I’ve tried out dozens of tools over the years. Many collect dust in the back of the shed, but my favorites are used every single week. They save me time, effort, and frankly make gardening more enjoyable too! So what are the best gardening tools every gardener should own? Let’s find out…
1. Hand Fork
I love to get up close and personal when I’m gardening – right in among the plants I’m growing, and there’s one tool more than other than enables you to do that: the hand fork.
More than any other tool, this handheld beauty takes on many roles. It’s just the ticket for digging small holes for planting vegetables, and unlike a hand trowel it’s easy to loosen up the soil at the bottom of the planting hole, making it easier for roots to spread out and make themselves at home.
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The hand fork is an indispensable multi-purpose tool
It’s just the job for marking out shallow trenches or drills for sowing short rows, and it’s simple to just run it along the row to cover seeds back over with soil. I also use it to dig out weeds or even use it like a mini hoe to skim off shallow-rooted annual weeds.
It’s versatile and perfect for precision work in tight garden spaces, which is why it’s probably my number one tool.
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A dandelion weeder makes short work of deep-rooted weeds
An honororable mention must go to the dandelion weeder. It’s an incredibly useful tool for levering out weeds with deep tap roots like dandelions.
2. Garden Hoe
Next up, my garden hoe. Its sharp-edged cutting blade makes it perfect for more comfortably removing weeds between plants, without having to stoop to hoik them out. Regular passes with the hoe slice weeds off at the soil surface, and by keeping the soil moving, many weeds don’t even get a chance to even pop up in the first place.
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A hoe makes short work of weeds
A good hoe can also be used to help break up clods of soil, and it’ll help to shape rows and draw up soil around potatoes or the stems of corn to help support your crop.
Simply put, the hoe can save time and effort – and your back – when maintaining larger beds or preparing soil, making it a hard-working addition to my top five.
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The swoe's three blades are very effective for hoeing in tight spaces
My second honorable mention goes to the swoe, It’s got three cutting blades, which makes it super handy for getting in really tight spaces when weeding.
3. Watering Can
I don’t use an irrigation system, so I’m regularly out in the garden spot-watering my crops to keep them perked up and happy. Hosepipes save trips back and forth for refilling, but really it’s the good ol’ watering can that wins out for me.
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A watering can makes mixing up liquid fertilizers easy
It’s essential for watering plants efficiently, and gently to avoid damaging seedlings and younger plants. The rose on the spout gives a good even coverage of water, and it’s actually a lot quicker than the hosepipe (certainly in my garden!).
My trusty watering can is filled from barrels of collected rainwater rather than having to use mains water, giving plants a far superior soaking. And because I know it holds two gallons of water, diluting and applying liquid feeds for the likes of my tomatoes is child’s play. I find a watering can a super-flexible, super-straightforward way to keep my plants hydrated.
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A good pair of pruners is worth investing in
4. Pruners
I always keep a good pair of pruners close to hand, because you never know when you might need it as you go about the garden. For example, use it for cutting back overgrown shrubs, harvesting a crop that’s reached perfection., trimming dead or diseased growth, or snipping off tomato sideshoots.
Well-made pruners help me to promote healthy growth in my plants, enjoy cleaner harvests, and keep everything trim and in shape.
A third honorary mention must go to the humble pocket knife. It comes with me wherever I go in the garden, and it’s really handy for little jobs like cutting twine, cutting open potting mix bags, whacking off stray bits of soft growth, or even harvesting a head of broccoli.
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A pocket knife is useful for all sorts of little jobs as you go about your gardening
5. Garden Fork
My fifth must-have tool is the garden fork. Mine is relatively compact, well-made, and has lasted for some time, unlike some of my previous forks that snapped under too much pressure!
I use my garden fork for digging or moving just about anything: manure from bulk bags to help feed my garden soil, to mix and turn the compost heap, to spear-and-gather piles of prunings or weeds. or simply to dig out bigger planting holes. The tines make it easy to pierce soil, compost or manure, so it’s swift and straightforward to use.
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A simple fork has many different applications in the garden
Like my hand fork, it’s deliciously versatile, and very simple to wipe clean and store away at the end of each gardening session. I love it!
A rake can be a handy tool too, but it’s not essential as I can use the back of my fork in exactly the same way as a rake to level off soil or compost,
What are your favorite gardening tools? Let me know in the comments below.
