Most Common Gardening Tools and Their Uses
Technically, gardening is all about seeds, sun, soil, and water. However, without the proper tools, gardening can become a giant stressful chore. Hence, you will need to invest in the proper tools if you want to achieve the therapeutic benefit that comes with gardening.
As a newbie, you are maybe confused as to which tool is considered the basics. Luckily for you, there are a lot of available tools for you to choose from. This article aims to make your search easier as we will be discussing some of the most common tools used for gardening and would also briefly consider each of their uses.
Let us begin…
Garden Gloves
Some people often do not consider gloves as gardening tools, but a pair of gloves is an indispensable farming tool. Gardening gloves have many functions, and their important use is ensuring your fingers and hands stay protected from dirt and injury. Gardening can be a bit hazardous especially if you cultivate thorny plants. It is your beloved gloves that would protect you from scratches, splinters, and scrapes.
Gloves also protect gardeners from allergic reactions that may occur due to some chemicals, fertilizers, and plants. Therefore, they are not optional, especially for people who happen to have sensitive skins. There are various types of gardening gloves to choose from, you can visit here to find out the various types of gloves and decide on which best suits your needs.
You may also consider touchscreen gloves if you enjoy listening to a podcast or music as you work on your garden.
Hand Trowel
Regardless of whether you are planting in raised beds, containers, or in the yard, a tool that must not be found missing in your tool shed is a hand trowel. It is used for various things; from digging to turning the earth up to pulling out stubborn leaves.
This tool is also a perfect choice for gardeners living in urban areas. This tool typically tends to get lost while you work since setting them down is very easy. Due to this, we recommend that you get one that comes with a bright handle, this way you can easily spot it when you misplace it.
Pruning Shears
This tool is also one that is important regardless of the kind of gardening method you practice. With pruning shears, you can handle several trimmings and cutting jobs effortlessly. You can also use them when you want to harvest fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
They are also handy for cutting small branches and some thick stems, which makes them very helpful in late summer when vines and vegetable stems have gotten way thicker.
Rake
A rake is indispensable if you own a yard. Just the same for your garden, you may consider getting a bow rake for several purposes. One major thing you can use a bow rake for in your garden is to spread mulch. It can also be used to level the soil, break hard dirt during spring, and of course, gather leaves in a pile.
A bow rake is even more important if you plant in your yard, a community garden plot, or raised beds.
Hose and Spray Nozzles
Except you only make use of self-watering sets like the garden patch growbox for your garden, you would need to occasionally water the garden. If you are an urban gardener, you can simply use a watering pot for this. But if you plant in your yard, then you would have to use a hose as this is the best method you can use to water the crops.
While traditional garden hoses are not completely eradicated yet, the newer lightweight hoses, also known as expendable hoses, are a lot more convenient since they are more easily maneuvered.
You would also need a spray nozzle alongside your hose. Also, ensure the spray nozzles are adjustable. This would help prevent wasting water between the garden beds, and it will also ensure that the water being sprayed is properly delivered.
You can look for a nozzle with adjustable patterns that would allow you to lightly spray water on new seedlings. Then pour enough water to soak established crops or plants that require a lot of water during the summer heat.
Wheelbarrow
If you are one of the lucky few who owns a fine big garden in your yard, then you will be needing a garden cart or a wheelbarrow for easier gardening. These are very useful as they can be used to move compost, dirt, and leave piles across the yard.
You can also use them to transport new sprouts to the garden beds. If you will be using it more for moving compost or soil, then use a traditional cart because it is easier to carry them from point to point. On the other hand, if you only use it to move plants and tools, then a garden cart is more advisable.
Hori Hori Knife
The Hori Hori knife is sometimes called a garden knife and it originated from Japan but is now very common among gardeners all over the world. You can visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hori_horito find out more about the Hori Hori knife’s origin.
This knife is made of stainless steel that is curved up slightly. This makes it ideal for cutting roots and cutting through the soil. It can also be used for weeding; some gardeners also use it in place of hand trowels, since it can be easily used to dig holes and transplant seedlings.
Conclusion
As someone new to gardening, you may find yourself feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the tools available to you. While every tool is important, some are considered a must-have if you want to make gardening less tasking and more enjoyable. Some of these important and common gardening tools are the Hori Hori knife, hand trowel, gardening gloves, hose, spray nozzles, bow rake, pruning shears, wheelbarrow and so much more.