Simple Tools For Your Gardening Needs
Having the correct tool for the job always makes any job much easier. When you are gardening, you only need a small handful of very inexpensive tools to perform most all of your garden maintenance and lawn needs. As a side bonus, they also make great housewarming presents.
To start with, you want a good shovel. When you are looking for a shovel you want to try to find a round pointed shovel that is tempered steel. The average shaft length should be 44 to 48 inches long, and it can be made from fiberglass, wood, or can be metal.
Try the handle to make sure that you can grip it and lift it comfortably. A shovel is very versatile and can be used for anything from planting shrubs and trees, to mixing large quantities of compost and dirt, as well as mixing similar materials.
Finding a good hand pruner is also important. Look for handheld bypass pruners that have comfortable grips and smooth operating blades. These work great for removing small unwanted dead branches from your shrubs and trees.
A good hand trowel is also a must. Try to find one that has a nice comfortable grip with a sturdy narrow blade that will pierce the soil easily. This is great for when you need to dig holes in your containers or your garden beds for plants. It is also wonderful to use for hand mixing your soil with compost, other additives, or fertilizer.
Do not forget about the versatile utility bucket. Look for a basic plastic 5 gallon bucket with a good handle. Sometimes they will have a frequently used measurement that is printed or stamped on the side, which is even better.
Utility buckets are great for carrying all your hand tools, gathering weeds and clippings, and combining plant foods and fertilizers together, as well as so much more.
Having a good leaf rake is also very important. The big super-sized rakes can be somewhat difficult to maneuver, so try to find a medium-sized rake head that has metal or plastic tines. This rake is great for helping to gather up lawn clippings and leaves as well as spreading mulch and other materials for ground covering around your planting beds.
The garden rake is a little bit different. When looking for this rake, you can make two choices. The nice flat-head rake is great for leveling soil, while a rake with a bow-head is usually easier to maneuver.
You can try both to see which one you prefer. These rakes are great for working the soil in your planting beds, as well as pressing seeds into the soil, and removing dead grass from your lawn.
And last but not least do not forget about your watering can. Using a one half or 2 gallon metal or plastic watering can that has a removable rainfall spout is easiest for most of your outdoor watering. The smaller size makes transporting your water from the outdoor tap to thirsty plants much easier.
These are just some examples of the simple and inexpensive gardening tools that you can use to help your tasks become easier.