Essential Garden Tools
Every gardener needs these essential tools in their gardening arsenal!
> Hand Pruners > Fruit Saw > Pruning Saw > Gardening Knife > Trowel > Shovel > Spade > Hand Rake > Rake > Gloves > Irrigation > Wheelbarrow, Cart, Bag/Tub
Basic tools: What to look for & their uses
Hand Pruners
Look for:
• Hardened steel blades
• Adjustable blade alignment
• Forged aluminum handle with rubberized cover
• Choose model that fits your hand size and if you are left or right-handed.
• Rotating handle is preferred for those with hand tenderness.
Uses:
• Thinning and pruning branches between three-quarters to one inch in diameter depending on the hardness of the wood
• By-pass pruners are like scissors, the blades pass across each other giving a clean cut. This reduces tearing or crushing of live tissues.
• Anvil pruners are only recommended for cutting dead branches because they tend to crush branch tissue making it harder for the branch to seal properly
Fruit Saw
Look for:
• 6 to 8 inch stainless steel or carbon blade
• Wooden handle
Uses:
• Useful for cuts larger than those that hand pruners can remove with moderate pressure from one hand
Pruning Saw
Look for:
• 9 to 13 inch curved or straight blade
• Blade can be fixed or folding
• Blade material is steel. Manufacturers offer different finishing methods for the steel
• Number and shape of blade teeth determine ease and quality of cut
• A full tang on the blade that integrates into the handle provides extra stability during use
• Molded plastic handles offer long-term durability
• Sheath (a.k.a. scabbard) should be used for fixed blades to provide protection
Uses:
• Used for branches more than 1 and a half inches in diameter
• Cuts only on the pull, not on the push
Garden Knife (Hori Hori)
Look for:
• 6 and a half inch blade
• Vinyl plastic sheath with belt loop
• Wooden handle
• Measurements on the knife
Uses:
• Light digging
• Clearing away soil from the crown of a plant
• Cut through soil
• Uprooting weeds
• Light planting, dividing flowers and transferring small plants
Trowel
Look for:
• Available in many lengths depending on task; a 14-inch trowel offers versatility
• Single-piece steel construction or aluminum alloy
• Can be used in place of a soil knife
• Vinyl, easy to grip handle with hanging loop
• Powder-coated finish
Uses:
• Potting, planting and light digging
• Weeding
• Can be used in place of a garden knife if kept sharp
Shovel
Look for:
• Round pointed for normal yard and garden digging
• Wide scoop works best to move large amounts of lightweight material
• Forged blade with an I-beam construction for sturdiness
• 44 to 48 inch handle or best fit for your height and reach; aim for a handle length that falls between your elbows and chest
• A fiberglass handle is stronger than a wood handle
Uses:
• Digging and lifting loose soil
• Moving large boulders
• Removing stumps
• Digging deep trenches
Spade
Look for:
• 14-gauge hardened steel blade
• 18-gauge steel shaft
• 45+ inch handle or best fit for your height and reach; aim for a handle length that falls between your elbows and chest
• Short-handled shovels and spades between 18 to 24 inches are a good choice when working in a confined area
Uses:
• Cutting and digging heavy soil
• Incorporating organic matter
• Digging straight-sided flat-bottomed trenches
• Removing a layer of sod
• Harvest crops like potatoes
• Edging
Hand Rake
Look for:
• Flexible, fan-shaped tines to prevent damaging vulnerable plants
• Molded comfort grip
Uses:
• Compact size for cleaning up spaces like tight flower beds, garden rows or under dense bushes
Rake
Look for:
• Steel tines, 24 provide good performance
• Strong head to prevent tines from loosening
• Cushion grip to prevent hands from cramping
• 50+ inch handle or best fit for your height and reach; aim for a handle length that falls between your elbows and chest
• Fiberglass handle is stronger than a wood handle
Uses:
• Clean up leaves
• Remove debris
Gloves
Look for:
• Water resistant, breathable nylon material helps keep hands dry
• Flexible to increase hand efficiency
• Nitrile palms give you extra durability and grip
• Gauntlets (wrist protectors) are good for pruning plants with prickles and thorns
Uses:
• Barrier from soil, splinters, pricks, cuts, abrasions, insect and spider bites, skin irritants like poison oak
• Keeps skin dry, prevents sunburn and fingernail damage and reduces blistering
Irrigation Equipment
Uses:
• Watering can for gently watering transplants
• Drip irrigation places water exactly where and when you want it
• Garden and soaker hoses are good for general watering
Wheelbarrow, Garden Cart, Bag/Tub
Uses:
• Moves mulch, compost, soil, stones, debris, tools and harvested vegetables
Additional resources:
Learn More about Pruning Tools
Learn More about Hand Safety
Health & Safety in the Garden