bedding.
Note
- Start digging the soil with a curved blade shovel as its curve edge adds significantly to its usefulness. After excavating, get the edging work done by a flat blade shovel and don’t pick the round shovel for that job.
- Shovels’ handle endures a lot of pressure. So it has to be extended, secure, and well- balanced.
- The stainless steel blade is rust-resistant and less sticking to the soil.
Spade
Spade is a short-handled square-shaped shovel much efficient than other shovels to get through stubborn roots. The price is far outweighed, but it gives you straight and beautiful edges on a garden plot.
Besides, moving some sections of grass, even trash, and loading compost and soil, it is of great use.
Note
- The grip is very crucial since a spade is worthless unless it feels comfortable when you hold to break up earth. So, whether the shaft is made of wood or metal, it should be strong enough to allow you to force the handle while hitting the ground.
- Again stainless steel blade is recommended, but alloy steel is no less than it.
- Check the blade collar is tightly attached to the handle if you don’t want it to loosen.
Garden Rake
Garden rake has a very long shaft ended in ahead with long tines made of metal or plastic. Garden rake and leaf rake both are vital. But garden rake is stout as much as necessary for breaking and leveling the soil, not with plastic tines. Because not so sure that would work on rocky soil if it does not come with very stiff and heavy-duty plastic.
A garden rake also called landscaping rake is destined for cultivation gives you a beautiful leveled bed for planting. This device is superb for gathering and pulling stones, rocks and solid dirt and other landscaping materials as well.
I love this tool for its rigid nature, which is caring for my garden and lawn too.
Note
- What task is in your hand significantly determines the rake type you buy. As models are many, my opinion is that you go for a leaf rake adjustable to get into the corners when the priority is to rake up leaves and other ditches around your garden.
- But when it comes to leveling the surface of uneven soil, garden rake comes complete with its more vigorous steel tines and head that you can toss over.
Pruning Shears
Pruning vegetables, fruits from the trees, shrubs, stems, and even dead leaves and wood is indispensable for a doing well gardener.
Pruning shears fit for cutting through the thin stem and live wood. You should invest in it without thinking twice as it will return you a great variety of essential jobs done.
The very first time I have made my mind to gardening, I didn’t even know a cutting tool other than scissors. Eventually, I felt it inevitable for pruning hedges and thin stalk of my lovely garden.
Anvil pruners, bypass pruners, and ratcheting pruners are some varieties that present you with different features and functions.
Note
- Choose shears that fit comfortably in your palm and handling it requires you be very careful.
- Sharpen its blade regularly since a dull blade would make you disappointed after a repeated try of getting a clean cut.
- If you want to cut through the thicker stem or large branches, I suggest ratcheting pruners. Anvil pruners are pretty good at cutting dead shrubs, and dry wood whereas bypass pruners are perfect for live plants.
Heavy Duty Hoe
I’m talking about one of the top listed essential gardening tools- heavy duty hoe. Your garden type is a deciding factor here.
However, it is more than valuable in preparing vegetable and flower beds. Perfect for cultivating, digging out shallow holes for planting, weeding in tight spots, breaking ground easily.
A sturdy, all-in-one hoe covers almost all the individual tasks of spade and shovel.
Note
- Find a hoe with three sides-sharpened blades that would work from every angle.
- It is a massive duty tool with a long handle. So, notice that the grip is comfortable and the knife is always sharp enough for severe duty.
Lawn Mower
My garden is my priority and then comes my lawn. But my beautiful garden feels complete with a fine mowed lawn. I got a gas lawn mower although not thinking so much about its feature.
But you consider the size and shape of your yard and which lawn mower is feasible for your type.
Note
- For your flat garden lawn, a riding mower is on your side. It is easy to control, and unlike manual push mower, you don’t need to push it. But in case of a hilly lawn, you had better go for a self-propelled push mower.
Wheelbarrow
After a daylong digging and planting work makes you too tired to move some extra soil or mulch and weeds anywhere. A wheelbarrow or garden cart makes it a little bit too easier.
It is also ideal for landscaping jobs like carrying rocks, stones, sands or bricks, and other essential heavy tools when you can choose the best one from a wide variety available in the market.
A friendly barrow should be robust, sturdy, but light enough to push when loaded. The metal body is more substantial though; it’s hardworking but invites the rust.
The light plastic body of the wheelbarrow, on the contrary, is relaxed on your hand but leaves questions of sturdiness. A good-quality wheelbarrow would save your time and pains. A four-wheeled barrow is more easy-going than a three, two, or one-wheeled one.
Note
- Be sure that rubber wheels are pneumatic and robust resulting in smooth maneuver
- As a gardening tool, both poly and plastic bed wheelbarrows fulfill your demands. These are also rust-resistant.
- The padded handle makes you push the barrow without difficulty on your hands.
- Single- handled two-wheeled garden cart is much stable while driving on uneven soil. A single-wheeled wheelbarrow is simple but difficult to move over rough terrain.
Garden Hose Reel
For watering your garden during the dry seasons, a single hose pipe might cost you a lot of your valuable time. Garden hose reel provides you with watering a vast area in a fraction of time. The best part is that it doesn’t leak.
Note
- If the water source of your house is too far from your garden, buy a wheeled cart hose reel. You have the freedom to move it towards any spot of the garden.
- Pushing a cart is sometimes time-consuming as well as painstaking for older people. You have options of several types such as wall-mounted or retractable reel.
- Retractable reels’ auto rewind feature makes it handy, but it is not efficient for heavy-duty jobs.
Backpack Sprayer
Maintaining the health of your garden makes you feel the need for spraying pesticides and fertilizers. I’m telling you backpack sprayer is home at doing these. Spray all kinds of insecticides, herbicides, and fertilizers.
Note
- Regular use of spraying fertilizers flourishes your veggies and flowers, which is more comfortable by using a backpack sprayer.
- You can spray either straight or can swing the nozzle over the treatment area.
Leaf Blower
Not every gardener uses the leaf blower to clear fall leaves, debris, and other wastes from their yard. A leaf rake is functional to gather maximum leaves, grasses, and mulch but would not give neat and tidy surroundings leaving some rubbish behind.
A leaf blower will do the job flawlessly, even though unlike me it is a second choice to many people for cleaning. During the seasons when continuous fall of leaves pile up on your garden, leaf blower would reduce your toil and save time as well.
Note
- So many types are available in the market. Pick an affordable and powerful blower.
- It upgrades version jumps to vacuum mode that can blow the wastage and leaves to the outer edge of the garden and at the same time sucks them with a click only. Again it can drain them out on a pile of compost or mulch on your backyard.
String Trimmer
String trimmer also familiar as “weed-eater” is designed to trim grass, tall weeds, and small plants at the very narrow passage or walkway of your garden where your big mower can’t get into. This tool will assist you to haul hundreds of pounds in cutting long grass which often gets stuck into a mower blade.
Note
- The gas run model is cool to reach a remote spot if your garden covers quite a vast area. Around a tree trunk or line of fences, repeated turn and moving of the trimmer could reach the grass. So the electric trimmer would make disturbance with its wire while moving.
Final Words
Choosing the right tool is a big deal, and if you are not sure it would be up to the job, it will only add your pain. Don’t compromise the quality of tools; it will only put in hazards. Try to be specific to your needs.
I wish you pleasing gardening.