Gardening Tools

The tools you will need depend to some extent on the size and type of garden you have and the type of plants you wish to grow, but the following you will find likely to be the most useful.  

The Essentials...

Fork and Spade – You will need these if you have any open areas of soil in which to grow plants.  Light, free draining soils are easy to turn over and you may be able to get away with a garden fork, but for heavier soils and larger areas (such as a vegetable plot) you will need a digging spade as well - see range.

Trowel – Essential for all planting jobs.  The trowel should be strongly made and check that the joint between blade and handle will not bend in firm soil.  Also ensure that the trowel has a comfortable handle which does not hurt the palm of your hand when being used.

Rake – A garden rake is used to level and break down the soil into fine crumbs when seed sowing.  For gathering up leaves in the autumn a spring-tine rake is necessary.

Hoe – A Dutch hoe with a flat blade is excellent for eradicating weeds amongst seedlings in the flower and vegetable beds.

Secateurs and shears – Secateurs are used for pruning jobs and shears for trimming hedges, lawn edges and long grass.  When choosing secateurs ensure they are comfortable to hold with an easily operated safety catch.  If you do not have a strong grip you may find ratchet secateurs preferable.  Shears should also be comfortable to used with smooth blades.  For trimming lawn edges use long handled edging shears.

Watering can and hose – A watering can fitted with a fine rose on the end of the spout is useful for watering trays of seedlings and young plants, also plants in containers.  For bigger gardens a hose will be a time and back saver for watering beds, borders and lawns.  For watering large areas a sprinkler is very useful but may require a licence in some areas and beware if you are on a water meter!

Lawn mower and hedge trimmer - Lawns mowers come in all shapes and sizes depending on your requirements.  For a small lawn, a hand push or hover mower would be sufficient however for medium and large lawns power mowers come into their own.  If you have hedges hand shears may be sufficient for clipping small hedges but power trimmers make lighter work.  Make sure the trimmer is strong enough for the job in mind, some cheaper models are only for soft growth and will not be strong enough if used for heavy duty work. 

Quality?
The term ‘you get what you pay for with gardening equipment’ does apply and although the outlay for premium tools may seem expensive, a good quality tool will last a lifetime of gardening if looked after. 

Most importantly tools should be comfortable to handle and appropriate for your height. Longer handled tools offer good leverage and reduce strain on the back. Stainless steel tools have a long life and are easy to clean and care for - see our range of hand forged stainless steel tools by dutch manufacturer Sneeboer here.

How to care for your tools?
•    Clean the blades of cutting tools with a damp cloth, dry thoroughly and oil lightly to ensure they remain sharp, when necessary sharpen the blades when they begin to blunt.
•    Protect digging tools from rust by removing any soil after use. Oil them lightly before you put them away, or spray with WD40.
•    Store your tools in a clean dry place