A gardener's job is never done but it can be made easier with the proper tools. Using the right tools for the right job can increase your efficiency and save you time digging, planting and weeding. Read on to learn which gardening essentials you'll need to make yard work a breeze.
Gardening Hand Tools
A small investment in the right tools will make gardening much easier. Poor-quality tools often fail to do the job properly or cause injury because they are ill designed and made with cheap materials. For ergonomic hand tools, check out our large selection at the Home Depot.
Pruners
Uses:
- Anvil pruners (diameters of 5/8 inch or less) for dead twigs and branches and for roses, hydrangea and butterfly bushes
- Bypass pruners (diameters of 5/8 inch or less) for live stems and branches, raspberry bushes and lilacs, and for snipping flowers and herbs
Features to look for:
- Cutting diameter
- One-handed locking/unlocking
- Non-stick blades
- Comfortable grip to reduce pressure on wrists
Spades/Shovels
Uses:
- Border spades for small narrow borders and beds
- Spading forks for digging a bigger plot and regular gardening tasks
- Square-point shovels to transfer loose material and for light-duty jobs
- Round-point shovels for digging in sandy soil, planting, transplanting and cutting sod and small roots
Features to look for:
- Strong blade
- Comfortable handle
Trowels
Uses:
- Pointed trowels for breaking up dirt, planting bulbs and digging small holes
- Flat trowels for leveling or spreading soil
Features to look for:
- Contoured grip
- Strong blade
Rakes
Uses:
- Leaf rakes to remove leaves, debris and thatch
- Bow rakes for loosening and leveling tilled soil
Features to look for:
- Ergonomic handles that can be rotated for maximum flexibility to reduce stress on your back
Cultivators
Uses:
- Front-tine tillers are useful for preparing and maintaining flower beds and gardens
- Rear-tine tillers are great for aerating and loosening hard soil and removing weeds
- Mini-cultivators are ideal for working in small areas because they're lightweight and portable
Features to look for:
- Textured handle for good grip
Hoes
Uses:
- Garden hoe for chopping and weeding tilled soil and making shallow trenches for planting seeds
- Forged hoes for weeding, mounding earth and clearing garden growth
Features to look for:
- Lightweight with a non-slip grip
Shears
Uses:
- Hedge shears (diameter of 2 1/4 inches or less) for small shrubs, hedges and evergreens, and deadheading perennials
Features to look for:
- Rotating head to achieve preferred cutting angle
- Long, lightweight handle for easy reach
- Sharp blades for minimal pressure on wrists
Knives
Uses:
- Cutting string
- Hacking off intruding grass
Features to look for:
- Thinner blades, which are lighter to work with
- A handle that fits the size and shape of your hand
Need expert assistance? Visit your local Home Depot store to ask their associates about products or how-to instructions. The Home Depot expert associates are also available to answer your questions online. Visit them here.
