Maintaining a landscape garden may be seen as an artwork. There’s also some area of study into it, and for many starters, it seems like rocket science.
Thankfully, we have access to the right tools that keep the garden thriving and aesthetically pleasing. If you seem lost and don’t know where to begin, search for these tools in the shed first and go on from there.
Here are five tools every aspiring landscape gardener or a green uncle and auntie should have.
Pruning Shears
Pruning shears are indispensable in any garden. With it, you can control the growth of branches, remove dead foliage, and harvest fruits and vegetables.
Bigger types are what professionals use in Topiary, though you might still need them for basic trimming, shaping, and other purposes. Gardens with pergolas designed with climbing vines would find a range of shears very useful.
There are two main varieties of pruning shears: anvil and bypass. Bypass types are for live plants and green wood, while the anvil shears are more suitable for dead wood and if you need to make finer cuts that won’t cause damage to a tree or plant. Buy ergonomically designed shears with a comfortable grip to reduce hand fatigue.
Garden Fork
A garden fork is essential for turning soil, aerating, and mixing nutrients into the soil. Instead of digging with a shovel, using the tines of a garden fork allows you to scoop into dense soil without much effort. This incredibly versatile tool is particularly useful in established gardens where you must work around existing plants.
There are different garden forks. They include digging, border, and compost forks, each devised for specific tasks. For instance, a digging fork, with its flat tines, works great on heavy soils.
Garden Hoe
When you need to control weeds and cultivate the soil, no manual tool can do it better than a garden hoe. Different hoe types are available in the market and used for various tasks.
For instance, a Dutch or push hoe is perfect for cutting weeds just below the soil surface. On the other hand, a drawhoe is more suitable for shaping soil into rows. When choosing a hoe, consider the gardening job you do most often. Pick a robust, sharp-edged hoe to save time and effort in maintaining your garden beds.
Wheelbarrow
Save yourself from the trouble of going back and forth around the garden on foot. There’s so much lifting you’ll need to do when working in a landscape garden, not to mention the distance, especially if you’re maintaining a bigger property.
A wheelbarrow is used for transporting sacks of soil, compost, mulch, and plants around your garden. You may also use this to carry waste.
While their use is pretty simple, wheelbarrows come in various types and sizes. Traditional single-wheel models are easy to maneuver in tight spaces, while two-wheel models allow more stability, particularly on uneven terrain. Look for a wheelbarrow with a sturdy construction and an ergonomic design to make hauling heavy loads easier.
Watering Tools
Watering may fill more of your gardening tasks, especially during summer. Fortunately, Amazon sells heaps of watering tools, making this job more efficient.
While a watering can with a long spout is enough for a small garden filled with potted plants, you’ll need a bigger watering solution for larger areas.
In this case, a garden hose with a variable spray nozzle or a sprinkler system is more practical.
For larger estates, soaker hoses and drip irrigation systems offer efficient watering solutions for specific needs, such as watering rows of plants or targeted watering at the root zone.
Final Words
Having these tools ready in your shed will make your gardening life more manageable and enjoyable. Quality matters when it comes to gardening tools, so you really have to invest in high-quality and long-lasting tools to save money in the long run. Plus, it is easier to do gardening if you have greater confidence in the equipment you’re using.
