Basic Gardening Tools

The Right Garden Tool Makes Gardening Easier

Jun 23, 2009 Margo Dillard

There are a variety of basic gardening tools that the gardener should have in their tool chest and shed; hand tools and regular full-size tools are a must.

Hand tools are necessary for every garden project from planting in pots to maintaining larger garden beds. Start with good quality basic tools that match the type of gardening. Stainless steel tools with good ergonomic grip designs are best, but the gardener should choose what fits his needs.

Knee Pads– Using hand tools requires spending time on the knees. A good firm foam pad or a set of strap-on pads saves on aches and pains. The choices are plentiful and range from the very simple pad to ones that also unfold to make a seat, saving back pain too.
Hand Trowels – Pick a trowel that is made of good quality. The handle should fit nicely in the hand to reduce hand and wrist strain. Several blade styles are best; a narrow blade is good for digging in hard soil and for planting small plants and bulbs. A blade that is marked with depths is best for planting. When digging or turning a larger soil area a wide blade trowel is the gardener’s best choice.
Pruners – Plants require trimming on a regular basis. Pruners or hand clippers are used for deadheading blooms and shaping plants. Making a clean, smooth cut will protect the plant and make easy work of the trimming job. There are two types of basic hand pruners, anvil and bypass. Anvil pruners have a cutting blade that meets a flat metal edge; this is much the same as taking a knife and cutting against a flat surface. These pruners tend to be bulkier than bypass pruners but are best for cutting away dead branches and tough woody limbs. Bypass pruners are made like a pair of scissors where the blades “bypass” each other. These pruners will ensure smooth tear free cuts. The curved blades and the smaller or thinner size allow for closer cuts at branch crotch areas than anvil pruners. If you are just starting out and only choose one style of pruner, pick the bypass style.
Cultivators – A compact finger-like claw design, this tool is great for getting out weeds and breaking up and loosening soil. There are combination cultivators that have a small flat hoe-like side as well as cultivator prongs on the other side.

Standard, full size garden tools are also necessary for the backyard gardener. Depending on the type of gardening that is being done, the basic shovel, hoe, and rake are all that is needed to get started. As different projects are tackled other tools or different sizes will be needed.

Shovels – For digging holes choose a rounded shovel with a slight point. Narrow or broad blade is up to the gardener and size of digging area. Handle styles will be either the “D” style short handle or the full-length style.
Hoes- A must-have tool for working the soil and removing weeds. Choose a standard hoe with the flat blade head or the newer favorite of gardeners, the “D” blade. This hoe lets the gardener use a pull and push action for fast weeding work.
Rakes- No way around it, the gardener needs both a yard/leaf rake and a garden rake. Flexible tines on yard rakes minimize damage to plants when raking and removing debris. A garden rake is needed for breaking up and smoothing soil in garden beds.

Once the gardener has the basics there are many more handy tools that add to the pleasure and reduce the work of gardening.

The copyright of the article Basic Gardening Tools in Plants & Bulbs is owned by Margo Dillard. Permission to republish Basic Gardening Tools in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Shovel