Great Tools for Great Gardening

It's no wonder so many people love gardening. It allows one to spend time in perfect tranquility, tending the earth and enjoying the stillness and serenity of nature. Gardening gives you a good reason to get dirty, and feel the warm earth between your fingers and toes. You are able to enjoy a sense of accomplishment when you garden, as you carefully plant and attentively pamper your crops. Best of all, gardening produces tangible, colorful, and delicious results for all of your hard work.

In any situation, the proper tools can make the work more pleasant. Experienced gardeners have their favorite tools. Some remain faithful to traditional tools, while some opt for more modern power tools. Whatever your preference, it is challenging to garden with no tools at all. When choosing gardening tools, it is important to consider the size of your garden, the type of tools you will most enjoy working with, as well as your physical ability. Traditional tools require a little more elbow grease. The cost of the tools, as well as the time you have to devote to your hobby, as also important considerations in your decision making process.

In springtime, even before planting begins, it is necessary to prepare the soil. The soil should be turned and irrigated, and, if desired, some organic fertilizer added at this stage. Many gardeners choose to use tillers and other equipment to help them with this pre-planting preparation. Having the right tools always makes the job easier. There is such a wide variety of cultivating tools available that you will have no trouble choosing the tools most suited for you gardening needs.

Hand tools are the typical choice of traditional gardeners. These include shovels, pitchforks, spades, rakes and trowels. All of these hand-held gardening tools will aid the gardener in preparing the plot for planting. Although they do call for some elbow grease, these tools are relatively easy to use. Other common hand tools are the pickax, mattock, and wheel cultivator.

Depending on the size of your garden, and the amount of physical labor you wish to commit to, you may wish to use power tools in your garden. Yes, they are somewhat more expensive, however, they get the job done with more ease. If you have a larger garden, a tiller will be very useful in preparing your soil. It is also helpful for people with mobility issues. A tiller is useful for breaking up the ground, to help mix compost and fertilizer into the earth, and to chop up any debris lying around. A tiller can be quite expensive, so they can also be rented at most tool supply stores. You may also choose to share with or borrow from a neighbor. Chippers, chainsaws, and shredders are additional power tools that are useful in the garden.

Pruning tools are handy to have if you have hedges, shrubs, and small trees on your property. Pruning shears are fine to use for branches about 3/4 inches in diameter, while lopping shears can handle branches from a half inch up to about 2 inches. Taller trees and shrubs require pole pruners, which allow the gardener to extend their reach to branches as high as 15 feet from the ground. Heavy-duty hedge shears and pruning saws are also handy gardening tools to have on hand.

Your garden will not survive without water. When nature doesn't take of your garden's water needs, it is a good idea to have watering equipment on hand. A garden hose with a good quality spray nozzle, or a sprinkler is very useful for those with a bigger garden or a grassy lawn. A basic watering can will be enough for a container garden made up of pots and planters. More advanced gardens may have irrigation systems with timers. These provide more accurate watering. Some gardeners may choose to use drip hoses for more even watering.

Remember that the tools you choose should make your gardening experience more pleasant and rewarding. If you want to get on your hands and knees and dig and the dirt, do it. You may simply desire a pair of gardening gloves to protect your hands from cuts and calluses. If you want quick results with a minimum of fuss, consider which tools will best suit your needs. In any case, you will thoroughly enjoy the fruits of your labors. Your lush, beautiful garden will be a haven to return home to every day. Enjoy!

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Leilani Rolphe is a writer for a variety of Internet sites, on lawn gardens and lawn and garden equipment themes.