Garden Tools

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Every gardener should have a shed's worth of useful tools.  Many of them indispensable.  When you purchase your own, always buy quality, even if it seems expensive.  In the long run, you'll actually save money, since well made tools have a longer life. 

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Do you frequently decide to do a job in the garden and discover you don't know what the right tool is?  No matter where you garden, some tools are essential.  If your just starting out or upgrading, buy the best quality tools that you can afford.  Keep your tools in good working order.  Here is a guide of tools that I've found to be a must have in my gardening. 

  • Shovel  The shovel's scoop and pointed tip make it better that a spade for digging, tossing and transporting soil, or carring a plant and root ball from one place to another.  Long handled versions provide good leverage and are easier on your back when digging for long periods.
  • Spade  Often incorrectly called a shovel, the spade has a rectangular, flat head and straight edged blade that's great for cutting a straight edge, dividing clumping perennials, cutting roots when transplanting, and turning and loosening soil.
  • Pitchfork  A must have tool, the pitchfork loosens and aerates soil, mixes soil amendments into beds, turns compost, transports mulch, breaks up lumps of soil, and prepares soil when transplanting.
  • Rakes  Garden rakes are flat headed with strurdy, spiked metal teeth and used for leveling and smoothing out beds and pathways.  Leaf rakes are lightweight and  have a wide head that makes it the best tool for raking and gathering leaves in the fall.  Spring tined rakes are ofter used for lightly dethatching lawns in spring and raking seeds into beds or lawns. 
  • Shears  Lopping shears are necessary if you prune trees and large shrubs.  Most can cut branches upto 2 inches in diameter.  The shears long handles and steel cutting edge offer good leverage without lots of effort.  Hedge shears are a must for manual hedge trimming.  This tool also works well for shaping bushes and cutting back brush from pathways.
  • Garden Trowel  This small hand tool is great for digging small holes for plants or trenches for seeds, and weeding.
  • Hand Pruner  Pruners should fit easily in one hand but allow for two handed jobs. 
  • Three Pronged Hand Fork  Cultivates and aerates soil, attacks weeds and mixes compost into small areas of soil.
  • Scissors  For flower gardeners, this tool is essential for deadheading and cutting flowers. 
  • Wheelbarrow  If you garden is small, you can get by with a small version.  If you'll be hauling heavy loads and doing alot of landscaping, invest in a deep and heavy duty wheelbarrow that can stand up to the tough work.  
  • Garden hose , watering can , or a sprinkler system  For any garden, you need to give your plants a good watering.
  • File , sharpening stone, or diamond file to keep tools sharp.

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Power Tools For Gardeners

  • Blower  Cleaning up grass after mowing or edging.  Also blows leaves into a pile for disposal.
  • Chain Saw  Removing branches over 6 inches in diameter.  Cutting small trees or firewood.
  • Edger  Cutting edges along walkways, driveways, and planting beds.
  • Hedge Trimmer  Trimming shrubs and hedges.  Forming hedges into formal shapes or topiary.
  • Lawn Mower  Mowing grass to specific heights.  Collecting and recycling grass clippings.  May also be used as a leaf shredder.
  • String Trimmer  For trimming grass and weeds from areas that can't be reached with a mower.
  • Tiller  Tilling and cultivating medium and large planting beds.  Also used to break up lawn for replanting.

 

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Fall Maintenance

Fall and Winter mean less work in the garden and frees time to inspect and maintain tools. Repair or replace broken tools. Clean, lubricate if appropriate, and store in a dry place. Sharpen blades to maximize efficiency. Keep hand shears in a sturdy leather sheath that conveniently fits on a belt. This will not only keep them handy, but it will prevent them from poking holes through your pockets. Select good-quality tools for long-lasting use and maintain them properly. When buying tools, it's best to select well-made ones that will last the life of the garden. Handle them before buying to make sure they feel good in your hand; with shovels and spades, check the length of the handle for comfort.

 

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