The garden is increasingly becoming an extension of our homes and, as such, this outdoor room requires the same care and attention as other much-loved areas of our properties. With the right gardening equipment, like small pruning shears, a decent shovel, and a lawnmower, looking after your outdoor space can be an enjoyable way to make the most of the fresh air.
Of course, with old, rusty gardening equipment, maintaining your outdoor space can feel more like a chore. By making sure you have the necessary tools to hand – and that your equipment is all in good working order – gardening can be so much more rewarding (and so much less like hard work).
If you have a garden, there are a number of tools well worth investing in. Take a look at eight essential gardening tools you can’t live without.
Pruning Shears
Pruning shears are a must-have item for gardens with foliage, flowers, and trees. Used to cut back bushes, trim flower stems and remove dead or unwanted branches, gardening shears can be handy for various areas of garden maintenance. Small pruning shears are especially useful and comfortable to hold, helping you might light work of neatening up overgrown hedges or plants – look for rust-resistant gardening shears with easy-grip handles.
Shovel
Necessary for planting, shovels are helpful in the digging of holes but can also be used to mix materials like compost and soil. Different shovels are handy for different tasks but if you’re only planning to invest in one all-round option, a good choice is a tempered steel shovel with a round point. Handles of between 44 and 48 inches are among the most common but always check how comfortable it feels in your hand before parting with your cash.
Trowel
Perfect for more intricate garden projects that require closer attention, a trowel can be useful for digging small, spaced out holes, planting beds and for filling or maintaining containers. Much smaller than a shovel, a trowel can also be used for mixing compost or other materials and is convenient for removing weeds with shallow roots and turning the soil in small beds. Narrow trowels are better at plowing through soil than wider blades and it’s also a good idea to look for a non-slip handle.
Lawnmower
If you have a lawn to maintain, a lawnmower is a must. Used to trim and collect the grass, a lawnmower can keep the grass in your garden looking neat and tidy. With so many different types of lawnmower to choose from, picking out the perfect model can be a daunting task. Consider the size of your garden, the weight of the mower, its grass-holding capacity and whether it has a variety of cutting length options when choosing which lawnmower is right for you. Take a peek at this article which discussed when you should mulch your grass clippings.
Watering Can
Regular watering is necessary for certain types of plant and during times of year when rainfall is low. A watering can is useful for transporting relatively small amounts of water from an indoor or outside tap to plants in the garden. There are lots of different watering cans available on the market, made from a variety of materials. For a good all-purpose watering can, look for a product that holds around two gallons of water and that has a removable rainfall-type spout.
Gardening Gloves
Gardening is a great hobby or profession but some tasks require a little more elbow grease than others. There are different types of gardening gloves available to protect your hands from the friction of working with tools like pruning shears and clippers for long period of time. Gloves can also help protect your hands from prickly thorns and branches, dangerous plants and chemicals. Leather gloves with grips can provide a good level of protection while gardening.
Rake
The sort of garden rake you choose will depend on the size and type of garden you own. Rakes can be full size or small and are designed to help rid lawns of leaves and general garden waste. If you have a large garden, it might be worth investing in both types, while if you don’t tend to accumulate a lot of leaves in your outdoor space a small hand rake may suffice for smaller jobs like clearing flower beds and removing debris from around plants.
Fork
A fork perfectly complements a spade when digging, especially if you need to tackle hard ground or unbroken soil. The prongs of a fork can loosen the earth and aid mixing while helping lift bulbs and plants that you plan to divide or transplant. A garden fork is also useful for lifting out weeds intact, without leaving any broken bits behind as a spade might. Look for a fork forged from a single piece of carbon steel with a strapped handle or a riveted socket.
With the right tools, gardening can become a whole lot more enjoyable, but don’t take our word for it – see for yourself how a quality titanium garden scissors can improve your experiences in the garden.