You’ll need more than a watering can and some sunlight to start your or take care of your garden. There are a few gadgets and tools that you’ll need to grow a beautiful lush garden. From hand trowels to garden forks and rakes, there are a few essential items that you can’t plant a garden without. If this is your first time taking care of plants, you’ll probably confuse yourself when you visit the garden center and choose the tools that will get you started. You’ll need to know what are the essentials that will help you set out on your gardening journey and save your money when buying gardening equipment. That’s why we put together this article of the top gardening items you’re going to need when planting your own garden.
1. Pruning Shears
Pruners or secateurs are sharp scissor-like gardening tools that help reign in or trim plants that grow out of control and take more space than they should. They come in two styles, bypass, and anvil-style pruners. The difference between these two styles is that anvil-style pruners use a sharp blade that meets a flat surface to cut plants. A similar mechanism to how knives are used to cut on cutting boards. Whereas bypass pruners cut using a sharp blade that passes by a sharp-edged flat surface, just like how scissors work. If you’re working with dead wood or dead plants, you’ll need anvil pruners. They are better for dealing with stiff dead plants, however, they can cause fractures and injuries to live fresh branches and green stems. Therefore, bypass pruners are better for green wood and live plants. When shopping for pruners, choose one that can fit perfectly and easily in your hands. You should also know that ratcheting pruners make a brilliant choice for people with reduced hand strength or conditions like arthritis as they provide an increased cutting strength.
2. A Garden Rake
A garden rake is a long wooden handle with metal, uniform, and sturdy tines at its end. You would normally use a garden rake to clean up the soil, create leveled smooth soil beds, and get rid of unwanted weeds. However, you would need a garden hoe instead if you’re cultivating a much tougher and overgrown land. A garden hoe is another landscaping tool that has more heft, which can help you clear unruly spaces and get rid of unwanted weeds. If you’re dealing with an easy land, a garden rake will be more than enough to complete these tasks. Just make sure you pick durable materials for your rake handle so that you can use it for the longest time possible without replacing it or buying a new one.
3. Garden Hose
A garden hose provides your garden with water, which is the most important source of life for your plants. So it’s important to make sure that the garden hose can reach every area in your garden. You need to find the garden hose reels and hose length that can provide you with enough distance to water all your plants. However, there are still other aspects that you need to look for when buying your garden hose. For example, the hose diameter which can range between ½-inch, ⅝-inch, and ¾-inch. The latter will give you the most gallons per minute. You can go for an adjustable nozzle and control over the spray radius and water pressure coming out of your garden hose. The length of the hose you choose will also affect the water pressure, the longer, the weaker the water pressure is. Aim to get a hose made of rubber as it provides great durability and lasts long, unlike Vinyl hoses, for example. They are lighter to carry and cost less, but kink quickly and wear out easily. To protect your garden hose and keep it in excellent condition, store it coiled up and away from sunlight.
4. A Trowel
Trowels are hand tools that help in transplanting herbs and bedding plants. They are also great for taking out weeds and planting containers. When choosing your trowel, pick long narrow blades that make it easier to dig up rocky soil and weeds. You should also go for a stainless steel trowel that fits best in your hand to ensure it’s durable and comfortable to handle during planting.
Planting a garden is not as simple as most people think. If you have absolutely no experience in planting, you may feel very confused and lost as you buy your gardening tools and equipment. You’ll need to know which tools can help you the most and save you money by being durable and effective. These four items are the top necessary planting tools you are definitely going to need as you plant your own lush garden.