Gardening may seem like a lot of work at first, but as you dive in deeper, the process becomes more natural and entertaining. It’s super easy to go overboard for beginners in the 1st phase of gardening. That’s why today we’ll talk about some basic gardening tools that you need to start your gardening life. So without wasting any more of your time, let’s jump right in, shall we?
Essential Tools Needed to Start Gardening
Now let’s have a look at which tools you’ll need to get deeper into gardening. We’ve arranged all the essential gardening tools into three categories. So let’s check them out.
Protection
Gloves
No matter what you do, protecting yourself should be your number one priority. This is where a pair of gloves come in. Though gardening is fun, it can turn really messy in an instance. And you need to protect yourself from thorns, insects, and dirt. The gardening gloves need to be durable yet not too bulky and breathable but waterproof. In addition, we recommend looking for synthetic leather with reinforced tips. This will keep your hands clean and safe.
Knee Pad
Though it may sound a bit trivial to you, using a knee pad really helps in providing an additional layer of comfort. Whether you attach the knee pad to your knee or place it on the ground, it will protect your knees from the rough terrain and all the bacteria and insects that come with it. Kneeling on hard, uneven ground for hours at a time will surely make you feel uncomfortable.
Gardening Hat
This is especially for the regions where you have the possibility of getting sunburn. Working in an outdoor space for a long time increases the risk of your skin being exposed to scorching heat. That is why we recommend using a quality gardening hat with neck protection. This will protect your body areas that are sensitive to burning.
Close Encounter
Garden Fork
A garden fork is a handy tool for turning soil. It even digs into dense soil better than a spade. And what’s more? This fork will make your job much easier. We recommend searching for a fork that resists rust and has a non-slip grip. If you have plans to scoop mulch or turn compost piles, forks with a slight curve to the spines will work like a charm.
A pro tip here: if you want to dig up compacted, rocky, or clay soil, straight steel tines are better. One other thing, if you don’t want your tines to bend when they hit a rock or root, use square tines instead of flat/straight tines.
Pruning Shears
Pruning shears can be both short and long. They are also known as hand pruners/secateurs/garden scissors. There is a wide range of pruners available for different applications. If you want to reign in plants that are getting out of control and taking over, pruning shears are your best bet. If you plan to remove deadwood, an anvil pruner is the best choice, as this type of pruner cuts with a sharp blade, meeting a flat surface.
On the other hand, go for the bypass pruners if you want to trim live plants and greenwood. They are a bit longer and cut with a sharp blade passing by a sharp-edged flat surface. There is also a long version of pruners named loopers that are used to cut wider tree branches. Pro Tip: Don’t forget to sharpen your pruning shears regularly.
Hand Trowel
Next on our list, we have another one of the essential garden tools named the hand trowel or garden trowel. If you want to transplant flower beds or rake out seeds, this is the perfect tool for you. It has a comfortable grip holder and sharp blades. This is the ideal tool to cut through stubborn roots with ease. So if you plan to plant bulbs in tight spaces or around another tree, a quality hand trowel will make your job much easier. Hand trowels are considered one of the basic tools for gardening.
Pro Tip: Use a broad blade if you want to move more soil and a long, narrow blade to dig up weeds.
Wheelbarrow
Once you are done digging, you may need to transport the soils somewhere. This is where you’ll need a wheelbarrow. But the usage of it isn’t limited to only carrying around garden soil. This is an efficient tool to carry heavy objects around. Though many people go for the traditional dual-handle, single-wheel styles, they are harder to balance and distribute loads unevenly. That is why we recommend single-handle two-wheel models.
Pro Tip: Keep your wheelbarrow clean and dry to prevent rust. And don’t forget to inflate the wheels properly.
Long Handed Operation
Spade/Hoe
They are both versatile and essential gardening tools that can make your gardening much easier and efficient. We’ve added them under the same title because they look almost similar. A spade makes digging holes for delicate plants easy, edging, lifting sod, and moving small mounds of dirt from one area to another.
On the other hand, a hoe is basically used to turn the soil in rows in vegetable gardens and clear out weeds. Pay extra attention to the blade and the wooden handle quality for better and long-lasting service.
Rake
A garden rake or a leaf rake is a tool dedicated to clearing fallen leaves, fallen/dead flowers, and debris with ease. Though there is a large variety of rakes available in the market, we suggest you start with a standard leaf rake. This is a great helper in cleaning your flower/vegetable garden.
Though most of the garden and landscaping rakes offer steel tines, there are also plastic tines dedicated to your delicate lawns. If you want to make the best garden tool set, the rake should be a must-have item on that list. Rake is a pretty nifty tool for beginner gardeners and experienced gardeners alike.
Pro Tip: Go for an adjustable landscape rake if you want to reach hard-to-reach areas/narrow passages.
Garden Hose/Watering Pot
last but not least, we have garden hoses and watering pots. We can’t grow plants without water, right? That’s why it’s important for you to reach and spray every area. With a hose, you’ll have the power to control the water flow with adjustable nozzle options. If you want to be a bit more gentle, you can use watering pots/watering wands.
If you want to go with a hose, we recommend going for a rubber construction for a long-lasting experience. Don’t forget to measure the length as it will affect the water pressure.
Pro Tip: if you want to save water and reduce strain on your back in the time to water the plants, go for a watering wand.
Over to You
No more today. I hope this article proves to be helpful to those who are looking for the best garden tool sets, especially beginners. Our primary goal is to help you in your gardening adventure. That is why our dedicated editorial team has made a wide range of useful articles to aid you in your gardening tasks. Please don’t forget to share your valuable opinion and experiences with us in the comment section below. Thanks for reading this far. Happy gardening.
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