What gardening tools will I need?
Question by blueberry: What gardening tools will I need?
Assume that I know nothing…
If I am creating flower/shrub beds in a new yard what tools will I need to buy to plant and maintain them? (A roto-tiller to begin – got it!) If you want to share any advice or tips, please do!
Please include any “optional” tools that you have found helpful!
Best answer:
Answer by crossstitchkelly
Beyond the usual rake (bow rake or regular) and full-sized shovel, You’ll need a few hand-sized tools. There are 2 types of hand shovels that are best–a regular shovel and a trowel, which is thinner and is a better size to plant small plants with. I also have a great tool that I picked up a few years ago. It looks like the back side of an pickax (like a thin hand-held hoe) on one side, and a small rake on the other. It can even tear up sod or roots if you chop with it.
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Tags: gardening, need, Tools
i did my first garden with a shovel a rake and a hoe
keep it simple , it is easy and fun
Before buying plants carefully examine your garden to see how much sun and shade it gets, whether the soil is well drained or waterlogged and whether your aspect is sheltered or windswept. You’ll then be equipped to go and buy the best plants for your situation; shade-loving plants for the sheltered areas, sun-lovers for the warm spots, drought-resistant plants for the parched areas which may be either sunny or shaded, and swamp plants for the poorly-drained parts.
You don’t need to spend a lot to start a garden, but you do need some basic tools. You can get started for under $ 100 – less if you can find tools at yard sales or flea markets.
1. Select a spading fork as your first tool. Before you plant anything, you will need to open and improve the soil. A spading fork looks like a pitchfork but has a shorter handle and wider tines. It is used to dig down into hard soil and break up the ground.
2. Next, choose a hoe. A hoe is useful for weeding and cultivating the surface of the soil to allow for penetration of nutrients and water.
3. Choose a watering can. Long nozzles allow the water to come out at a very gentle flow rate and are useful for reaching across long distances. Select a watering can that has a detachable spray head – this type of watering can is perfect for watering young seedlings.
4. Select a round-ended shovel for larger digging projects, such as planting shrubs and trees.
5. Buy a good bow rake, which has short tines on one side attached to a metal frame or ‘bow.’ It’s used for leveling the soil after it has been turned and prior to planting, or for removing large clods of earth or rocks from the soil. You can also turn a bow rake over and use the flat side to smooth soil in preparation for planting.
6. Select a pair of garden shears that fits comfortably in your hand. Shears, sometimes called clippers, are used for pruning, shaping and removing foliage or branches. Don’t buy the most expensive shears until you decide you like gardening.
Good luck
-Michael