Essential Gardening Tools That Every Gardener Needs
Working in the garden can be one of the most relaxing hobbies out there. With that said, it can get quite tricky if you don’t have the proper tools for your garden.
You may not have realized it before, but the right tools will make all the difference in the world. Not only will it make life easier, but it will help create a much more enjoyable gardening experience. That is the whole point of gardening, isn’t it?
Now, you might be asking yourself a few questions, such as:
- What is a proper gardening tool?
- What tools are essential for every gardener?
- How do I choose the right tools?
We will be answering these and a whole lot more as we outline the essential gardening tools every gardener needs. But first, let’s talk about a few things you need to consider when choosing the right garden tool.
Choosing The Right Tools
Selecting the right tools for the job can be a little tricky at times.
Before we outline all the essential tools that you should have, let’s take a look at a few basic requirements for your tools.
Wood or Coated Metal
If you are looking at long-handled tools, such as rakes, hoes, and shovels, you will want to make sure that you get a wooden or coated metal handle. Both of these handle types are strong, sturdy, and are much lighter than fiberglass or tubular metal handles.
For the professional gardeners out there, fiberglass or tubular metal handles would be the best choice. If gardening is just a hobby, choose the lighter weight material. Trust us – you will be coming back to say thank you after a full day of planting.
Test Out Your Tools
The next thing you’ll want to do is test out your tool before purchasing it. Sure, you can’t rake a pile of leaves while in the gardening section of the department store, but you can mimic the action and get a feel for your gardening tool before buying it.
If it isn’t comfortable when you are at the store, then put it back. It’s going to feel a lot worse when you’re using the tool in your garden.
Pricing
While we would all love to have the Cadillac of gardening tools, choosing the right tool according to your budget is essential. But having a smaller budget doesn’t mean you need to get a sub-par gardening tool.
Just understand the essential features you want to have and don’t compromise on those features. Most of these tools are relatively basic, so make sure it is comfortable, sturdy, and able to handle the job. If you do this, then money shouldn’t be an issue.
Our List Of The Most Essential Gardening Tools
Dibber
You might be asking yourself what in the world is a dibber. Well, it is a tool that looks sort of like a carrot. It typically comes in wood or stainless steel and is used to create holes for planting seeds, bulbs, or even seedlings in your garden.
Some dibbers have markings on them that show the depth of the soil, which lets you know precisely how deep to plant your seeds. It works well for vegetables such as spinach, which requires you to plant it at least six inches deep.
This essential gardening tool will make life a lot easier during the planting season. You will be able to fly through your seeding process with a good quality dibber.
Garden Trowel
The garden trowel is probably more familiar to you than a dibber, and for a good reason, as it is one of the most popular gardening tools on the planet. There is nothing fancy about a garden trowel. It is like a little shovel, but this handy garden trowel is perfect for transplanting your seedlings.
Most garden trowels will come with a wooden or stainless steel handle. Regardless of the handle, it is essential to get a spade that has a comfortable grip and a blade that fits it well. The last thing you want is the blade to come loose while you’re working with it.
Loppers
Not only are loppers fun to say, but they’re also a handy weapon in your gardening arsenal. Loppers are mostly a long-handled pruning tool used to trim those hard to reach places. They are also great for cutting through thick branches. Since loppers have long handles, it adds a little leverage for getting through any branch that is an inch or more in diameter.
There are two main types of loppers: anvil and bypass. They are similar, but the bypass loppers tend to be more precise in your cut location than the anvil loppers. Regardless of which lopper you choose, you will always want to make sure you are getting a lightweight handle. A heavy handle will tire you quickly and make your job a little more challenging. As such, we recommend a lightweight aluminum or carbon composite handle.
Fork Hoe
Sure the fork hoe looks like it’s kind of broken, but believe me, this uniquely shaped tool will be your new best friend. Having your digging blades at a right angle to the handle gives you additional leverage, making it easier to dig.
The spacing and length of the hoe will also help break up the soil so that you can plant your seeds or remove your weeds. If you are looking for a great tool to help speed up your digging, then look no further than the fork hoe.
Spade
The spade is essentially a larger version of the garden trowel. It has a few unique differences that make it perfect for every gardener. While the garden trowel is great at transplanting bedding plants, the garden spade is ideal for digging holes, sodding, or edging the side of your garden.
When picking out your garden spade, it is always good to find one that has ledges on the top of the blade. It gives it a more sturdy and comfortable place to put your foot whenever you need that extra push.
Again the garden spade has a long handle, so choose wisely. A nice ash hardwood handle is incredibly durable, relatively light, and absorbs a lot of the shock and vibration.
Watering Wand
Every gardener knows the importance of a watering wand. Typically plants don’t like it when they get drowned with heavy water, which is why a watering wand is an essential tool for every gardener.
With this one, you can gently shower your plants, as the wand breaks up the flow of water and acts like a sprinkler for your garden plants. The extended reach of the watering wand is also helpful, as you can get to those hard-to-reach places quite easily.
When choosing a good watering wand, look for one that has a built-in shutoff valve in the handle. The control that the shutoff valve brings will help conserve water and allow you to adjust the level of the flow.
Garden Knife
The garden knife is just a small knife, but it is quite handy to have around the garden. It helps cut string, sticks, flowers, and even trim fruit and vegetables.
It is always a great idea to carry a small garden knife in your pocket. You never know when it will come in handy.
You might be wondering why you would use a garden knife instead of scissors. Don’t get us wrong – scissors are an excellent tool for any gardener (as you will see later in this list), but they are often larger than a small garden knife. The sheer convenience of a garden knife makes it an essential tool for every gardener.
Weeder
Pesky weeds! No matter how great of a garden you have, it will always have weeds popping up. For some reason, it seems that new weeds sprout up every day! The tenacity of garden weeds is why a tool such as a weeder is a critical part of every gardener’s toolbox.
Most weeders have thin, sharp blades, which can quickly remove the shallow roots of even the peskiest weeds. They also have a long handle, which allows you to reach far into your garden.
Rake
Whether you are a gardener or not, you have likely used a rake at some point in your childhood. There was nothing better than raking up the leaves into one giant pile before jumping into them.
As a gardener, there is likely less jumping, but that doesn’t mean the rake is not an essential tool for your toolbox. Having a sturdy rake to remove leaves or debris will not only make your garden look cleaner, but will also make it healthier.
There are various types of rakes, such as a leaf or gravel rake. As a gardener, you will likely be more interested in a leaf rake to rid your garden of any leaves or debris. Typically, the well-spaced tines of a leaf rake are either steel or plastic. The steel tines tend to be stronger and more durable, which allows you to be a little harder on them.
When building the ultimate gardening toolbox, remember to include the conventional gardening rake. It may not be fancy, but it gets the job done.
Garden Hoe
The garden hoe is another classic gardening tool. The type of garden hoe that you will buy will depend entirely on the kind of garden you have. A vegetable garden will require a sturdy, wide hoe. In contrast, a flower garden needs a more delicate touch, so a thinner hoe maybe your best option.
So why do you need a hoe at all? They are the perfect tool for preparing your garden or flower beds before seeding. Not to mention, they are also excellent at removing weeds. Sure, you’ll have your weeder, but a garden hoe can still do an excellent job with any pesky weeds.
Don’t overlook this excellent gardening tool, as it will come in handy more often than not. It is made it onto our list of essential gardening tools for a reason.
Golden Gark
The golden gark may be one of our most favorite gardening tools on the planet. Don’t be ashamed if you’ve never heard of the golden gark before, as it is not one of the more common gardening tools out there.
So what does a golden gark do?
Well, it is kind of like a rake, but in reality, it is a multipurpose tool, as it is a rake, shovel, and soil sifter all-in-one. That is why the golden gark is near the top of every garden tool list.
The golden gark is usually reasonably light and is ideal for cleaning up weeds, leaves, or any other debris found throughout your garden.
Not only does this tool look cool, but it is a must-have for any aspiring gardener.
Oscillating Hoe
The oscillating hoe is the third type of hoe on the list, which just goes to show how versatile the hoe is when it comes to gardening.
The oscillating hoe is similar to a standard hoe in appearance; however, it has a hole in the middle of the blade. As you may have guessed by its name, this hoe rotates on its head. If you could only choose one hoe to have in your garden toolbox, make it the oscillating hoe.
It makes short work of any stubborn garden bed that needs breaking up. There’s no need to push or pull with this particular hoe, so it is also easier on your body.
Garden Scissors
As we mentioned earlier, garden scissors are an essential tool for every gardener. Sure, they may be a little bulkier than your gardening knife, but they will quickly cut through any stubborn stems or twigs.
Heavy-duty garden scissors not only cut through stems and sticks quite easily, but they also work great for trimming bushes and flowers.
Wheelbarrow
The wheelbarrow is the perfect tool for carrying bags of soil, flowers, sticks, sod, and brush to and from your garden.
Whenever you have to move something, there is your trusty wheelbarrow ready to tackle the job. The ease of using a wheelbarrow is why every gardener needs to add it to their essential garden tools list.
We recommend a lightweight aluminum wheelbarrow as opposed to the heavy-duty metal ones with wooden frames. A great, lightweight wheelbarrow will make all the difference.
Garden Hose
You can’t have the watering wand without the watering hose. Sure, you could carry water in a watering can, but it isn’t as convenient as having a hose carrying the water for you.
Having a steady supply of water will ensure that your garden grows up to be fruitful and luscious. Besides, having a watering hose will save your arms from carrying buckets of water to and from your garden. Although, if you don’t have a garden hose, it’s a good thing you have a trusty wheelbarrow.
Sprinkler
Now that you have a garden hose, it is a great time to hook up a sprinkler. The sprinkler is an essential gardening tool, as it will help water your garden throughout the day.
Simply set the sprinkler up and walk away. It doesn’t get any easier than that. Your plants will love the constant watering, especially during the hot summer days.
There are many types of different sprinklers, and we won’t go into them here, but a proper oscillating sprinkler head always does an excellent job.
Gloves and a Good Gardening Hat
You may not think of gloves and a good gardening hat as essential tools. However, after spending a few hours in the garden, you’ll likely change your mind.
The type of gloves you will want to buy highly depends on the kind of work you’re doing. For example, if you are picking up leaves, or working with thorny plants, such as roses, then you may want to get a pair of latex-coated cotton gloves. These will offer you extra protection and are perfect for dirty or wet tasks.
If you are just looking for a good pair of gloves for everyday gardening, then perhaps the washable synthetic gloves are what you need. They are typically breathable, lightweight, and are great for weeding, seeding, or any other garden job on your to-do list.
Finally, if you are digging holes, clearing brush, or carrying heavy items, then you’ll want to get a good set of heavy-duty leather gloves. These will offer you the protection that your hands deserve.
As for the hat, you’ll want to get a wide-brimmed hat to protect you from the sun, regardless of the time of day. A straw hat always does the trick. Let’s face it. If you’re going to be in the garden, you might as well have a look of a gardener.
The Ultimate Gardening Toolbox
Now that you have all of these tools, you’re going to need a place to put them. A high-quality gardening belt or a portable toolbox will work well.
Don’t underestimate the importance of having all of your tools in one place. It will not only save you time but also your sanity. Nobody likes wandering around, trying to figure out where they left their garden scissors.
A useful gardening toolkit will come in either wood, plastic, or some sort of light fabric, in the case of a wearable toolbelt. Choose what works best for you and your gardening needs, as there is no wrong choice with the toolbox.
So that’s it – these are the essential tools that every gardener needs. While some of these tools may overlap with the others, they all serve a unique purpose for making your gardening a little easier.
Of course, you don’t need to have all of these tools to be a good gardener. As every gardener knows, all you really need is your two hands and a whole lot of love for the earth. With that said, the tools on this list will take quite a bit of stress out of your gardening experience. Not to mention that it could be kind of fun to collect various tools for your garden.
All in all, we highly recommend choosing a few of the tools on this list and adding them to your toolbox as soon as you can.
