Want to know what the right tools are your garden, but overwhelmed by the number of essential tool options there are? This post lists all the common garden tools and helps guide you to the ones that are a good option for your growing journey.
I am so guilty of using whatever I have on hand to do tasks around my garden! And I will be honest, for the most part, this works! But, it isn’t always easy! As beginner home gardeners it can feel like you need to have the best gardening tools in order to have a successful garden, and this frankly isn’t true!
Having the right garden tool for a task definitely makes the process of gardening easier, but I never recommend that someone breaks the bank to purchase the best of the best for their garden! I do recommend you understand what tools can be used and what their intended purpose is for different tasks around your garden. I have compiled this list of garden tools as well as their proper care so that as you grow as a gardener, you can purchase what is necessary and helpful for your growing season!
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Complete Gardening Tools list
Understanding what tools are used for which tasks will not only save you time and energy, but it can also make your gardening experience more enjoyable! Here is a list of different types of common garden tools that every gardener should own:
Anvil Pruners:Designed with a cutting mechanism that slices down onto a flat surface, these pruners are the go-to choice for effortlessly cutting through dead wood, small trees and tough stems, making garden maintenance a breeze.
Border Spade:This smaller and narrower spade is specifically crafted for those meticulous gardeners who aim for perfectly defined edges around flower beds and borders, adding a touch of elegance to the garden landscape.
Bow Rake:Equipped with sturdy tines securely attached to a curved metal frame, the bow rake excels in efficiently gathering debris and leveling soil across larger garden areas, ensuring a pristine and well-maintained garden space.
Bulb Planter:Streamlining the planting process, this tool is expertly designed to plant bulbs at the precise depth required for optimal growth, resulting in vibrant and breathtaking floral displays that enhance the beauty of any garden.
Bypass Pruners:Equipped with two precision-sharpened blades that smoothly pass by each other, these pruners ensure clean and accurate cuts, making them perfect for trimming live branches and delicate stems in your garden or yard.
Dibbler:This versatile tool is a gardener’s best friend for creating evenly-spaced holes in soil, essential for planting seeds or transplanting small plants, guaranteeing optimal growth conditions for your greenery.
Digging Fork:Resembling a garden fork but boasting thicker and sturdier tines, the digging fork is an indispensable tool for managing your garden. It excels at tasks like aerating soil, turning compost, and harvesting root vegetables with ease.
Garden Carts:An essential garden companion, these carts are designed to effortlessly transport heavy loads of soil, mulch, or plants across your garden, saving you time and effort during landscaping projects.
Garden Fork:Featuring multiple sturdy tines, the garden fork is a versatile tool that excels at breaking up compacted soil, aerating the earth for healthy root growth, and enhancing the overall quality of your garden soil.
Garden Gloves:Protect your hands from thorns, sharp edges, and abrasive surfaces while gardening, ensuring comfort and safety as you work in your lush garden filled with colorful flowers and fresh produce. These gloves are designed to keep your hands shielded, allowing you to enjoy your time outdoors without worry.
Garden Hose:An essential tool for watering your garden, ensuring each plant receives the hydration it needs for robust growth, vibrant blooms, and healthy foliage. With a durable and flexible design, this garden hose makes it easy to water every corner of your garden, promoting a thriving and flourishing outdoor oasis.
Garden Knife:Versatile and durable, this tool is a must-have for cutting roots, dividing perennials, and tackling various gardening tasks with precision and ease. Its sharp blade and ergonomic handle make it a reliable companion for any gardening enthusiast looking to maintain a well-manicured and thriving garden space.
Garden Rake:Featuring long, sturdy tines, this tool efficiently gathers debris, levels soil, and prepares seedbeds for planting, ensuring a well-prepared and fertile ground for your garden to flourish. With its sturdy construction and ergonomic design, this garden rake is a valuable asset for maintaining a healthy and vibrant garden landscape.
Garden Scissors:Perfect for precise trimming of herbs, flowers, and small plants, these garden scissors are ideal for keeping your garden neat and tidy, promoting healthy growth and beautiful aesthetics. With sharp blades and a comfortable grip, these scissors are essential for maintaining the beauty and health of your garden greenery.
Garden Shovel:A versatile tool for digging planting holes, moving soil, and transferring compost or mulch, essential for various gardening tasks. Its sturdy construction and ergonomic design make it a reliable choice for both novice and experienced gardeners alike.
Garden Spade:A larger version of the border spade, ideal for digging trenches, turning soil, and planting larger shrubs or trees. The sharp edge of the spade ensures efficient soil cutting, while the durable handle provides a comfortable grip for extended use in your garden projects.
Garden Trowel:A staple tool for every gardener, perfect for digging, planting, and transplanting in flower beds, vegetable patches, and containers alike. The compact size and pointed tip of the trowel allow for precision work, making it an indispensable tool for detailed gardening tasks.
Hand Cultivator:Perfect for breaking up soil, removing weeds, and aerating the earth around plants in smaller areas. This handy tool features sharp tines that penetrate the soil easily, promoting healthy root growth and improving overall soil structure in your garden beds.
Hand Pruner:Ideal for delicate pruning tasks, these tools provide clean cuts to encourage healthy growth and maintain the shape of your plants. With a comfortable grip and sharp blades, hand pruners are essential for shaping bushes, trimming flowers, and ensuring your garden remains neat and well-kept.
Hand Rake:The hand rake, a versatile tool, is meticulously designed for cultivating soil in confined spaces, ridding the area of debris, and gently loosening compacted soil around delicate plants, ensuring optimal growth conditions.
Hand Trowel:A must-have handheld tool, the hand trowel proves invaluable for delicate gardening tasks like planting small bulbs, transplanting seedlings with care, and precisely removing weeds to maintain the health and aesthetics of your garden.
Hedge Shears:Essential for garden maintenance, hedge shears are tailored for shaping hedges, topiaries, and shrubs, allowing you to sculpt and encourage dense growth, preserving the desired form of your greenery.
Hori Hori Knife:Originating from Japan, the Hori Hori knife is a versatile multi-purpose tool adept at various gardening tasks such as digging, weeding, planting, and effortlessly cutting through tough roots, making it a valuable addition to any gardener’s toolkit.
Lawn Mower:A quintessential tool for lawn care, the lawn mower plays a vital role in keeping your lawn immaculate and orderly. By promoting healthy grass growth and enhancing the visual appeal of your garden, it ensures a well-maintained and lush outdoor space for you to enjoy.
Leaf Rake:This handy tool is specifically designed to gather fallen leaves and debris with ease, ensuring your garden stays tidy. By preventing the suffocation of your precious plants, it promotes a healthier garden environment.
Pruning Shears:These shears, similar to hand pruners but equipped with longer handles, provide the extra leverage needed to effortlessly cut through thicker branches and stems. Their design aims to make pruning tasks more efficient and comfortable for you as you care for your plants.
Pruning Saw:An essential tool for maintaining the health of your trees and shrubs, the pruning saw is perfect for cutting through thicker branches and tough woody growth. Its sharp blade ensures precise cuts, promoting optimal growth and vitality in your greenery.
Soaker Hoses:By efficiently delivering water directly to the roots of your plants, soaker hoses play a crucial role in minimizing water waste and encouraging deep, healthy root growth. This targeted watering method helps your plants thrive while conserving water resources.
Consider a Garden tool set
As a beginner, I know that list can be highly overwhelming. But don’t worry, you don’t need to purchase all of these tools at once. Consider investing in a basic garden tool set that includes the basic essential tools such as a hand trowel, hand cultivator, pruners, a good pair ofgloves and a rake. This will provide you with everything you need to get started on your gardening journey.
As you become more experienced and comfortable with gardening, you can gradually add more tools to your collection, such as a dibbler or hori hori. Remember to also invest in quality tools that will last longer and make your gardening tasks easier.
How to Care for Your Garden Tools
A high quality hand-held garden tool can run a pretty penny, so make sure yours lasts by caring for it properly. A well tended tool can last for years, making it the best value for your dollar. Caring for your garden tools doesn’t have to take much time, and it can prolong the life of your tools significantly. Here are a few tips you need to care for your gardening tools so it takes you through many growing seasons.
Storage
Proper storage allows you to keep your garden tools in such that you can easily locate them once in use and to return them effortlessly after use. Garden tool storage systems have developed greatly over the years, in fact most gardening hobby shops have an extensive variety of options for garden tool storage such as cabinets, lockers, garden tool storage racks and sheds – they are designed well so that your gardening equipment remains neat and organized. In addition to this, garden tool storage systems do not have to be bought from a store in fact there are some fun DIY garden tool storage unit projects you can try.
Cleaning
Regular cleaning is another important step in caring for your garden tools. Tools should be rinsed after every use to keep them clean and shiny. It is a good idea to hand dry tools after rinsing to prevent rust, even if you have a stainless steel trowel or digger. At the end of the season, clean your outdoor tools thoroughly with mild dish soap, dry thoroughly and store for the winter. This will ensure your tools are ready to go when the next growing season begins.
Repairs
One of the most common repairs to a garden tool is to get rid of small dents that develop. If you notice your garden trowel has become dented, try gently banging out the indentation with a hammer. You can cover the metal with a cloth before using the hammer to prevent scratches on your hand-held garden tool. Another possible problem is agarden tool that becomes loose from the handle. In many of these cases, you may need to replace the tool completely. However, if you are purchasing top quality equipment, this will be a much rarer occurrence.
Sharpening
Trowels and other garden tools need to be sharpened periodically to keep them working at their best. You can sharpen garden tools like spades and trowels by placing them in a bucket mixed with coarse sand and rust remover. Move the tools up and down in the sand mixture multiple times to allow the sand to sharpen the sides of your garden tool. If your tool has developed some rust, you may need to leave it in longer to allow the rust remover time to work.
Another way to sharpen tools like pruning clippers is to use a stone or file. Grinding stones that attach to your electric drill are another good option. A tool that is used frequently will probably only need to be sharpened once or twice a season to keep it in peak condition. It is a good idea to sharpen your tools before storing them for the winter so they will be ready for the next growing season.
A well cared for tool is one that will bring you many seasons of use. Those few minutes it takes to clean, repair and sharpen your tools will reward you with the best value in your gardening supplies.
A Final note on gardening tools
Garden tools are an essential investment for any gardener, whether you’re a beginner or experienced. They help make gardening tasks easier and more efficient, ensuring the health and vitality of your plants. Remember to invest in quality tools, care for them properly, and gradually add to your collection as needed.
With the right tools at hand, you’ll be well on your way to creating a thriving garden. So don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty and try out different tools, you may just find a new favorite that will enhance your gardening experience even more. Happy gardening!
