A Beginner's Guide To Gardening Tools

Whether you're looking to be more hands-on or just want to prune and rake, a set of basic tools will get you started with your gardening adventures. The basics include hand pruners, loppers, garden forks, hand trowels, spades and rakes, as well as watering cans and garden gloves.

The top 10 items all gardeners need:

1. Gloves

Gardening can turn into a muddy, thorny and splintery endeavor, so you want to protect your hand with a pair of gloves.

2. Pruning Shears

These reign in plants that are getting out of control and taking over.

3. Loppers

These are long-handled pruners used to trim hard to reach areas and cut thicker branches.

4. Garden Forks

A great tool for turning soil, forks can dig into dense soil better than a spade.

5. Hand Trowel

Trowels are wonderful for transplanting bedding plants and herbs, planting containers, and taking out weeds.

6. Spade

A spades make it easy to dig holes for plants and for lifting sod, and moving small mounds of dirt from one area to another.

7. Rake

When leaves and debris fall, your trusty rake is there to whisk them all away.

8. Hoe

Hoes are useful in preparing garden and flower beds and cutting down weeds.

9. Watering Can

(Alternatively, or a hose with a nozzle).

10. Wheelbarrow

A wheelbarrow can help you haul hundreds of pounds of soil, and will save your back!

Further reading:

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