The Best Garden Tools to Grow the Best Garden

Having the right tool to do the job will not only make you a better gardener, but it will also make the work more enjoyable and make the job easier to do well.

The tools that we are discussing will meet the needs of the beginner gardener and the advanced expert gardener.

I have combined a list of tools from gloves to shovels and everything in between for your gardening needs other than power tools which will be covered in a separate article.

My goal is to provide guidance on everything you need to grow the best garden using the essential tools to do the job.

Gloves

To enjoy gardening and keep your hands protected it is essential to have good-quality gloves.  It is important to have the correct type of glove for the type of work you will be doing in your yard.  Not all gloves work the same, if you are working with roses or other plants with thorns you need leather gloves that will protect your hands.

If you are using hand tools to plant you do not necessarily need leather gloves but good material that will hold up is good.  For more strenuous work like using a tiller or shovel, it is good to have stronger palm protection such as leather or strong stitched materials.

Gloves need to fit the person, men’s gloves are not made to fit most women, and vise versa, find a glove that fits and meets the job you are going to be doing to prevent fatigue when gardening.  The same goes for the job you are doing if you are pruning a thorny bush you will need a different glove than weeding or planting your garden.

Below I have compiled a few examples of good-quality gloves of different varieties.

Hose

There are two types of hoses that you need to have for gardening, the first is a hose that you attach to your faucet, the second is for applying water to your garden which can be either a soaker hose or drip line.

Hoses that you attach to your faucet typically come in lengths of 25′, 50′, 75′, and 100′.  You need to measure the distance to the furthest area you need to water to know which hose will meet your needs.  The second piece of information you will need to consider is the structure of the hose, this is critical to get a hose that will not kink.  I can tell you from my experience that spending the extra money on a kink-proof hose will be worth every cent you paid.  The last decision is an expandable hose or not, this is something I have not used and I will leave this decision up to you.

Drip and Soaker Hoses

These are essential to get water directly to your plant roots which helps to prevent any issues with disease and conserves water by not having it evaporate.

You also want equipment that will last so that you do not have to replace for several years.

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Shovel

A shovel is an essential tool to have that will help you in your gardening jobs, you may find that a couple of different-sized shovels are essential.  Shovels are the best tool for larger digging jobs, such as digging holes for plants, bushes, and trees.

Shovel handles are made with a variety of handle lengths and some are telescoping to fit several people.  Try the shovel out to make sure it fits to reduce body fatigue and injuries.

Spade

A spade is different from a shovel, in that it is best for cutting edges around garden beds, skimming topsoil, or cutting through sod.

Hand Tools

These are some of the best hand tools I would highly recommend every gardener owns.  The two on the left are forged and the two on the right are stainless steel, both have good-fitting handles and are durable to last for years of gardening.

There are many different hand tools that we will discuss, and the key to all of them is finding tools that are made to last.  The best of the class are forged tools that have strong handles and forged steel, stainless steel, and carbon steel.  If you are working in clay soil or where the soil is compacted and has rocks these are the tools that will hold up to the work.

These tools can withstand the force when you are applying pressure to work your soil the less expensive versions will bend or break under pressure.

If you are fortunate to have very loose and light soil that has been amended you can use less expensive tools that will not break when digging.

Other things to consider when selecting the correct tool, are the weight of the tool, and whether is it too heavy or just right.  Does the tool handle fit the shape of your hand?  These are all important when choosing a garden hand tool.

The best of class are tools I have tested that I can officially recommend to you.

Rakes

There are two different types of rakes that I would recommend you have in your tool shed.  The first is a leaf rake with metal tines that can be used for leaves, and other small debris in your yard and garden or to smooth out the surface of your garden.

The second one I would recommend is a true garden rake with metal or steel tines that are much stronger and will be used to move soil or can be used to rake out moss in your yard.

True Temper Steel Tine Leaf Rake

• 22-TINE RAKE
• LEAF AND THATCHING RAKE
• RAKE WITH COMFORT GRIP

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Hoe

Hoes come in many shapes that are useful in your garden, below I will highlight a couple of hoes that will help you with your gardening tasks.  The best advice is to purchase a hoe that is built well since it will be used to dislodge weeds and break up the soil.

The shapes are typically flat-faced or triangular, I would recommend both since there are different tasks accomplished by having both.

Wheelbarrow/Garden Cart

Your parent’s or grandparent’s wheelbarrow has been made better to make the work easier and reduce stress on your body.  If you can recall loading these old wheelbarrows full and finding yourself unable to keep them from tipping over losing all the contents to have to do the job over.

I will provide you with the new carts and wheelbarrows that will make the job much easier and will reduce fatigue when hauling different materials.

Clippers/Pruning saw

Two types of clippers and one pruning saw I would recommend you purchase.  The first is small hand clippers that work on pruning smaller branches, the second is loppers that can prune larger branches on shrubs and trees and the last is a pruning saw.  Added cutting tool is a garden knife.

Clippers should fit your hand to reduce stress on your hand joints and they should be the correct clippers to do the job you are trying to accomplish.

Recap

Purchase a tool that is the correct tool for the job you are doing and that fits you so that the job is easier and reduces fatigue and strain on your body.

Happy tool shopping from the Urban Gardener