In reality, it only takes a few key tools to achieve most tasks in the garden. Many tools are versatile and suited to more than one purpose and so if you purchase carefully you can kit yourself out economically with some core pieces of equipment that will last you years.
To help you get started in the garden, we’ve put together a kit list to help you set up your perfect shed:
Secateurs
A good pair of secateurs are essential and will be all you need for 90% of the cutting, trimming, and pruning in your garden – from lopping off hard branches of shrubs, to cutting perennials down to ground level after flowering.
Keeping plant growth in check is an important part of keeping your plants healthy and productive. Have a read of our pruning blog for more information on when, where, and why to prune..
Hand Trowel
The hand trowel is a handy tool for many small tasks. These can range from transferring soil into pots, to planting, to making grooves for placing seedlings. It also allows for gardening in awkward or smaller spaces that you wouldn’t be able to get to with a long spade.
Watering can
Watering your plants is essential and so a watering can is a must have item. While a hose or sprinkler is good for watering established borders, a watering can is ideal for new plant containers, hanging baskets and greenhouse crops.
Though watering is an straightforward gardening job, there are some considerations to really make sure you’re giving your plants the best shot and so we’ve also put together a simple guide to watering to help you ensure your plants are getting the right amount of nourishment.
Long Spade
Look for a strong spade that will be durable. It’s important to choose one with a long enough handle to suit your height, also one that will be light enough to move easily. You’ll be using your spade for digging holes for larger plants and bushes, slicing through roots and soil, edging beds and lawns, and preparing beds for planting.
Long Fork
Perfect alongside a spade, forks are the ideal tool for breaking down firmly packed soil, dislodging rocks, and breaking up clumps that a spade can’t get through. Digging forks are also one of the best ways to aerate your soil.
Rake
A necessary tool for removing leaves and other debris from lawns and borders (if we’re honest, we don’t much like leaf-blowers at Dig…). Rakes are also good for levelling soil and spreading mulch when preparing new beds.
Kneeler
A good old-fashioned kneeler will your make time in the garden much more comfortable. It’s best to get right down to soil level for a lot of jobs, and a kneeler will protect your back, your clothes, and, of course, your knees.
Gloves
Although there are many tools for many purposes, your most useful tool is often your hands and so it’s vital to have a good pair of protective gloves. Gardening gloves are essential for protecting your hands from dirt, scratches and scrapes – particularly when tackling thorny or spiky plants. If you don’t believe us, try a day’s gardening without them…
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Having the right tools will make you more confident, efficient and comfortable in your garden. You don’t need to spend much money, but it’s worth investing in a few good quality tools and looking after them properly by keeping them clean, dry, and well-oiled when necessary so that you can get on with the more important task of enjoying your garden.
