GARDENING TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

Tools For Cultivating
A garden shovel has a concave pointed blade mounted to the handle at an angle and is designed to dig holes and move soil.

A spade has a flat blade and is designed for cutting rather than lifting or moving soil. Spades are excellent for shaping straight-sided trenches, transplanting trees and shrubs, cutting roots, and for edging beds.There are many variations on spade blade shape and size.

Garden and spading forks have four times and are used for turning over garden soil. A garden fork has thick rectangular or square tines and is used for turning over unbroken soil, heavy cultivation, or soil with large clods. A spading fork has flat tines (sometimes with diamond of triangular backs) and is used for turning already loose soil. Forks are also useful to turn over
compost, spread mulches, and to dig root crops.

A hoe, depending on the design, is used for preparing seedbeds, making furrows, removing weeds, and breaking up encrusted soil. Several different hoe styles are available, each with several variations. The most common type of hoe is the draw hoe, also called garden or common hoe that has a rectangular or square flat blade.

Variations of this type blade include the nursery hoe (a heavier blade), the cavex hoe (a curved rather than straight cutting edge) and the swoe (blade attached to the shaft as a golf club). The pointed hoe with a heart shaped blade is lightweight and useful for opening seed furrows and cultivating between plants.

There are essentially two types of rakes, a garden rake and a lawn rake. A garden rake has stiff metal tines and is used to clear rocks and debris from the garden, spreading mulches, and smoothing seedbeds. A lawn rake has numerous thin flexible tines usually made of metal, plastic, or bamboo. A “leaf rake” is a version of the lawn rake that has shorter 
tines.The length of the rake handle is important; the tip of the handle should come up to your ear when standing upright.A handle that is too short will make your work harder, causing excess bending and back strain.

Pruning Tools
Pruning shears are good for branches up to one-half to three-quarters of an inch in diameter. Attempting to cut larger branches risks making a poor cut and/or ruining the shears. There are two major types of pruners; the Bypass Blade which uses two blades or the cutting style of hand shears, and the Anvil cut. In the anvil style, a sharpened blade cuts against a broad, flat plate. In the scissor style, a thin, sharp blade slides closely past a thicker (but also sharp) blade. In the anvil style, a sharpened blade cuts against a broad, flat plate. In the scissor style, a thin, sharp blade slides closely past a thicker (but also sharp) blade.

 Lopping shears have long handles and
are operated with both hands. Loppers
are designed to cut branches that are more than one-half to three-quarters inch in diameter. Loppers are best used for shrub pruning and not for trees due to (1) accuracy of cut, (2) maneuverability, and (3) difficulty in making a clean cut for a large branch. Tree branches that are larger than three-quarters of an inch (and up to 4 inches) in diameter are cut more easily, accurately, and with less damage using
a hand saw than with loppers.  

Hedge shears have long, flat blades and relatively short handles, one for each hand. Heavy duty shears, with one blade serrated,are good for difficult jobs.

Carts/Wheelbarrows
A wheelbarrow or cart is very handy to have in and around the garden area. Select one that is easy to handle when full, with good maneuverability. Durable construction is well worth paying for to ensure a long, useful life. Be sure to choose the size appropriate for your physical abilities and garden needs. A wheelbarrow generally requires more strength and control than do most garden carts, however, there are two-wheel wheelbarrows that are much easier to control than the one-wheel type.

Pest Control Equipment
Pest control equipment is needed in most gardens. Even organic gardeners often need sprayers for dormant oils or dusters for botanical insecticides. There is a wide range of available equipment ranging from simple and cheap to sophisticated and expensive. Here again, one’s own needs and budget are the determining factors. Using the same spray equipment for weed and insect control is neither safe nor desirable. Label each sprayer accordingly and, sprayers should be rinsed after each use.

Watering Equipment
Watering is an essential garden job for most gardeners. An adequate water supply makes a big difference in vegetable garden yields and landscape plantings. The purchase of watering equipment depends on available facilities, water supply, climate, and garden practices. Where rainfall is adequate except for a few periods in the summer, keeping watering equipment simple is a wise decision; a garden hose with a fan-type sprinkler will suffice. But, in areas where there are extended periods of hot weather without rainfall, the local water supply is likely to be short. Overhead sprinklers waste water, so in this case, a drip irrigation system may be in order.

Seeding and Planting Tools
Depending on the size of your garden and your physical abilities, you may want to consider a row seeder. Seeders with wheels make easy work of sowing long rows of corn, beans, or other vegetables. Seeders are available which make a furrow, drop the seeds properly spaced, and close up the furrow behind the seed, all in one pass. They do not perform quite as well on small seeded crops, and the effort of setting up a seeder for small areas is more than that expended in hand seeding. A hand-held seeder is probably a better choice for this type of work.

In the end, a wide selection of styles and prices are available for most of these tools and, many times your choice will come down to one of personal preference and price range. No matter which option you chose, one thing remains certain, you’ll get the best value by knowing each tool’s uses and their particular qualities when comparison shopping.