You can’t maintain a garden without the right tools. But just what equipment do you need? This post lists 12 tools that every avid gardener needs to keep in their shed.
Rake
Let’s start with the humble rake. This tool is useful for clearing up leaves in autumn. You can also use it for loosening and levelling soil when preparing plant beds, as well as smoothing out gravel. Rakes come in a few different styles, but a basic lightweight aluminium rake will usually handle most tasks.
Broom
A broom could be necessary for sweeping clean hard surfaces like patios, decks or pathways. Make sure to choose an outdoor broom with stiff bristles. Such bristles won’t get damaged as easily and can help when loosening up moss, dirt and algae.
Shovel
Shovels can help with all kinds of digging tasks including holes for new plants, trenches for drainage or even building a pond. A shovel could also come in handy when moving piles of dirt and leaves, or even getting rid of snow. Pointed shovels are best for digging, while square shovels are best for transferring loose material.
Wheelbarrow
When transporting materials around your garden, it’s useful to have a wheelbarrow. Metal barrows are useful for pushing heavy contents like rocks and soil, while plastic barrows may be better for gathering leaves and twigs and other debris for composting. Some wheelbarrows have one wheel, while others have two for added sturdiness.
Trowel
Garden trowels are pretty much mini shovels that are ideal for more delicate digging and transplanting tasks like making holes for small plants or repotting shrubs. Invest in a decent trowel with a handle that’s comfortable to use and that won’t break. You can buy trowels with plastic, wooden or metal handles.
Hand fork
Just how should you deal with all those pesky weeds? A hand fork is one of the most effective and simplest ways to remove weeds from plant beds. They can also be used to mix and aerate soil. You can buy large shovel-sized forks for more heavy duty weeding, but a hand fork is generally better for more intricate weeding tasks.
Secateurs
Secateurs (sometimes referred to as hand pruners) are scissors for pruning plants. Many plants need to be snipped back to keep them tidy and promote healthy growth. Make sure to buy a high quality pair of secateurs that won’t blunt easily and that are comfortable to use – especially if you plan to do a lot of pruning.
Shears
A pair of secateurs won’t cut it when trimming back trees and hedges. For this heavy-duty snipping work, you need a pair of shears. There are a few different types of shears that you can choose from including hedge shears for hedges and lopping shears for thicker branches. Consider the types of larger plants you have in your garden and determine which type of shears you’re most likely to need.
Lawnmower
If you’ve got a lawn, you’ll need a lawnmower to keep the grass neat and tidy. You can either buy a petrol mower or an electric mower. Petrol mowers are more powerful and have more range, but can be more costly to maintain and noisier. Electric mowers are quieter and generally more economical, but need to be charged after each use and may struggle with thicker hilly lawns. Most lawnmowers are pushed along, but you can also buy ride-on mowers and even robot mowers that will mow your lawn for you. Consider whether you need a mower with a collection box or whether you’re happy to let grass clipping lie on the lawn.
String trimmer
The string trimmer – also known as a weed wacker – is a hand-held grass cutting device that uses a rapidly rotating string. These tools are useful for cutting back grass in places where lawnmowers can’t reach such as tidying up the edges of lawns or trimming around a stepping stone path. You can buy plug-in trimmers or cordless trimmers.
Hose pipe
For watering your lawn, it’s useful to have a hose pipe. Hose pipes can also be necessary if you have a pond. The best hose pipes have plenty of length, are very durable and are designed not to twist or kink. Consider buying a multi-spray nozzle to use with your hose.
Watering can
A watering can may be all you need for watering smaller plants. You can fill this up and more delicately apply water to each shrub based on its watering needs. You can buy watering cans made from plastic or metal.