When it comes to gardening and caring for your lawn, you want to ensure that your garden is full of plants and flowers that make you happy. This article goes over various tools and gives you information to know which tools are best for each job.
Who does not enjoy spending time looking out on their lush lawn and beautiful flowers? When it comes to gardening and caring for your lawn, you want to ensure that your garden is full of plants and flowers that make you happy. Gardening is a great hobby that does not require you to spend a large amount of money on the tools you need. However, these tools are critical for planting, caring for plants, harvesting, and maintaining the lawn.
When you have the appropriate tools, you can reduce the amount of energy and time you spend on your garden. In addition, the proper tools help you transport material more easily and get the best results from your garden. There are a large number of tools available that you can purchase to make gardening easier. While you do not need all of these tools, it is helpful that you understand a little bit about all of the options available to you. There are even tools that help you dig and clean around your garden.
This article presents information about various tools and gives you information to know which tools are best for each job. This way, you can select the perfect tool for your needs.
Types of Garden Tools
With so many gardening tools available, it can be overwhelming when you look at all the types of gardening tools available to you. However, this list can help you understand all of the options available to you.
Garden Gloves
Gardening gloves are a must for the novice or the expert. While gardening, you come into contact with many things, like thorns, dirt, bugs, and chemicals. It is best to have your hands protected. The best gloves are ones that fit well and do not slip off your hands. They should not be bulky so that you can still work with small items like planting seeds.
When considering gloves, think about the material. You want something that will resist water but allow your hands to breathe so they are comfortable. If you get long gloves, the cuffs can protect your forearms and wrists from getting scratched. When you are storing your gloves, do so in a dry place that is out of direct sunlight.
Pruning Shears
Pruning shears are handheld and may also be referred to as secateurs. These gardening tools are helpful to get control over plants so that they do not take over your garden. The best pruner for you is one that fits in your hand. There are several different types of pruning shears.
Anvil pruners have a sharp blade that touches a flat surface. It is a similar concept to using a knife and a cutting board. These pruners are great for dead wood. However, they may crush or injure young plants.
Bypass pruners are similar to scissors and have a sharp blade that passes a flat surface that has a sharp edge. Bypass pruners are better for green wood and living plants.
Ratcheting pruners give you extra-strength for cutting. These are ideal for someone that has difficulty using their hands.
Loppers
Loopers are another tool for cutting that is similar to pruners. The main difference for loppers is that they have long handles, making it easier to cut thicker branches. In addition, they allow you to get to hard-to-reach areas.
The long handles give you leverage making it easy to cut through thorny branches that are larger than an inch in diameter. The handles can range from 16 inches to 36 inches. Loopers also come in anvil and bypass style, just like pruning shears. However, you can get a more precise cut with the bypass style.
The longer the handles are means the loppers may be heavier. If you choose loopers with handles that are aluminum or carbon composite, they are lighter. It is essential to keep the blades sharp.
Garden Fork
The garden fork is ideal for digging into and turning dense soil. A garden fork looks similar to a pitchfork. They typically have long handles with a fork at one end. There are different versions of forks with different shaped tines.
This digging fork has a slight curve to the spines. This makes them useful for scooping or turning material. Forks with straight tines are ideal for digging compacted soil. Square tines tend to be stronger and will not bend when they hit a root or a rock.
Hand Trowel
A hand trowel is one of the most essential gardening tools. They are ideal for moving plants and herbs, planting, and removing weeds. It is best if the handle fits comfortably in your hand.
If you purchase a trowel that is forged from stainless steel or, at a minimum, has a stainless steel head, they will last longer and be more durable. A trowel with a broad blade moves more soil. A narrow blade is better for digging up weeds and rocky soil.
Spade
A spade is essential for any garden. It is a square digging shovel that has a shorter handle. This will be your go-to for almost everything you do in your garden. They are perfect for digging small holes, edging, moving small amounts of dirt, and lifting material.
Spades tend to be expensive but will last a long time if you purchase a good one. You can find a garden spade with a long handle or a short handle. The long handles give you more leverage; however, they are heavier.
If you get one with a stainless steel head, it will not rust and is strong. A spade with hardwood handles is more durable and helps to absorb vibration and shock. When spades have treads on the top of the blade, they provide a sturdier and more comfortable surface for your foot when you need more leverage.
Rake
Rakes come in a wide variety of sizes and styles. A standard garden rake is a good option to start. Rakes are ideal for whisking away falling debris and leaves. Rakes that have steel tines are stronger and more durable than plastic tines but may be too rough on a delicate plants and lawn.
Adjustable rakes can do the job of more than one tool. It can reach smaller areas. Adjustable rakes typically expand from 7 inches to 22 inches. They can be collapsed for storage.
Garden Hoe
There are various types of garden hoes. The kind of garden you have drives the kind of hoe you need. When you have a vegetable garden, you may want a wide and sturdy hoe. When you have a perennial garden, you need a thin hoe that is more delicate for that type of garden.
A garden hoe is perfect for preparing a garden, preparing flower beds, and cutting weeds. A weeding hoe also referred to as a hula or stirrup hoe, has a square head. These are ideal for pushing them back and forth just below the surface to cut down the growth.
A flat hoe is perfect for turning the soil in rows for a vegetable garden. The best hoe has a long handle that is comfortable. The blade should be sharp so that it is easier to use. Ideally, the hoe should be sharpened on all three sides. This allows you to use it from all angles.
Garden Hose
Water is essential for your garden, and you cannot count on rain to provide what you need all the time. As a result, you need a garden hose that can reach everything and spray in all directions. Garden hoses come in many different lengths and three diameters.
There is a ½-inch (about nine gals per minute) diameter, a 5/8-inch (about 15 gals per minute) diameter, and a ¾-inch (as much as to 25 gals per minute) diameter. When you pair your house with an adjustable nozzle, it puts you in control of the spray radius and water pressure.
When purchasing a hose, remember the longer the hose means that you will, have lower water pressure. Therefore, the length of the hose significantly impacts the pressure. A vinyl hose is more affordable and lighter. However, they do not last as long and get kinks in them easily.
When you store your hose, it should be coiled and out of sunlight. If you store it with a kink in it, it can cause weakness in the hose.
Watering Can
A watering can is a must have for your garden. While a hose can help water every spot in your garden, there still may be areas that your hose just does not reach. There are two main types of watering cans. These are metal and plastic. In addition, watering cans come in various colors, sizes, and styles.
A plastic watering can is lighter but probably will not last as long as metal. If you opt for a metal watering can make sure it is galvanized so that it will not rust.
Keep in mind the weight of the can when it is full of water when you are selecting the size. The more water it holds, the heavier it will be. A gallon of water is a little more than eight pounds.
When purchasing a watering can, you want one that allows you to carry and tip over to pour easily when full. In addition, there are watering cans with two handles that are more stable to hold.
Wheelbarrow
If you need to haul anything around your yard, the wheelbarrow is a great tool for you. No matter what material you need to haul, it can move it. A wheelbarrow allows you to move hundreds of pounds easily.
A traditional wheelbarrow has two handles and a single wheel at the front. These models tend to be hard to balance, especially when you have a heavy or uneven load. There are also two-wheel models that are easier to balance. These can come with a single handle or double handle.
Single handle versions can be pushed or pulled, making it easier to maneuver over rugged terrain. You want to ensure that you clean your wheelbarrow after each use. It should also be stored dry, so it does not rust. When the wheels are properly inflated, it is easier to wheel them around.
Pick
You may also hear this tool referred to as a pickaxe. A pick is an excellent tool for digging, especially when you need trenches in your garden to encourage water to flow where you want and need it.
A pick has a pointed edge on one side of the blade and a chiseled end on the other side. The pointed end helps break rocky areas in the garden. In addition, the chiseled end can chop through any roots in the soil.
Post Hole Digger
A post hole digger is a tool used for digging that is really two shovels attached to each other. They are connected at the base of the shovel with a hinge. A post hole digger has long handles that are connected to the hinge.
This digger is easy to use. They do not work best in packed dirt or soil. They are ideal for creating holes for bulbs or for fence posts.
Wheel Edger
A wheel edger is a great way to provide separation between to items, typically the edge of the lawn and a sidewalk or driveway. A wheel edger is also ideal for a garden path or bed. However, this is a manually operated version, and it may take a little more time than an electric or gas version.
This edger has a sharp blade that turns as you move the tool, typically by pushing it along the edge of the grass. While the blade is turning, it cuts off a portion of the grass to prevent that portion from growing.
Step On Edger
Another type of manual edged is a step on the edger. This tool allows you to be more precise with your path edging. It has an incredibly sharp blade attached to a horizontal plate for your foot. When you have the edger in the proper position, all you have to do is step on the plate and push down with your weight. Unfortunately, this forces the edger into the dirt.
This helps to relieve the strain from your upper body doing all the work. The tool can cut straight down, or you can rock it back and forth to cut through difficult soil. This is an ideal tool to get around shrubs.
Lawn Mower
A lawn mower is a machine you cannot do without for your garden and lawn care. A lawn mower has a revolving blade that is set to a specific height and cuts the grass. You are able to adjust the height based on your preference. There are numerous lawn mower options available.
You can easily find one to meet your needs and your budget. You can find lawn mowers that require you to manually push them or with an engine that will pull the lawn mower. Most lawn mowers are self-propelled, meaning you have to guide it where you want it to go.
You can also find riding lawn mowers if you have a large enough yard to warrant one. You can also find lawn mowers that are powered by gas or electric.
Leaf Blower
A leaf blower is a popular tool that is effective for moving leaves and lawn clippings into a pile or wherever you want them. This tool uses forced air to move material. The air comes out of a nozzle allowing you to direct it where you want it to go.
Leaf blowers can be electric or gas-powered. In addition, you can find backpacks models that you wear on your back and has a nozzle that hangs so you can easily use them. These tend to be easier to use for longer periods of time than a handheld version.
Gas-powered leaf blowers are heavier to carry. You can even find leaf blowers on wheels that are self-propelled. These are more expensive, but they may be easier to use if you have a large area to cover.
Mulcher
If you ever find that you are annoyed by all the twigs and leaves in your yard, and you feel like you are constantly raking them, there is another solution. A mulched is a great way to suck up that debris and mulch it.
A mulcher is a handheld tool that works like a vacuum and sucks up debris from the ground. It has a bad attached to the machine to capture all the mulched contents. Once the items are sucked in, they are immediately mulched and collected in the bag. You can then easily spread mulch.
Spreader
A spreader is also referred to as a broadcast spreader. This tool is ideal for helping you create and maintain and nice lawn. This tool allows you to evenly and quickly spread seed over your grass. You can even spread fertilizer, sand, and ice melt.
There are numerous versions available, including small handheld spreaders. The handheld version has a crank that spreads the seed as you walk and turn the crank. There is a hand pushed version that is better for larger spaces. As you push the spreader, the crank inside turns to push out the seed.
For extra large areas, there are tractor and ATV spreaders available. These are not typically something you will find that your average homeowner has.
Weed Wacker
A weed wacker has been called many names over the years. You may hear it referred to as a line trimmer, a string trimmer, or a weed eater. Regardless of the name, this told has a long shaft with a line at its end. The line is there in place of a blade.
The line is made of monofilament, and it is as sharp as a blade when it spins around quickly. It can cut grass and small plants. However, the line wears down as you use the weed wacker, and you need to release it.
Each weed wacker has a slightly different operation. For example, you may need to knock the weed wacker or use an auto release feature to move the string.
Some trimmers have heads that can be adjusted to cut at different angles. A trimmer can get into a small area that your lawn mower cannot reach. They are not intended to edge paths.
Sprinkler
A sprinkler is a great addition to your lawn. Your grass needs water to grow. You can choose to use your hose and water it the old fashion way, which takes a significant amount of time. Or, you can use a sprinkler.
This is a great tool to irrigate your lawn without any real work on your part. Sprinklers are very in design and price. The most common is the oscillating sprinkler. This sprinkler sprays water into the air as it moves back and forth. You will still need to move the sprinkler around to make sure you cover your entire lawn.
You could also consider underground sprinklers, but this requires a professional installation. However, they are permanent, and you can program when they come on and how long they operate.
Aerator
An aerator is great when you need help getting your grass to grow. This tool creates holes in the ground to provide a better place for grass roots to grow.
These holes allow worms to do their job. This helps improve the drainage of your soil so you will not have puddles in your yard after the rain.
A spike aerator creates holes when pushing dirt away as the spikes are pushed into the ground. A core aerator removes pieces of soil from the ground. This allows the hole to stay open longer and gives longer-lasting benefits.
You can find a manual or powered aerator. The powered version does most of the work for you, so you do not have to use much effort.
Bulb Planter
If you are interested in planting bulbs in your garden, this is a perfect tool for you. However, it can be challenging to get the right size hole to plant bulbs without this tool. Using other tools may result in holes that are too large.
A bulb planter ensures that the hole is faster and easier to create. Bulb planters can be handheld or have a long handle and a footrest. The long-handled version allows you to use your own bodyweight to push the planter into the ground.
Bulb planters remove a large piece of earth for you to put the bulb in. Then, you can remove the piece and cover the bulb with it.
Tiller
A tiller is a necessary item for your garden or yard if you are planning to plant. You cannot plant before the ground is tilled. A garden tiller breaks up hard, compact soil. It turns it into loose, broken-up dirt usable for planting.
There are two different types of garden tillers: front-tine or rear-tine. You can also find a tiller that is operated by hand or one that is gas-powered. The hand tiller uses your strength to turn over the soil.
A gas-powered tiller is one you walk behind, and it quickly turns the dirt for planting. You should consider a gas-powered model if you have a large area to till.
Planting Dibble
A planting dibble is ideal for starting seeds or planting them in your garden. A dibble is an exact measurement you need for your seeds. They make holes in your garden and ensure the seeds will be an appropriate distance away from each other.
These tools have a large board with a peg on the other side to push holes into the soil. There is also a handheld version to plant one seed at a time.
Sprayers
There are many different types of sprayers available, depending on your needs. The purpose of the sprayer is to allow you to spray some type of liquid on your lawn, garden, or specific places like flowers. These sprayers can hold any kind of liquid you choose, such as weed killer or fertilizer.
A trailer sprayer attaches to your tractor or ATV. It has wheels so that it can be towed behind the vehicle and move across the ground easily. They usually have an efficient pump and are ideal for spraying tall items.
A backpack sprayer is excellent if you need to carry substantial liquid over a wide area. The tank containing the liquid sits on your back which takes the pressure off your arms because you do not need to carry it.
They contain a pump that applies pressure to the tank and allows you to spray from the nozzle. The nozzle is a tube that is flexible and runs from the tank.
Handheld sprayers are perfect for small amounts of liquid. These are affordable options if you do not have much to spray. You have to pump them to be able to use them. They are lightweight and easy to hold.
Hedge Shears
Hedge shears are similar to scissors but bigger with much longer blades. They are sharp and cut through shrub branches easily. They come in manual or electric options. You can quickly trim and shape hedges and shrubs without having to cut each branch individually.
They allow you to make straight lines in your shrubs easily. This may be important depending on the look you want to have with your shrubs. A rounded look is a much more casual look for shrubbery.
Pruning Saw
A pruning saw has a tapering straight or curved blade. It can be closed or opened. You can find pruning saws that fold. Some pruning saws are attached to a pole. They are ideal for cutting large branches on shrubs.
A straight blade pruning saw can cut through green wood. If you have larger branches, you should consider a curved blade saw.