Translated by Nick R
Having your own green space, whether small or large, implies carrying out certain tasks that you should not overlook in order to have a clean and tidy garden. That is why, tasks such as cultivating, transplanting or pruning can be done more easily, comfortably and quickly as long as you use the proper tools and understand what their functions are.
So, you want to start planting, but you don’t know what items you might need? Or, do you see many gardening tools on the market, but don’t know what their functions are? You don’t need to have prior experience! Next, we’ll tell you what items to gather together for your basic garden kit. These will not only make your job easier but also much faster.
Table of Contents
Gardening Tools for pruning
Pruning is one of the fundamental tasks to keep your plants healthy and tidy. So, let’s start with the must-have tools to perform this and other important activities.
Garden shears
This device will be your ally in many situations, as it will be helpful when pruning a plant, cutting a dry stem, removing a tie or opening a package. They are used with one hand only and can cut branches up to 2.5 centimeters in diameter.
There are two main types of scissors according to their functions.
First, there are the flat-blade bypass shears, which have a sharp upper blade and a lower blade that function as a hook to hold the branch and keep it from sliding. They are perfect for cutting flowers, grasses and very thin branches. They are also ideal for pruning smaller plants such as bonsais.
On the other hand, we have the anvil ones that have a sharp upper blade and a flat lower blade, that is, as if you were using a knife on a chopping board. These are flawless when cutting dry or dead branches that do not require as much precision, but a little more strength and agility.
Pruning shears
This item has basically the same style and operation as pruning shears. However, thanks to its long handle, you will be able to cut thicker branches from 1.5 to 3 centimeters in diameter and reach distant ends easily without having to use a ladder to help you.
Keep in mind that this tool is used with both hands because it has two long arms that will allow you to approach corners and cut harder. You will see pruners with fixed or extendable handles, so you can adjust the tool depending on where you need to cut.
Just like pruning shears, you’ll also find bypass or anvil trimmers. Quick reminder, bypass ones are excellent for clean and precise cuts, when you want to work the aesthetics of your plants or shrubs, for instance. This is especially true if they have longer, straight-shaped blades, perfect for shaping. While the anvil ones are necessary to remove woody stems or thick branches, mostly dry, that no longer require great precision.
Pruning saw
If you have beautiful trees and shrubs, with branches quite thick and woody, you better get a saw. Thanks to its sharp teeth you can cut branches up to 15 centimeters thick, which will make your work much easier.
There are several types of pruning saws, each designed for a particular type of branch or stem.
At first, there are the hand saws that you will have to handle yourself, you will see that there are thin and thick teeth designed for different branch thicknesses.
There are pole saws that are longer so to approach the ground far ends, however, you can help yourself with a ladder in case or for comfort.
Naturally, there are also electric or gas saws, which will do the fast work for you, but require higher investment.
Regardless of the type of saw you choose, be very careful when using it. Don’t forget to wear gloves to prevent the handle from sliding out for the sweat.
Lawnmower
Undoubtedly, this can be the most expensive tool, but a good lawn mower will last you for many years. In addition, it will be essential to maintain a flawless appearance in your garden’s grass, with excellent results and in a short time.
In this case, there are also various sizes and functions, you can start with a manual one and then opt for an electric or gasoline machine. This depends on the terrain extent and, clearly, your budget.
Gardening Tools for the ground
Now we’ll go with those instruments that you’ll need to work on the ground of your garden. With their help, you can perform digging or maintenance activities with greater agility.
Hand shovel
This small tool will make it easier for you to dig, transplant, move soil, mix fertilizers, and much more.
Their design and material may vary, but they usually have a rounded or pointed blade which, unlike the large shovel, is useful when doing small and precise tasks. Especially if you only need it to work with pots or in your home garden.
Additionally, you will find the hand shovel with three teeth also known as a manual rake. This is more useful for leveling or removing soil before sowing, for flattening the substrate, for mixing old soil with new or fertilizer and for dragging waste such as weeds or small dry leaves.
It is essential to pick a stainless steel shovel to ensure its strength and endurance, although you can also opt for aluminum or plastic blades, it’ll depend on your care. Likewise, make sure that the handle is comfortable and firm to make it easy to use.
Shovel
For work on extensive grounds, this instrument will be of great help in splitting up the soil, digging larger holes, transplanting and moving piles of land from one area to another. Thanks to the step, the flat spot at the top of the blade, you can use your foot and body weight to push the shovel down to the floor, which will be much easier than using only your arms and will facilitate the work.
The weight and material of the blade vary according to its function. There are some for heavy work such as excavation that are generally composed of steel, guaranteeing its endurance. If, on the other hand, you need a shovel for lighter jobs like picking up and moving dirt, then aluminum or titanium may be a good choice, as they weigh less but are still strong. You might even choose a plastic one, but you would need to be more careful.
Although you will notice that there are many types of garden shovels, a traditional round-headed shovel won’t go wrong, ideal if you are starting with the planting. Finally, we recommend choosing one that comes with a good handle since it will be best for easy handling.
Rake
This device will help you spread soil or fertilizer, level the ground, collect leaves, grass or wipe loose debris. You will notice that this tool is ideal for keeping your garden clean and airy. Also, preparing your soil with the help of a rake will make it the optimal place to plant seeds and small new plants.
That is why there are two main types of rakes.
On the one hand, there are lawn rakes designed to collect leaves and debris without penetrating or damaging the grass or soil underneath. In this case, you can opt for a plastic that allows you to have greater softness, these have durable tines designed to flex without breaking and with lightweight handles that help rake quickly and comfortably.
On the other hand, there are bow rakes, almost always made of metal which makes them more resistant. These feature sharper and stronger metal tines that make them ideal for drilling, loosening, moving, spreading or leveling the ground and removing dead grass from the garden.
Hoe
This tool has a rectangular blade that forms a right angle with the handle. Thanks to this, it’ll enable you to remove weeds and crush or move the earth effortlessly to aerate it before sewing.
Its weight varies from model to model according to its function. There are more weighted hoes to work with harder and more compact or lighter soil for light or already worked soils.
You will no longer need to kneel down for manual weeding, a single quick cut under the roots can remove many weeds.
To use it you will only have to cut slices of grass or dirt and pull the handle towards your body. By doing so you can move and till the earth or remove those unwanted herbs. That is why, when buying it, you must take into account your height so that you choose the most suitable hoe that doesn’t force you to bend your back much.
Again, consider the blade quality, so you prevent it from rusting. Remember to keep it sharp. Also, to keep it in a proper condition we advise you to clean the remaining herbs and soil out of the blade after using it and greasing it with a little oil before storing it.
Wheelbarrow
If you have the fortune of having a large garden, a wheelbarrow will be a great companion when needing to carry several items, especially those of greater weight as soil or fertilizer. A robust, durable, and lightweight model will be ideal to maneuver it without any complications.
For greater ease, you can choose a trolley with two handles and two wheels. As it is much easier to balance than a traditional one-wheel trolley and will not tilt even if it’s loaded unevenly.
Clearly, there are also various materials, and in general, you will find steel and plastic. Steel forklifts bear more weight but may be heavier to handle compared to plastic ones, which are light but can crack easily. We advise you to choose it according to the garden’s needs.
Gardening Tools for irrigation
Finally, we show you those artifacts that you should implement to give your plants one of their favorite meals, water.
Watering can
Watering the garden is primary for all plants to grow strong and healthy. Therefore, having a watering can in your kit will facilitate the job. We suggest that it preferably has a long neck so you can reach all your indoor and/or outdoor plants.
You will find all kinds of styles, colors, sizes, materials, and nozzles.
You can choose between having a plastic one, which is light but short-lived, or one made of metal, good for avoiding rustiness.
You could also opt for rotating nozzles which allow you to adjust the water level, in case you need gentle spraying for smaller plants or abundant volume for the resistant ones. You could even choose one without a nozzle for more direct watering.
It would depend on the needs of your crop or garden according to what you have sown or have planned for the future.
On the other hand, you can also make your own can at home. For this, you can reuse a plastic bottle. For example, those that are leftover of detergent or liquid soap, with higher water holding capacity. Afterward, you only have to make a few small holes in the container lid and you’ll finally have a manually made shower.
Hose
You should have a hose that is tough and long enough to reach all corners of the garden; hence the size will depend on the extent of your green area.
When choosing yours, you better take into account the relationship quality price. You will find very cheap hoses that lose their shape and crack when stored, also some with a thicker rubber that makes them crush and twist proof or there are even new innovating options in the market that expand while the water runs and retract as soon as the key is closed, allowing to use and save them easily.
Also, take into consideration to use of an adjustable nozzle, although it is likely that you should buy it separately, it allows you to control the water pressure. For example, you’ll want gentle pressure, especially when watering delicate flowers or, freshly sprouted fruits and vegetables, and a strong one to clean up the dirt around.
Personal care articles for gardeners
You should not forget the use of certain elements that will protect you and give you comfort when working with nature. They will really be crucial to your health care.
Gloves
When working with plants, gloves are without a doubt the main artifact to protect your hands and keep comfort when handling land and other elements. You will see different types of gloves, made with different materials according to their functionality.
We advise you to pick the most suitable pair for the type of work you do most in your garden. Whether you have many thorny plants, you’re starting with cultivation or transplanting. Some gloves even allow the handling of touch screens if you like to be connected while working.
It is important to use gardening gloves to protect your hands from the appearance of blisters. However, gloves do more than just keep your hands clean, for example, when the soil is wet, they also facilitate the grip of the tools which will give you more safety. Also, some types of soil and planting materials may have small pieces that can hurt your hands; or some vegetables, such as pumpkin, may have thorny stems and leaves. Not to mention roses!
Finally, high-quality gloves will also be helpful when spraying or using fertilizers to avoid your hand having direct contact with strong chemicals. In the same way, with the past of time, you can see the appearance of pests or diseases in plants, another occasion in which you will need good protection to avoid possible nuisance.
Gardening hat
Protection from solar radiation is primary to avoid irreparable damage in the future. Therefore, we suggest wearing a hat while being in your garden as you will be exposed for several hours to the sunlight. This item will not only take care of your skin but will also prevent excess heat in your head, which causes pain, dizziness and even fainting.
As an accompaniment also try to apply sunscreen before going out to work in your garden. It will help you to set your skin for the sun and thus, prevent the appearance of spots or other conditions.
_________________________
Conclusion
As you could see, by investing in these gardening tools you will have everything to maintain a green, beautiful and growing space. The choice of each tool will depend mainly on the size and cares your garden may require.
Keep in mind that a regular cleaning routine will keep your tools working properly, extending their life much longer. Moreover, they should be not only clean but also sharp and sterilized.
Lastly, we hope that you liked this publication and especially that you find it of great help.
