Garden Tools for Beginnners

You paid attention to getting a trowel, or making plans to replace that cheap one. Good. Now you are ready to garden in small areas, but the next most important tool you will need is a basic garden shovel, because using your leg and your back for digging is much better and more efficient than your hand and wrist... that is where your shovel or digging spade comes in handy

These two tools were all I used at first, although a good pair of pruners comes close behind these two; but definition of a great garden spade, first.

A decent quality shovel, round with a point is highly versatile. Moderately priced ones with solid hardwood handles, like those made of Ash*, are widely available. An excellent investment is in a solid steel English border spade, but you don't have to get anything like that in the beginning unless you really want to. I started with an Union Tools long handled shovel from the hardware store. I still use it, even though I now own one of those English spades- which I do love.

Shovels move dirt, they dig holes big enough for shrubs and trees, they can cut through pesky, resistant roots if necessary

Third on your list is a good quality pair of pruners, best to moderate quality depending on whether you will be likely to lose them or leave them in the rain. If you take care of them you buy the best, and those will give you a good cut and last a long time. They will also be better for your hand. If you lose them or forget them outside for long periods ( don't ask me how I thought about this point) it might be better to buy moderately priced secateurs (that is what English gardeners call them) more often. Know thyself on this one. I personally like the type that are called the "bypass" rather than the "anvil". They need to be kept sharp.

I found the Cape Cod weeder to be very useful in many weeding situations.

* I have to wonder about the future of ash wood for garden tool handles. Ever since the Ash tree nemesis, the Emerald Ash Borer, made its appearance, Ash trees have been dying off.

Or wheel barrows, hedge clippers, loppers, edgers and things like that?

It depends on your space and your tasks, so let's look over these circumstances.

If you have grass clippings, fallen leaves in the autumn, and jobs like that a leaf rake is needed. Whether you want something heavy duty or lightweight is up to you. One tip: if kids are helping rake the leaves: get the heavy duty type. Garden rakes have thick short steel tines, and are arranged straight across the bar, rather than fanned out like the leaf rake. They catch in the grass and are used to smooth out bare soil in the cultivated garden. That is what you do before you plant grass or vegetable seeds. Are you going to be trying to accomplish those tasks? Buy both kinds of rakes, they really aren't interchangeable.

Hoes. My goodness, there are a wide array of these. My favorite is a D shaped shuffle hoe, but if you are using one for breaking up soil in the vegetable garden then old fashioned garden hoe is useful. The shuffle hoe gets weeds right below the surface of the soil. Either one is useful but for weeding rows I like the shuffle hoe.

You do need at least one water hose, and a spray attachment , especially if you like to have planters filled with annuals on your patio or porch. A watering can is fine, but it can be very cumbersome to water a garden in a Midwestern drought, or on a hot day. I realize that many yards have irrigation systems, but I still think a hose is useful for most gardeners.

Weeders are many and they are very useful. I like the Cape Cod and the "Yard Butler". Many like the "Cobra Head". There is the tried and true Asparagus knife. Each has its expertise in certain types of weeding, but if you get one or two that should suffice, and remember, even though it isn't specialized for the task, the trusty trowel works just fine to remove weeds.

I like a wheel barrow, but you can also use a child wagon for double duty if you have one.

A lopper is very useful, and I think the beginning gardener needs one. It keeps shrubs in order, and removes small branches from ornamental trees. Like a large pruner in use and shape. Pruners are always important to own.

Hedging shears are fine for shaping evergreens, etc. Not necessary probably, but I think they are pretty basic . You will want a pair of shears sooner or later.

A shovel can be used to edge your flower beds and sidewalks, but an edger does the job more neatly and with less work.

After you have an arsenal of the most basic tools, take a look at many of things that make gardeners happy!