Harvesting on Point: Top 5 Tools Every Serious Gardener Needs

Whether you are a pro or new to gardening, having the right tools for the job can make your experience easier and more enjoyable. However, picking your tools can be daunting. Sometimes you do not know what you need until you need it. Let’s highlight some of the most popular ones so you can complete your tool set before the season starts.

A Gardening Trowel

Quality gardening trowels that won’t rust and bend are paramount for digging and planting with ease. If you’re not familiar with this tool, it’s a small, narrow, hand-held metal scoop used for small digging jobs, such as digging holes for flower and vegetable transplants. But that’s not all.

These versatile tools can break up a bale of peat moss or compost and be used to scoop potting mix into containers and plant bulbs. You can also use a wide-blade trowel to move soil. A long narrow blade trowel is ideal for digging a hole in compacted clay soil. Some tools even have measurements scribed onto the blade to help dig to a desired planting depth.

There are different gardening trowels for different needs. A conventional tool of this kind is composed of two parts: a wooden, metal, plastic, or fibreglass handle and a metal blade with a sharp edge. On the other hand, a one-piece model is built of cast lightweight aluminium, another metal alloy, or forged heavy-gauge steel. Typically, the handle is covered with a colourful plastic grip. The blade of a one-piece alternative is frequently V-shaped rather than curved, boosting strength.

A bulb trowel is another type that has a smaller blade, often 5 to 8 cm wide at the top and tapering down to about 2.5cm at the tip and can be up to 15cm long. The smaller blade can be used to create a small, narrow hole which is ideal for planting bulbs, bedding plants, or seedlings.

When shopping, choose a garden trowel that feels comfortable in your hand and that has a bright handle that is easy to find if you lay it down while you are working. Also, take care and maintenance into account. All metal garden trowels should be cleaned with an oiled cloth after use and stored in a dry place to avoid rusting.

A Spade

Spades are essentially a smaller version of a shovel with a flatter blade. The garden spade is comparable to a square-point shovel and is ideal for digging, chopping, edging, and lifting sod. The drain spade has a thin, rounded head and a straight handle for working in restricted spaces. It works well for trench digging and transplanting.

The trenching spade has a thin head similar to a drain spade, but it is pointed and positioned at a higher angle to provide more leverage. It is suitable for trench digging and clearing, as well as tree and shrub planting.

A Shovel

If you want to dig up a portion of lawn or a difficult swathe of weeds, a decent shovel is essential. Shovels are also useful for breaking up clods and creating holes for new plantings. Get a robust one, but consider the weight of the tool before purchasing.

The round-point shovel is ideal for digging, lifting, and tossing earth. The round point cuts into the dirt, while the rim on the top of the blade provides additional foot pressure for digging holes.

On the other hand, the square-point shovel is ideal for transferring goods. A huge square-pointed shovel is also called a scoop.

A Scissors

There are so many different types of garden scissors that it’s difficult to recommend one in particular, but sharp, robust ones work well for pruning, clipping, deadheading, harvesting, and a variety of other unexpected jobs. If your budget allows it, buy the best brand-name clippers since they are worth it.

If you’re really into gardening, you’ll need at least a few sizes for various tasks; snipping herbs is very different from trimming azaleas or roses. Essentially, these are super-scissors, sometimes known as secateurs or hand-pruners, and they are useful for a variety of gardening tasks. Large pruning shears are also practical, but unless you plan on pruning big shrubs or trees, you may not need them straight immediately.

Plan to sharpen them on occasion to maintain their cutting ability.

A Watering Can

If you can’t afford the convenience of self-watering pots, a watering can is a must-have tool. Small watering cans with lower capacities are great for houseplants, and the lightweight models can be readily refilled in the kitchen or bathroom sink. When watering outdoor gardens, opt for something larger that requires less refilling while remaining comfortable to grip and carry.

Free-flow spouts target individual plants or seedlings and are ideal for water-intensive gardens. Rose spouts (similar to sprinklers) produce a gentler stream for delicate indoor plants or wide portions of the garden to ensure even watering. Some watering cans have interchangeable settings, ensuring the ideal stream every time.

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