But before heading to the local home improvement store or browsing through the wealth of gardening tools online, it’s important to decide on the size of the garden and the specific plants or trees that will be planted. Keep in mind that while many tools may not be used every day, they will still save considerable time, energy, and effort and be worth the investment.
This article will reveal some of the most helpful tools for common garden tasks, from trusty shovels to pole saws and tillers.
Weeds, Weeds, Go Away
A great example of an ongoing garden task is weeding. Yes, one can pull weeds by hand or use a hori-hori knife, and that may be all that’s needed. However, for difficult weeds, particularly those with a long taproot, a hand weeder—with its fork-like blade on the end of a slender, easy-grip handle—efficiently digs deep into the soil to remove weed roots completely so they don’t grow back. It’s available at any gardening store.
For those with a bad back or knees or who just want to improve overall speed, Grampa’s Weeder features a long handle, so there’s no bending required. Simply center the grabber end over a weed, press into the ground, and lean into the handle to pull the weed. It even has an interesting story. It was invented in 1913, but production halted during World War II because of metal shortages, and it wasn’t reintroduced until 1999.
(Amazon)
Another back and knee saver is the scuffle or stirrup hoe. This long-handled tool features a sharp circle or stirrup on the end to cut weeds at their base without disturbing the surrounding soil.
Dynamic Diggers
There’s more to a shovel than one may realize, with specialty models ready to take on specific tasks with an effectiveness that the common flat-fronted shovel or pointed-tip spade can’t match.
For example, a transplanting shovel is a must-have for larger gardens or yards. It features a long, narrow blade that allows it to go deep into the soil to scoop out circular holes for trees, shrubs, large vegetable plants, and more.
Taking the matter a step further, the long, slender Root Assassin 48-inch shovel/saw has unique serrated teeth to cut through roots easily and is designed to dig in tough, overgrown areas of a yard.
(Amazon)
Putting in an irrigation system? A trenching tool with an extended and narrow blade makes short work of installing in-ground pipes.
Putting in a fence to add privacy or to keep critters out? A posthole digger features two handles and two blades to make short work of fence post installation. Drive the blades into the ground, close them to grab a circle of soil, then lift to dump the dirt elsewhere.
The Right Cut
Tall fruit trees are a wonder, until it is time to give the tree its annual shaping or prune off some dead branches that are out of reach of a handsaw and ladder. Enter the pole saw, which is just what it sounds like: It has a saw at the end of a long, often expandable, pole. The manual version is time-honored and reliable, with extension models ranging from 16 feet to 26 feet when fully extended. All feature an aggressive, long-toothed, curved blade to make cutting easier.
Some add a pole pruner. These work similarly to lopping shears, but, being long-handled, they are operated by pulling on an attached cord. Gas and electric (corded or battery-powered) models make short work of cutting, but tend to have a maximum working length of 12 feet because they are difficult to control at longer lengths. They feature a cutting head similar to a chainsaw, with some fixed and others offering adjustable blade angles.
On the subject of fruit trees, now’s the time to consider a pole-mounted fruit picker, too. They can be purchased pole mounted—such as the Docazoo DocaPole, which expands from six feet to 24 feet—or as a harvester basket alone, if one already has a long pole.
(Amazon)
For larger jobs or to take down an entire tree, nothing beats the versatility and power of a chainsaw. Gas-powered models are heavy-duty and can run all day. The downside is that they’re loud, heavy, and require regular maintenance. Electric models are easy to use and maintain, lightweight, and quiet. But even the 40-volt models that are billed as “good as gas” offer less power and a limited runtime when compared with gas-fueled models.
Blade length is also a consideration. Large logs require a minimum 16-inch blade length, while felling trees may require 20 inches or more. A versatile general-use blade length is 12 inches to 14 inches. The rule of thumb is that the saw blade should be at least two inches longer than the tree or log being cut.
More Power to Ya
This spring, replace the hand trowel or manual bulb planting tool with a power auger attachment. It works with any power drill and makes easy work of digging endless plant holes. It will also do double duty, mixing large amounts of soil, compost, perlite, fertilizer, and the like for container or raised planter beds.
Need to turn soil? Ryobi makes the 18V One+ Handheld Cultivator for small jobs. For larger projects, you could choose a frontline tiller with wheels in the back that make pushing it through soil much easier than a basic no-wheel model.
(Ryobi)
Got a lot of seasonal pruning to do? Electric pruning shears offer endless hand-saving snips.
When you’re choosing your tools, always remember that quality matters. While a higher price may be daunting at the onset, tools that can withstand the rigors of years of use will actually be cheaper in the long run. Plus, they’ll perform better from the start, making your new garden tools a doubly good investment that will save you lots of time and trouble for years to come.
The Right Stuff
Whether an inexperienced hobbyist or a serious gardener feeding the family, it’s important to choose garden tools that are practical, innovative, and, yes, fun.
Claws Out
Clawed gardening gloves may look strange, but they get the job done. They rake, dig, and plant without any additional garden tools. And they do all this while protecting hands from dirt, cuts, and scratches.
Reuse, Reuse
A chipper shredder reduces yard waste and saves money as it converts branches, dead plants, and dry leaves into endless mulch. For smaller gardens, leaf mulchers turn year-end fallen leaves into tiny pieces ready to nourish the garden, lawn, or compost pile.
Speaking of Compost
Compost tumblers are easy to use and accelerate the composting process because you can turn them regularly. Some feature a single barrel chamber, while more sophisticated units handle two batches at once—while one chamber is “cooking,” the other is being filled.
Sandy Lindsey is an award-winning writer who covers home, gardening, DIY projects, pets, and boating. She has two books with McGraw-Hill.
