Gloves.
Gloves should be durable and not too bulky, but well-fitting. They should be water-resistant, but breathable, to keep the hands cool, dry and comfortable. Longer cuffs are a good idea to protect the wrists and forearms from scratches.
Pruning Shears.
Hand pruners, or secateurs, are useful to help keep plants from getting out of control. Anvil-style pruners have a sharp blade that meets a flat surface. Bypass pruners have a sharp blade which passes by a sharp-edged flat surface. Anvil pruners are best used on dead wood as they can damage fresh, green stems. Bypass pruners are best used on live plants and green wood. To prevent accidents and damage to plants, pruners should be kept sharp.
Loppers.
Loppers are long-handled pruners used to cut thicker, hard-to-reach branches. The long handles give the necessary leverage to cut through thick branches. There are anvil and bypass loppers, just like pruners. They are available in a range of sizes, but the longer-handled loppers tend to be heavy. Just like pruners, lopper blades should be kept in good condition and sharpened regularly.
Forks.
These are efficient gardening tools which can be used for turning dense soil when this is difficult with a spade. Some have a curve to the tines which is useful for scooping up mulch or turning over compost piles. Some have straight tines which are better for digging in compacted, rocky, or heavy clay soil. Some have square tines which are stronger than flat ones which can be prone to bending.
Trowel.
Trowels are essential hand tools in the garden. They are used for transplanting bedding plants, planting containers, and digging out weeds. A broad blade is good for moving soil, and a narrow blade is best for weeding and in rocky soil. Trowels made from stainless steel are stronger and more durable.
Spades.
These are short-handled square shovels. They are good for digging holes for plants, edging, and moving dirt around the garden. Treads on top of the blade provide a stronger, more comfortable foot surface for extra purchase. They are normally available with long handles for more leverage or short handles with less weight. Stainless steel heads are stronger and don’t rust.
Rakes.
Rakes come in a wide variety of styles and sizes and are used to clean up leaves and other fallen garden debris. Steel tines are the strongest and most durable, but they can be rougher on delicate lawns than plastic tines.
Hoes.
There are a variety of types of hoe. A veggie garden needs a wide, sturdy hoe. Perennial gardens probably need a thinner, more delicate hoe. Hoes can be used for preparing garden and flower beds and cutting down weeds. Weeding hoes have an open square head used to cut down top growth. Flat hoes are useful for turning the soil in vegetable gardens.
Wheelbarrows.
Finally, there is the wheelbarrow for any heavy lifting and moving project. Traditional double-handle, single-wheel varieties can be harder to balance with heavy or unevenly distributed loads. Be sure to keep the wheels inflated properly for ease of use.
Barry Lachey is a Professional Editor at Zobuz. Previously He has also worked for Moxly Sports and Network Resources “Joe Joe.” He is a graduate of the Kings College at the University of Thames Valley London. You can reach Barry via email or by phone.
