Don’t Spend a Fortune on Gardening Tools
Sunday, June 7th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Whatever size your garden is, there’s no doubt that gardening tools can help make maintaining your garden a lot simpler. But there are so many tools available that it can be difficult to know which tools you really will use, particularly if you’re new to gardening. It’s simple to avoid the confusion by just buying everything, but then you’ll be left with no money and a storage area full of things you don’t use.
So which tools are worth buying? Gardening involves moving dirt around, so a digging tool is always a useful choice. If you’re mainly working in pots or containers, then a sturdy trowel is a fabulous investment. A shovel is better if you’re going to be shifting large amounts of soil around, or to assist you with planting trees, vegetables and flowers. It might be tempting to save yourself some effort by choosing a power tiller or plough, but unless you have a very large garden, they probably involve more expense and trouble than they’re worth.
Another helpful tool choice is a rake or hoe. Again, if you’re going to mostly be working in smaller areas, a pot-sized equivalent is a good choice. These tools are used to smooth soil and remove weeds. You can do this by hand, but it’s quicker with the right tool, particularly in a large garden.
Although they’re not technically a tool, good gardening gloves are also worthwhile. It may be a good idea to have a couple of pairs - some heavy duty ones for rough work, and some thinner ones when you need to feel what you’re doing.
Once your garden is established, then at least one pruning tool is a necessity. Depending on the size of your plants, choose anything from pruners or secateurs through to large tree loppers. It’s worth spending a little extra to buy a solid, reliable pruning tool, otherwise it may be ruined the first time you try to cut anything with it.
A few more tools that you can probably survive without, but will make life easier depending on the size of your garden, include:
- Wheelbarrow
- Garden fork
- Watering can
- Hose & hose reel
- Rake
Of course, it’s not hard to choose cheap tools, but if you plan to keep your tools for a long time, think of choosing good quality tools as an investment. Cheap tools usually don’t perform as well, and tend to be less sturdy and easier to wreck. Happy gardening!
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