Taking care of your garden is not always an easy task. Sometimes it can feel like a daunting, time-consuming project that may not even be worth the effort. However, if you do take the time to properly maintain your garden, there are some basic tools and equipment that will make your life much easier. Take a look at this list of useful items so that your next gardening experience is a good one.
Hover Mower
A hover mower is a great alternative to a regular lawnmower. Since a hover mower sits closer to the ground, it doesn't have exposed blades so you don't have to worry about cutting into your foot or accidentally hitting some rocks that may damage the lawnmower. Also, since it doesn't actually cut any of your grass, but rather chops off up to 1/8 of an inch at a time (which eventually kills the grass), you end up with healthier and greener grass. You should keep in mind that it is generally much easier to push around smaller decks, so if you have a large yard and plan on using it often, get a bigger hover mower.
Shovel
A shovel is needed for turning over soil in beds and mixing in organic matter such as compost or manure. It is also helpful for removing remnants of dead plants and weeds from your garden and digging holes to plant new ones. Digging around established plants can help them become more robust by promoting root growth into the surrounding soil where nutrients are available for uptake by leaves and other parts. There are two types of shovels: scoop and spade.
Scoop shovels are pointed on one end for digging, while the other side is rounded to act as a plow. The handle is usually short for this type of shovel because it needs to be more strongly built to handle tougher jobs like breaking up hard ground or prying apart rocks or roots. Spade shovels, on the other hand, have a flat, rectangular blade for edging beds and cutting straight lines and also come in different sizes with either short or long handles. This type is very versatile and can be used with one hand or two depending on the length of the handle. It can also be used as a pick to break up hard ground or cut through roots and rocks.
Trowel
A trowel is a smaller version of a shovel and can be used in more delicate projects like digging in or around plantings for weeding, transplanting seedlings, making small furrows, and other tasks where you need to put the blade very close to plants. They come in a wide range of blade sizes and shapes, but most have a pointed end to dig into the soil and a flat side for scooping up soil or cutting through roots. The best ones are smaller and fit in well with your other gardening tools. You can find nearly any type of trowel out there, but the ultimate choice for quality and ease of use is one with a stainless-steel blade and ash wood handle.
Rake
A rake is useful for removing dead plant debris, preparing the soil in beds before planting seeds or starter plugs, and leveling out the topsoil after adding compost or other organic matter. There are two basic types to choose from: leaf rakes and bow rakes.
Leaf rakes have flat metal tines that can either be all the same length or have teeth on the ends for raking into flowerbeds without damaging plants. It works best in loose soil where leaves are plentiful and it is easy to sweep them up after raking. Bow rakes work by gathering material together, so they are better suited for heavy materials like hay or mulch that will not blow away easily. They also work well for spreading topsoil over garden beds to prepare them for planting. There are many different models available, but the best ones have strong tines that will not bend or break when they come in contact with rocks or roots and comfortable handles.
Garden Fork
A garden fork is a more heavy-duty version of a pitchfork. They have four or five prongs joined to a sturdy handle that can be long or short depending on the size of the job at hand. It has multiple uses, including turning compost piles and breaking up dense soil where other tools may get bogged down. Most garden forks have squared-off tines with sharp ends, but you can also find ones with flat ends for prying things apart without damaging surfaces like patios and driveways. The best models are made from rustproof metal in one piece with no welds because these tend to break under pressure much easier than solid forged steel forks.
In conclusion, Maintaining your garden will definitely become an easier and more satisfying task with the use of the above mentioned tools. So next time you decide to give your garden a fresher look, make sure you have all the essentials with you so that you can get the job done fast and with no hassles.