Before you rush off to the nursery, the novice gardener may want to briefly run through what tools they will need to start gardening. The tools don’t necessarily have to be elaborate, but a few essentials make life in the garden more easy and enjoyable. There are basically four main activities that you will do in the garden. I’ll run through them and put a checklist of basic tool items that you will need for the activity.
For tilling, you will need a spade/shovel. Get a good one, as the cheap ones break, and a good one can last a whole lifetime if you treat it well. You may also want to buy a mattock. These can be useful for digging out the roots of plants.
Spading forks are good for aerating the soil and transplanting garden matter such as hay. Crowbars are also good to have for pulling up bedded rocks and nick-knacks you may come across while digging. And of course, you’ll probably need a wheel-barrow at some stage here.
Tilling
Tilling basically refers to plowing and preparation of soil. Moving the soil around a bit, you know…For tilling, you will need a spade/shovel. Get a good one, as the cheap ones break, and a good one can last a whole lifetime if you treat it well.
You may also want to buy a mattock. These can be useful for digging out the roots of plants. Spading forks are good for aerating the soil and transplanting garden matter such as hay. Crowbars are also good to have for pulling up bedded rocks and nick-knacks you may come across while digging. And of course, you’ll probably need a wheel-barrow at some stage here.
Cultivating
This refers to activities for garden maintenance. Things like weeding and pruning fall into this category. You’ll do well to get a hoe of some description for keeping away the weeds. For pruning and so on.. you will need secateurs. This item is almost as essential as the spade. A saw is also useful for removing large limbs of trees.
Planting
As the name suggests… basically putting plants in the ground. Trowels are useful for planting window boxes, plastic bottles, or containers. The above-mentioned spade and crowbar (useful for planting bulbs) should suffice for much else.
Watering
I think you can work this one out. Sprinklers, hoses and watering cans should keep your garden looking fresh. That’s all there is to it in the basics checklist. If you have all of these items, give yourself a cheer. If not….go out and get them!
