There are few activities that are as much fun, and are as fulfilling as gardening.
Now that gardening season is upon us, have you examined your tools? Do some of your tools need replacing, or have you decided to add some new tools to your inventory?
Here are 10 tools and items that can make gardening more enjoyable.
1. Shovel. There are many types of shovels. Pointed tip shovels are generally used for digging tasks and also for planting in soft, tilled soil. Flat, square-edge shovels are more often used for hard-packed soil. You can also use the flat, square-edge shovel for lawn edging, and many other tasks. Our favorite is the pointed tip shovel. However, we own and use both a pointed tip shovel, and a flat, square-edge shovel.
2. Garden trowel. A garden trowel is a good multi-purpose tool. We use our trowel for digging holes for seedlings, scooping out material from bags, and for other minor gardening tasks. Be sure you have one that will last and perform well. Here is an example of a great garden trowel.
3. Wheelbarrow or garden cart. Some of the earliest wheelbarrows were one-wheel carts used in 2nd century Han Dynasty. Today we use wheelbarrows and garden carts for many tasks around the garden and yard. A wheelbarrow is like a rolling work bench. It is extremely handy when you are weeding, planting and maintaining your garden and yard. It can be used to carry all of your tools, as well as your gardening supplies back and forth to the garden. It can be used during harvest to carry baskets and bags of fruits and vegetables. We have a steel wheelbarrow with a hard rubber wheel and we use it quite often.
4. Rake. There are many types of rakes. There is the shrub rake, hand rake, thatch rake, leaf rake, and bow rake, more commonly known as the garden rake. We own a leaf rake and a metal garden rake. The leaf rake can be used to rake leaves, grass clippings, and clean up debris. The metal garden rake has many uses. It can be used to break up dirt clods, remove stones, weeds, and other debris on the surface of the soil. It can also be turned over, using the flat side, to move compost and to smooth out the soil in your garden bed.
5. Loop hoe. A loop hoe, also sometimes called a "hula hoe", is a modified hoe that uses a back and forth motion to slip beneath the top layer of soil to scrape out weeds. You can also use it to mix fertilizer or compost into the top layer without disturbing the soil beneath. We use our loop hoe for many tasks. It is one of our favorite tools!
6. Chopping Hoe: This versatile tool is used to loosen, move, or dig small amounts of soil around plants. It can also be used to aerate the soil, and to create furrows and shallow trenches for planting seeds and bulbs. It is also used to chop weeds, and roots.
7. Shears and garden scissors. There are three basic types of shears. Hedge, pruning, and lopping shears. Pruning shears are used for trimming plants, shrubs, and flowers and for harvesting vegetables. Lopping shears which are much larger, are used for large branches and trees. Hedge shears or clippers are used for clipping up hedges. We own both pruning shears and lopping shears. We also use a pair of household scissors designated for use in the garden, to open bags of materials, snip leaves, and to do other small gardening tasks.
8. Weeding tool. A common weeding instrument is a “Dandelion weeder”. It is most useful for prying up tough weeds at the root. This tool is long, has a wooden handle, and has an end that looks like a notched screw driver. Here is a fine example of a Dandelion weeding tool. We really like our Dandelion weeding tool. It works great!
9. Water hose with attachment. It goes without saying that a good water hose with the proper attachment that has a variety of spray patterns, a comfortable grip, and flow control is invaluable. Opt for a hose that is the correct weight for you, that is flexible, drinking water safe, and is lead free. Non-brass fittings such as nickel, aluminum or stainless are more likely to be lead-free.
10. Watering can. A watering can be used to water plants, can be used to rinse your feet off after working in the garden, and it can be used for other tasks such as filling your bird and bunny watering station. They come in plastic or metal. They can be used indoor or outdoors, and they come in a variety of colors and sizes, some as large as 2.1 gallons!
Some other items that you may want to add to your gardening inventory are
a yard waste bag, a kneeling pad, gardening gloves, and a broom.
Each person has their own “wish list” of gardening tools, but what is very important, is to
buy high quality items that will last a long time. Quality tools and products will make your gardening experience much more enjoyable.
One last tip: Always store your tools out of the weather. This will help them last longer.
Everyone has their favorite tools. What are your favorite gardening tools, and how do they make gardening easier and more fun for you?
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