The right gardening tools can make your garden easier to maintain. While you can find specialized gadgets that are great for a particular task, it’s essential to own basic garden tools from several categories. These gardening supplies will help you dig, cultivate, and uproot your way to a healthy backyard oasis.
A trowel is a basic hand tool that helps you dig holes, clean spaces in between plants, and remove old roots. Look for a model that’s strong, sturdy, and lightweight so you can keep using it year after year without developing hand blisters. You also need a pair of durable gardening gloves that’ll allow you to work with the trowel easily.
Another must-have for most gardeners is a spade. It’s similar to a shovel but has a flat blade that reduces the risk of root damage when you’re digging or transplanting plants. A quality spade has a solid handle and is made of metal that’s long-lasting and won’t rust.
For heavier garden tasks, a wheelbarrow or heavy-duty wagon will help you haul plants and bulk materials around the yard. Invest in a good-quality one with a heavy-duty bucket to ensure it lasts for years. You can also get a garden cart, which is ideal for hauling around smaller items like pots and compost.
If you’re planning on doing some serious weeding, then consider investing in a standup weeder. It’s a bit more expensive than standard hoes but much easier to use when you have a lot of dandelions or other stubborn weeds.
A hand fork is a useful tool to have on hand if you’re growing vegetables or working in clay or compact soil. You can use it to turn and aerate the soil in raised beds or even loosen up heavy, rocky clumps of earth that are difficult to break apart by hand. A standard bow rake is also an essential tool for moving and leveling garden dirt, especially when amending the bed prior to planting.
Most gardeners will need a versatile pair of pruning shears. A pair that makes clean, precise cuts is ideal for trimming herbs and flowers and can also be used to trim grass or remove small branches. A pair that’s designed for tougher, thicker stems and leaves is more suited for heavier pruning tasks.
An excellent addition to any gardening kit is a self-winding hose reel. This will save you a lot of time and hassle by eliminating the need to wind up long cords manually, plus it’ll make the hose much more portable. Choose a unit that’s easy to mount on a wall, offers a range of adjustable lengths, and has a locking mechanism so you can adjust it to the exact length you need. It also comes with 100 feet of 1/2-inch hose, which is plenty for most homeowners. It’s also important to have a watering can on hand so you can spray down your flowers and veggies with a gentle mist.