Today I want to share with you my favorite gardening tools. Week after week, I’m pulling these tools out of my garden shed to plant, maintain, and harvest in my garden. They’re my reliable partners that make my work just that much more enjoyable.
My Top 6 Favorites
Garden trowel with Serrated Edges.
This little trowel is my go-to tool when I’m in the garden. It’s my tiny shovel with teeth. I use it for all of my planting, digging, loosening soil around roots, scooping soil and compost. The serrated edges are great for opening bags of soil, and cutting into tough sod or through overgrown vines. The measurements on the blade help me determine planting depth.
Bow Rake
This simple garden rake has been with me for so long that I don’t even remember when I acquired it. It’s the same type of rake my parents used when they taught me how to plant a garden when I was a kid.
I’ve used it for many tasks including:
- Leveling soil
- Light weeding
- Digging shallow holes
- Marking rows for seeds
- Raking in small seeds
- Spreading mulch, dirt and gravel
- Turning my compost pile
Garden Cart
Last year my husband and I decided to purchase a small garden cart. We wanted an alternative to a wheel barrow, something that would last for many years on our homestead. It had to meet the following criteria:
- Super-strong and durable
- Large weight capacity
- Dump capability
- Adaptable handle to attach to garden tractor or ATV
- Easy to rinse clean
After just over a year, this cart has not disappointed!
We purchased the Strongway Steel Dump Cart with removable liner. It has a 1200 lb. capacity, pneumatic tires and a tight turn radius. I’ve hauled everything around my garden with it including: wood chips, bags of top soil, potted trees, and lawn clippings.
I love the easy quick-release dump feature for dumping wood chips and lawn clippings into the compost pile. It rinses out easily too. I expect this to last for many years.
Stihl Hand Pruner
I bought these pruners after the spring mechanism broke in my pair of Fiskars pruners. My Stihl hand pruner is durable and easy to grip. I use it on shrubs, vines, and small tree branches. It keeps a fine blade that can be sharpened or replaced if necessary.
Gardening Gloves
A couple of years ago, I switched from soft jersey gloves to knit gloves with nitrile coating on the palms and fingers. It has made a world of difference! I don’t have to switch out wet gloves halfway through a project, or peel off soggy gloves anymore. The knit backing is breathable and my hands don’t sweat as much during the summer.
5-Gallon Bucket
I can’t imagine working in a garden without at least one 5-gallon bucket. Back in the day, my grandparents used galvanized buckets and pails. Gardeners for generations have always relied on this simple tool. Not only are they a must-have for hauling dirt and debris, I also use them for storing rain water and potting small tree seedlings. Rural Sprout has a great blog post for 50 Brilliant Uses for a 5-Gallon Bucket that you can check out.
Other Useful Tools
Although those six are my favorite go-to tools when gardening, I also wouldn’t want to be without these handy items.
- Shovel – for all those larger digging and dirt-moving jobs.
- Pitchfork – makes turning compost so easy!
- Watering Can – I use one for watering potted plants, or at the base of tomatoes to keep water from splashing on the leaves.
- Garden hose – a must-have if you don’t have a drip-irrigation or underground watering system.
Tool Care Tips
- Keep them clean. A simple rinse with a garden hose is usually sufficient.
- Sterilize pruning tools. I wipe them down with Isopropyl alcohol.
- Store protected from the weather.
- Sharpen blades when needed and lightly oil with a plant-based oil like linseed oil to avoid rust.
- Rub down wooden handles with oil too occasionally to protect the wood.
Final Thoughts…
My favorite garden tools make gardening so much easier and having them close at hand helps get the job done quick. We recently built a garden shed to organize and store all our tools and gardening supplies. Check out my post: Homestead Garden Shed.
What are some of your favorite go-to garden tools? Let me know in the comments – thanks!
Happy Gardening!
Alisa
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