10 Essential Tools For Experienced Gardeners

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Gardening is one of the best hobbies a person can partake in. Good for both mental and physical health, gardening really is the complete package. Whether tending to growing fruit, watering lush lawns or planting vibrant flowers, gardening is always enjoyable.

However, for some people, there are common obstacles that prevent them from growing their own flower or veggie patch. As a result, instead of walking around their very own home garden oasis, people give up the idea of gardening altogether and turn to sports like golf and tennis.

Yet, these obstacles are avoidable, especially when you consider that most of these barriers revolve around equipment issues. With so many dedicated gardening stores offering a multitude of different products, many novice gardeners simply don’t know where to begin.

As gardening supplies can be expensive, it’s important to know what products make life easier and which products end up gathering dust in the toolshed. This way, you have everything you need in order to embark on your new hobby.

What to consider when shopping for tools

Just like a painter needs their paintbrushes, gardeners need gardening tools. Otherwise, creating a floral masterpiece or even just maintaining front and back lawns becomes that much harder.

Before buying tools it’s important to consider key factors like comfort, effectiveness and composition. If a tool isn’t comfortable, you will end up feeling worse for wear after a long day spent in the garden.

If a tool isn’t effective, pruning bushes, trimming trees and even simple tasks like raking leaves becomes harder than necessary. Which, in essence, makes maintaining and growing a garden virtually impossible.

When buying gardening tools, it’s also important to carefully evaluate the material that each piece of equipment is comprised of. This is because plastic tools, while lightweight and easy to use, will break when force is applied.

On the other hand, metal tools are extremely hard wearing. However, without proper care, metal based equipment will rust over time. Finally, while wooden handles may seem sturdy and appealing, they will dry out over time and become brittle.

10 essential gardening tools

Shopping for gardening tools can feel overwhelming. However, by researching the essentials and arriving prepared, you can be sure to pick up a wide variety of tools that will help your green thumb reach its full potential.

The key to purchasing gardening tools is variety. This way, whatever issues arise, you have the necessary tools on hand to repair, maintain or plant something new. All of which helps you keep your garden thriving and vibrant 365 days a year.

1. Gloves
Gloves are a gardening necessity. With thorns, splinters, dirt and branches able to inflict damage on your skin, protection is necessary. However, protection isn’t as simple as putting on the first pair of gloves you see.

Instead, be picky when buying gloves. Find a pair that protects your hands and forearms in order to prevent scratching and scarring. Make sure the glove fits comfortably without hindering movement. Finally, make sure the gloves are water resistant.

2. Knee pads
Gardeners spend an inordinate amount of time on their knees. Whether weeding a patch of grass or digging small holes into the soil, your knees will get a fairly intensive workout. To protect your knees and minimise pain, purchase supportive, waterproof knee pads.

3. Boots
An afternoon in the garden can quickly ruin a pair of sneakers. Instead of dirtying expensive shoes, buy a dedicated pair of gardening boots. These shoes will be inherently designed to be waterproof and dirt-resistant, resulting in more comfort for your tired feet.

4. Tool bag
A tool bag for your gardening equipment is a godsend. A bag that is equal parts sturdy and lightweight can house all your tools in one place. This means that you never have to leave a patch of soil to wander into the garden shed and pick up the tool you left behind.

5. Soaker hose
Soaker hoses are a gardener’s best friend. Made to endure even the harshest of weather conditions, you can start the soaker hose and come back later. As soaker hoses are designed to deliver water directly to roots, you know your garden is getting a good drink.

6. Knife
A good knife can go a long way in the garden. Need to open a plastic bag full of mulch? Wanting to divide plants? Looking to cut twine into manageable pieces? Look no further than a rust-proof, stainless steel knife.

7. Secateurs
Small and able to contour to the hand, secateurs make pruning time a walk in the park. As pruning is essential to ensuring that strong, stable stems can grow, having a comfortable set of secateurs to prune with is a gardening non-negotiable.

8. Sheers
Complete with sharp curved blades and extra long arms, sheers work wonders when it is time to cut back large and hard to reach branches. Offering extra leverage and length, sheers really are an essential tool.

9. Wheelbarrow
Investing in a good, sturdy wheelbarrow can work wonders on your body. Instead of carrying rocks, plants or trees through the garden, place them in the wheelbarrow and push onwards. When looking for a wheelbarrow, make sure it’s well proportioned.

10. Rake
Rakes can come in handy in a variety of different situations. Instead of getting on your hands and knees and gathering leaves into piles, simply rake them up together. Some rakes are even designed to shovel and sift soil, making clean up time exponentially easier.

The right tools make gardening a breeze

When armed with the right tools, cricketers can bat and bowl and tennis players can serve and join rallies. It’s no different for gardeners. When they have the right tools, they can create magic out of seeds, plants and soil.

Buying the right set of tools can be easier said than done, however. So, instead of running out and purchasing every tool on offer, take it slow. Start with the basics and go from there. This way, each piece you invest in will only help you on your gardening journey.