Basic gardening tools are a must when you begin your foray into gardening. Just as with any other job, the right tools make gardening easier. However, if you’re new to gardening, you’ll probably be overwhelmed by the variety of tools at your local store. There are so many out there. From essentials to gimmicks, stores have a plethora of tools designed for gardening. Since you’re just starting out, you’ll only need the basics. That’s why we’re talking about basic gardening tools today.
Basic Gardening Tools for Beginning Gardeners
Shovels, trowels, rakes, hoes, and about 5 million other tools can be found at any gardening store or gardening department. There are so many to choose from. Beginning gardeners often head to the gardening department of their local store and simply stare, caught in the headlights of selection, and having no idea what to pick. What will they need? Is that thing over there really necessary? Are they going to have to spend big bucks just to start their garden?
If that’s you, have no fear, this post will help you navigate the garden section and have you outfitted with everything you need to successfully plant and tend your garden. Don’t worry, it won’t break your bank, either.
Round Head Shovel
The shovel is the bread and butter of all gardeners, whether they pant vegetables or flowers or use raised beds or traditional garden plots. A shovel is an all-purpose tool that can be used for everything from digging nice, big holes to turning earth.
A standard-size round head shovel is indispensable to your gardening efforts, even if you have raised beds. From the beginning, you’ll use your shovel to mix the dirt mixture that we talked about earlier in the post on raised bed basics. From there, you’ll use your shovel to dig holes big enough for vegetables like tomatoes which are normally bought as small plants and then planted in your bed.
Hand Trowel
A hand trowel is simply a small, hand-held shovel. It’s a must for anyone who has a raised bed on legs. Using a hand trowel, you can do all the work in a raised bed that you’d normally do with a full-size shovel. It’s important to note that you should still get a shovel even if you have a raised bed on legs. There will be times, even with those types of beds, that a hand trowel simply will not do the job. For example, you wouldn’t want to mix all your dirt and organic matter in your raised be with a hand trowel.
Hori Hori Garden Knife
If you’re a beginning gardener, you’ve probably never heard of this tool, but it’s one of the best basic gardening tools you’ll have in your arsenal. The Hori Hori garden knife is the Swiss Army Knife of gardening. It’s basically a knife-shaped shovel with depth markers on the blade and then attached to a handle. It serves as a knife, shover, ruler, and more.
What makes the Hori Hori garden knife a must is that it does so many things. It’s perfect for spot-weeding, getting seedlings out of sprouting pots, and planting seeds. The depth markers on the blade ensure that every seed you plant will be at the perfect depth every time.
Garden Hoe
A garden hoe is another essential tool for any gardener – beginner or experienced. A garden hoe allows you to easily make furrows for seeds and then gently cover them with the displaced soil. In addition, it’s the go-to weed eliminator in standard garden plots or raised beds that are built on the ground. Gardeners who use raised beds on legs can find hand-held versions of the garden hoe, as well.
Pruning Shears
Pruning shears should be on anyone’s list of basic gardening tools. These versatile shears are perfect for pruning small branches on trees and bushes. In the gardening arena, they are the best way to remove suckers from tomato plants. Choose high-quality, steel sheers that will stand the test of time. Otherwise, you’ll just be buying more down the line.
Bow Rake
A bow rake is different from the standard leaf rake. Bow rakes are all-steel and have thick, sturdy prongs that face downward. They’re perfect for traditional garden beds or raised beds that have been built on the ground. It can be used to clear leaves, spread mulch, break up dirt, and mix compost into the soil.
Hand Cultivator
A hand cultivator also called a hand rake, is used for a variety of tasks in the garden. A smaller variation of the bow rake, the hand cultivator is especially useful in raised beds on legs. The hand cultivator is used for clearing leaves, spreading mulch, breaking up dirt, and mixing compost into the soil.
Wheelbarrow
A wheelbarrow is a tool often forgotten when it comes to basic gardening tools, but it’s an important part of your gardening gear. From transporting dirt to your raised beds to moving many plants at once and so many more projects, the lowly wheelbarrow is the powerhouse of every gardener. Wheelbarrows come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from traditional one-wheel designs to two-wheel models. Two-wheel models are more stable and are perfect for gardening.
Water Hose
In a perfect world, rain would do all the watering for our gardens, but we don’t live in a perfect world. You’ll need a water hose for those times when your plants are getting thirsty and rain isn’t in the forecast. You can choose from traditional hoses or the super convenient collapsable hose. Collapsable hoses are great because they take up very little space and aren’t heavy like traditional hoses.
Compost Tumbler
Last, but certainly not least, on the list of basic gardening tools is the compost tumbler. Compost tumblers are how gardeners get free soil amendment for their garden. Choose a tumbler that fits your budget and garden size, and then start composting. They’re easy to use. Simply throw your plant-based food waste into the tumbler. You can add variety and extra nutrients by adding in leaves and grass clippings as well. In about a year, you’ll have compost that’s ready to feed all the plants in your garden.
Basic Gardening Tools for a Garden That is Anything but Basic
With the right tools, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a gardening master. These basic gardening tools are everything you’ll need to prepare your soil, plant your vegetables or flowers, mulch, weed, water, and even create compost for next season’s garden. Head out, stock up on these basic gardening tools, and get ready to have some gardening fun.
