16 Essential Garden Tools, Plus Tools No One Tells You About
Gardening can be an incredibly rewarding experience and with the right tools, your gardening journey will be even more enjoyable. While there are many essential gardening tools that everyone knows about, some of the most useful ones might not always come to mind.
This article introduces 16 essential gardening tools for beginners, some of you might already know and some that might not have entered your mind. From the basics for beginners to more advanced tools for experienced gardeners, this guide covers all the essential tools you need to make your gardening experience an enjoyable and successful one.
Consider Quality Garden Tools
We have learned in our years of gardening the importance of purchasing quality products. The mantra we adopted is “Buy once, cry once” meaning that it is better to spend money on a quality product upfront than to replace cheaper tools multiple times.
That being said, if you are just getting started and you are unsure what tool might work best, it is good practice to purchase something less expensive, wear it to the bone, and then upgrade when the time is right. Below,Below, we will cover the basic tools to start a garden aside from the most important “tool” being your soil. If you want to see our favorite potting soil,soil, be sure to check out the Benefits Happy Frog Potting Soil.
Essential Gardening Tools
1. Hori Hori
We found that most information out there says you need a garden trowel or hand shovel. After many years, we have found something better than your generic hand trowel.
The Hori Hori is a must-have for any gardener. This multi-purpose tool has been around for centuries and is one of the most versatile garden tools you could have. The sturdy, sharp edge, tempered steel blade makes digging holes, trenching, weeding, sowing, and transplanting effortless tasks.
Japanese Stainless Steel Concave Blade
Rust-proof & scratch resistant
Easy Use Measuring Marker
2. Garden Fork
Garden forks, also known as a soil fork, are one of the most basic tools you need starting out. This workhorse of the garden is perfect for tackling bigger jobs, like turning compost piles or loose, loamy, or clay soil. The strong steel tines make quick work of aerating and loosening soil so that your plants can breathe.
If you are gardening in a raised bed, then a hand fork will do the trick. If you are planting directly in the ground garden bed, we suggest a broad digging fork.
Fiskars Ergo Advanced ergonomics and a rugged build garden fork
Welded boron steel blade
Full lifetime warranty
3. Stirrup Hoe
A stirrup hoe is a great addition for in-ground gardens. It is a much more unique design than your standard garden hoe.
This handy tool minimizes soil disturbance while weeding, so it can help reduce the development of new weeds in your garden or flower beds when used properly. Even better, its design helps conserve moisture and maintain a healthy soil structure by not disrupting the surface too much. It’s perfect for the no till gardening method.
DonSail Garden Hoe Length is adjustable to be 30″, 43″ and 60″
Sturdy Quality
Push Pull Hoe Garden Tool
1 Year limited maintenance or replacement warranty
4. Straight Blade Hand Pruners
Straight-blade pruning shears are ideal for any gardener looking to precise shape, trim and groom closely spaced plants, such as tomatoes. These sharp blades make it easy to get into tight spaces to prune more delicate plants, allowing you to reach places where bypass pruners might be too bulky.
They’re excellent for cutting flower stems for a vase and trimming the leaves from stems. With straight-blade pruning shears, your garden will look professionally groomed in no time!
FELCO 300 trimming and picking snips.
Ergonomic handles and the stainless steel
5. Loppers
If you start off with a straight blade pruner, then chances are you will need something larger later on. Rather than choosing the smaller bypass had pruners, you could go with something more heavy duty. That’s where we believe the loppers come in.
These long-handled pruners allow you to reach up high or down low and still be able to get a good grip on branches when cutting. They are great for tackling larger jobs, such as removing dead wood from trees, trimming back unruly shrubs, or pruning large vines.
Fiskars 32-Inch PowerGear Bypass Lopper
Powers through thick branches that traditional loppers and pruners can’t
6. Hose
No garden is complete without a quality hose. A good hose can make all the difference in your gardening experience, providing you with easy access to water for your plants. With quality hoses, you want to look for one that has an anti-kink design, so it doesn’t kink up as you move around the garden.
The length of the hose will depend on your layout, but it’s important to make sure it’s long enough so you don’t have to constantly move the hose around. We recommend the “Go Big Or Go Home” mentality. Investing in a good-quality long hose can save you time and frustration in the long run!
Joeys 50ft Hose
Expandable 3x its size
7. Adjustable Hose Nozzle
For seedlings and small plants, an adjustable garden hose nozzle is a must-have for any beginner gardener. Sure, it may not be the most glamorous tool in your arsenal, but trust us when we say that it can save you loads of time and frustration in the long run.
With an adjustable watering wand, you can easily control the flow of water to ensure that your delicate seedlings get just the right amount.
The Relaxed Gardener Watering Wand – 15″ Garden Hose Nozzle Sprayer 8
Adjustable Spray Patterns and Thumb Control Shut Off Valve
8. Watering Cans
Nothing says “I’m a real gardener” quite like toting around a classic watering can. But don’t let its traditional charm fool you – a good quality watering can is an essential piece of kit for any serious green thumb!
It is a necessity to apply organic liquid fertilizer to your garden beds. And if you’re looking to conserve water, it’s much more efficient than a hose or sprinkler! So don’t be afraid to invest in a quality watering can – your plants will thank you for it.
9. Gardening Gloves
Do you need gloves? That’s up to you. If you want to keep your hands in tip-top condition and prevent any dirt from getting under your fingernails, then investing in a pair of garden gloves is a must. For casual vegetable gardening, we say get your hands in there and get dirty.
On the other hand, (no pun intended) if you are dealing with any kind of thorny bushes or brambles, then you should definitely get yourself a pair of sturdy and puncture-proof gloves. No one wants to end up with a painful puncture wound on their hands from trying to prune some roses! So don’t forget your gloves if you’re dealing with any prickly plants.
10. Wheel Barrow/Garden Cart
Nothing beats having your very own wheelbarrow or garden cart. It’s the perfect way to transport all your tools and soil around the garden with ease. Plus, it can help you move heavy loads quickly and efficiently so you don’t have to strain yourself carrying them.
Depending on your size of the garden will determine your needs. A wheelbarrow is best for larger and more heavy loads where you have space to maneuver. Garden carts can be more versatile and come in handy for smaller gardens where space is limited. So make sure to invest in the right wheelbarrow or garden cart for your garden – you won’t regret it!
Gorilla Carts Heavy-Duty Poly Yard Dump Cart | 2-In-1 Convertible Handle, 1200 lbs capacity
Tools No One Talks About
Clydes Garden Planer
The Clyde’s Garden Planner is one of our favorites. Just starting out on your gardening journey can be overwhelming. With this vegetable planting guide , you can easily plan and design your vegetable garden.
It’s simple to use, and it will help you determine which vegetables should be planted where in order to optimize the yield. It gives you average frosts dates to assist you on when you should start sowing seeds indoors or transplanting them outdoors.
The Clyde’s Garden Planner takes all the guesswork out of planting a vegetable garden. It’s easy to use, and it will help you design your ideal vegetable garden quickly and easily. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced gardener, the Clyde’s Garden Planner is an essential tool for anyone looking to get the most out of their vegetable garden!
Clyde’s Garden Planner – Clyde’s Vegetable Planting Slide Chart
Companion Planting For Beginners by Brian Lowell
When this book was coming out, we immediately purchased in on pre order. Companion Planting For Beginners by Brian Lowell is fantastic. It’ll guide you through the basics of companion planting and provide you with dozens of beneficial plant combinations.
It has practical, simple photography and colorful illustrations for dozens of beneficial planting configurations, as well as expert advice from a master gardener that is specifically designed for beginners. Our favorite part is that it also includes loads of troubleshooting tips for fixing common issues with companion-planted gardens.
Seeding Square
A Seeding Square is one of the best gardening tools a beginner vegetable gardener can have! This helpful square-foot seeding template helps you maximize the growth of your plants, even in limited space.
It takes the guesswork out of planting by showing you exactly where to drop seeds or seedlings and provides depth markings so that each gets enough room to grow to maturity. Plus, it even comes with a planting chart of 46 types of vegetables, so you know exactly which ones will thrive in your garden! Get creative and maximize your yields with the help of a Seeding Square – your plants will thank you for it!
Seeding Square – Seed Sowing Template
Organic Fish Fertilizer
Neptune’s Harvest Organic Fish Fertilizer is a brilliant choice for any and all of your gardening needs. It increases the vigor and volume of tomatoes and vegetables, making it an ideal fertilizer for vegetable gardens, trees, shrubs, and flowers. Neptune’s Harvest also helps plants tolerate drought, so you won’t have to worry about your plants wilting in the hot summer months.
Neptune’s Harvest is made with a variety of fresh-caught North Atlantic fish, which makes it one of the most natural and organic fertilizers on the market! So don’t forget to add some Neptune’s Harvest Organic Fish fertilizer to get your garden growing!
Hose Filter
For any gardener looking to keep their garden in pristine condition, a hose water filter is an essential item. Not only can it help protect your plants from pests and disease, but it reduces the levels of chlorine and chloramine from your water.
If you’re using a well or other untreated source of irrigation water, a filter can help to remove sediment, bacteria, and other contaminants. Investing in an inline hose filter is a great way to protect your plants and ensure that you’re providing them with quality nutrition!
Seed Storage and Seed Starter Kit
If you are anything like us, and you like the idea of starting your garden with seeds you started. Then its inevitable you will need some place to store all of your seeds.
That’s why every serious gardener needs a seed storage container and seed starter kit.
Not only does it make organizing your seeds so much easier – no more rummaging through bags of random seeds to find what you need – but it also helps you get a jump start on the growing season by allowing you to store and stratify your seeds before sowing.
Final Thoughts
So what are you waiting for? Don’t let your green thumb go to waste – get out there and start planting! With the all of these tools, plus a bit of guidance from Brian Lowell’s Companion Planting For Beginners, you’re sure to have a bountiful vegetable garden in no time.
So grab your Hori Hori, your Seeding Square, and your Neptune’s Harvest organic fish fertilizer, pick up some seeds, and get ready to start planting! Happy gardening
