Those new to gardening often wonder what tools are needed to maintain a garden. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the number and abundance of gardening tools available in stores, online, and in gardening catalogs. Even seasoned gardeners wonder what tools they need to make their gardening tasks easier and their gardens more productive. As there are as many types of gardens as there are gardens, there is no magic list of essential garden tools. But all gardeners need quality tools that will work well for many years.
To maintain the landscape around your home, there are some tools that make the job easier and more enjoyable. If you have a lawn, you need a lawn mower to cut the grass. The type of mower depends on your preferences and the size of your lawn. Gas mowers can adapt to any lawn size or mowing needs and offer more freedom.
Older electric lawn mowers are plugged into an electrical outlet. New electric mowers with lithium batteries last more than an hour and work well on average lawns on quarter-acre city lots. The electric mower is easy to use, starts every time, and doesn't require running to the gas station to fill up (or stocking up on gas between uses). It is an excellent lawn mower and the best choice for small lawns. With a walk-behind mower, the lawnmower gets a cardio workout while maintaining the lawn.
Dry trees and shrubs need leaves. A loofah rake's flexible metal or plastic strings help remove debris such as leaves and branches without causing too much damage to the soil. Curling knives have large fan-shaped tooth heads and are available in various head sizes with long or short handles. Adjustable blades that can be extended and shortened with telescopic handles are a useful option for those with limited storage space.
The sword is one of the basic tools for gardening. A shovel with a curved blade is used for many heavy tasks such as digging holes for planting trees and shrubs, turning compacted soil into beds, and moving soil and organic fertilizers from one area to another. They can be used to dig holes, cut grass and create sharp edges to determine the planting site. A shovel with a curved blade is a real work tool for the garden.
Pruning and hand trimming is important to maintain trees and shrubs. There are two main types of pruning shears: the bypass blade and the anvil. They do different gardening jobs. A shear cuts like a pair of shears: the larger, sharper blade slides over the smaller one and cleanly cuts straight branches. Anvil cutters work like knives on a cutting board: they have a sharp blade that hits the flat blade below.
Because anvils break down soft plant tissue, they are the best choice for cutting dead wood, and pruning works well with live tissue. Circular pruning generally has a wider range of benefits than anvil pruning. Printers are long-handled tools that offer more benefits than manual pruning; Use the pliers to cut a branch larger than your finger.
Pruning is available in contour and anvil styles, and manual pruning works similarly. A good quality leaf rake, spade, hand pruner or pruner makes an ideal gift for someone new to gardening.
In addition to the basic tools for maintaining the landscape around the house, there are other tools that are particularly useful for certain tasks in the garden. Whether you're growing flowers or vegetables, working in raised or flat beds, planting plants in containers, or growing houseplants, adding basic tools to your inventory can help you save time and avoid muscle soreness.
Below are some suggested tools for specific types of vegetables.
• Large garden. Tools with long handles, especially the shovel (longer and narrower than the pick) and the hoe, are easy on the back and help you finish the job in a short time. Blades are useful not only for digging and turning the soil, but also for aeration. There are many types of wool, and gardeners often have a few favorites that they rotate depending on the gardening job. Hoss is an enemy of weeds and is much better than chemical defenses in the garden. A large garden also needs casters and garden carts.
• Garden in the garden. With beds typically no more than four feet wide, this type of garden is becoming popular for its ease of maintenance and ability to grow more in a smaller space. A garden fork turns the soil, aerates it and mixes nutrients into the soil. A palette meets the needs of planting. A garden knife (also called a paring knife) has a versatile steel blade, useful for weeding and digging, and can be used for other gardening tasks such as planting depth and cutting bags. Hand plow and hoe are useful in the raised garden.
• Flower garden. Spades and pruning saws make life easier in the garden. The rabbit spoon is narrow and ideal for planting and moving plants and shrubs without damaging the surrounding plants. The garden will be covered with flower beds. Don't forget a quality garden hose and nozzle.
• Garden plants and indoor plants. In the garden or at home, potted plants benefit from a shovel in the soil. Shoveling soil from bag to bucket eliminates messy cleanup. A garden knife is a good accessory as it can be used for weeding and other tasks. Mists and water tanks keep plants moist and happy.
Regardless of the garden you choose, stick with proven models of older garden tools made by reputable companies. While you may save a few dollars by buying a cheaper device, it will need to be replaced every few years and will soon end up in the trash. With the right choice, care and maintenance, your garden tools will serve you for many, many years.
Rob Fano of Fano Saw Works will discuss garden selection, care and maintenance at the Gardeners Workshop on October 3rd. For a description of this workshop and all workshops in the Fall Master Gardener Workshop Series, visit our Workshops - UC Butte County Master Gardeners website at https://ucanr.edu/sites/bcmg. All workshops are free, but registration is required.
The UC Bath County Master Gardeners are part of the UC Cooperative Extension system and serve our community in many ways, including 4-H, farm mentoring, and nutrition and exercise programs. Visit https://ucanr.edu/sites/bcmg/ to learn more about the UCCE Butte County Master Gardeners and to find gardening help in our area. If you have any gardening questions or concerns, please call 552-5812 or e-mail at info@ucanr.edu.
