Starting a Garden : What Tools do You Really Need?

2. Spade - This is the square-headed flat spade variety, not the rounded and pointed shovels. There are a huge variety of shapes and sizes. You only need a short one with a medium length handle, and a horizontal hand grip. These are general purpose spades rather than the shovels, the latter being designed for moving huge piles of dirt by hand. Once again, second hand spades are fully of character and heritage.

Choose a high quality design with a study well-fitted handle, a good quality shiny blade and wide foot rests. The blade should be flat or very slightly curved. Garden spades are just perfect for digging holes for planting, transplanting. chipping to disturb weeds, moving small quantities of soil around, edging beds and paths, removing sod, or preparing ditches for planting vegetables such as potatoes.

A good spade is not cheap, but it will last you a lifetime and your kids can inherit it. I am using my father's spade which is more than 40 years old.

3. Rake - You may be surprised that this humble tool is up so high on the list, but don't underestimate the things you can do with a rake, besides raking that is. It can be used for packing down areas where you have just planted seeds, for weed control and removal, and even for making series of evenly spaced holes for planting seeds such as peas and beans. Choose a good quality, sturdy rake with a long handle. The head design is important and one with square prongs below a flat area of reasonable size is the best. The flat area is useful for packing and thumbing down the soil after planting seeds. Make sure the head is thick and made of good quality metal otherwise it will bend and break!

4. Long Handled Weeder, Cultivator, Hoe - You need a long-handled device for scraping, weeding and minor hoeing. There are a huge number of designs to choose from. You need something you can use to scrape the soil, fill in trenches, and scrape out weeds while you are standing up. You can buy hand devices, but they become very tiresome when you have to kneel down all the time. These long-handled tools are excellent for scraping out small weeds, loosening the soil around plants, and preparing the soil for seeding, both in garden beds and containers. Choose a design that has a sturdy steel head that is firmly attached to a wooden handle, that will last a long time without bending or breaking. Choose a head design that is as versatile as possible.

5. Hand Trowel and Hand Fork - Small trowels and forks are perfect for planting small herbs, annuals, vegetable seedlings, digging out weeds, and mixing soils and potting mixes. If you can afford it, choose a trowel or fork with wide prongs is a one piece design made from forged stainless steel. You can often buy kits that include several designs in the one pack.

6. Hand Pruners, Secateurs, Pruning Shears, Bypass Pruners - A good set of pruning shears is a must for gardening. Once again there is a wide variety available. They are needed for all sorts of tasks in the garden, including trimming, dead-heading, gentle pruning, thinning out, and removing dead or diseased foliage. Buy a good quality pair, which can be expensive, but will last. The poor quality ones will break, will become blunt quickly, and simply won't cut properly. Get some advice on what type you need for your garden. The pruner you choose has to feel comfortable in your hand and will not cause blisters and will have sturdy curved blades.
 
7. Garden Cart of Wheel Barrow - You probably don't need a full size wheel barrow at the start for a small garden. There are many smaller units available with fabulous design that area must for carrying things around, including your tools. They can be used for hauling mulch, top soil, carrying away weeds, and plants you are moving for transplanting. Try to get a design that has large wheels, that has an easy-dump front end, and a sturdy long-lasting tub. Be sure to "test drive" various models to ensure they can be pushed around easily and can be negotiated around corners easily. Make sure the handles are comfortable.

8. Garden Hose with Attachments - Having a good quality hose that does not tangle easily and is fitted with a good versatile sprayer attachment can make the job of watering a breeze. The cheap hoses tangle and get creased too easily and can be very frustrating to use. You need to be able to deliver a fine mist spray for seedlings and a heavy spray for quickly watering large areas efficiently. The attachment unit should be easily adjustable for these various tasks. Try to only use one high quality attachment.

9. Gardening Gloves and Hat - Good gloves, a hat, some sunscreen, and an apron or suitable and comfortable gardening clothes are a must when gardening, and will allow you to spend more time outdoors.

10. Gardening Kneeling Frame - Once again this is an unusual item to include as a tool. However kneeling over a garden bed can be very tiring and even painful. There are various kneeling frames available that protect your knees and eliminate the pain and discomfort when kneeling for planting and weeding. Try to do most of the gardening jobs standing up. Elevated or raised garden beds that are designed for easy access and a fabulous idea.

Bonus Item - 11. A Garden Chair so that you and sit back and admire your garden as you watch it grow!