~Sakshi Desai (@sakshi_desai)
Want to opt gardening as your hobby ! A gardening beginner? Let’s see. Gardening teaches you patience, responsibility, keeps you satisfied. Adding more to it, you become physically and mentally stronger. Adding on, what’s more better then getting fresh fruits and vegetables your choice grown by you?
Free from any chemical substances like insecticides, fertilizers, herbicides growing them gives you a just proud moment and happiness to cook and have them. For gardening beginners this is the just right place to get information about the tools which are necessary for gardening.
So let’s begin with the 9 most essential tools which are a must in the toolbox of any gardening beginner.
Table of Contents
1. HAND TROWEL
A hand trowel is small handy tool used for digging smoothening or moving a small amount of substance. A typical gardening hand trowel or a gardening trowel is Dipper shaped and point at it is mouth . It usually has a metallic, plastic,wooden or a rubber coated handle Hand trowel are used for digging small holes, for planting small bulbs,or herbs. For planting shrubs or trees, digging a hole iding a hand trowel takes lots of time and seems utter nonsense.
2. HOE
Used for weeding and weathering loose soil for shaping it, hoe is along elongated instrument which has a thin metal plate attached at the end.
There are various types hoes available in market used for various purposes. Some of them are mentioned below.
- Digging hoe
- Draw hoe
- Reciprocating hoe
- Sweeping hoe
And many more…
Hoes are applied to tenderize the soil, cut weeds or unnecessary vegetation, shape the soil in a desired way, mixed fertilizer powder in the soil and many more ways.
3. DIGGING FORK
In simple words,(especially for a gardening beginner) a gardening fork is a gardening implement having a straight rod with some sturdy tines at the end (generally 4-5). Using the tines a gardening fork can penetration deep in soil very facilely. It is a must to have this instrument if you live in clayey or rocky area.
Other uses include breaking and oxygenating soil, Digging up small bulbs and roots, spread and mixing composts, etc.
4. GARDENING RAKE
A gardening rake is akin to a broom but has tines fixed to a handle down below. Primarily it is used for cleaning purposes like collecting leaves, hay, grass. In gardening it is also used for loosening soil, weeding, removing dead weeds or grass, lawn cleaning etc.
Many types of rakes are available in the markets. Gardening beginners may find it a bit confusing to buy one of them. Here is a list of things of rakes available ,to make your work a bit easier.
- Leaf rake
- Thatch rake
- Bow rake
- Hand rake
- Shrub rake
And many more…
5. SPADE
A spade is a common tool used primarily for digging. A spade is very easy to use especially for gardening beginners. It consists of a ‘flat blade with a asoft edge at the end ‘ attached to rod or a shaped wooden stick. The basic use of a spade is to dig a hole or to remove the digged soil.
6. A WEEDER
Numerous types of weeders are in stock in the market,but we’ll talk about the manual one. In the manual weeders also there are many of the types available, but the one specified in the image is a typical weeder. It is called a fulcrum weeder. It is very easy to use (for the gardening beginners too). Just poke it in the soil near the roots of the weeds and uproot the weeds.
7. STEP EDGDER
A step edger is a “Made For Gardening Beginners” tool. I meant it is very easy to use. This very useful tool is used for shaping up soil or lawn. It is very handy if you’re trying to make your lawn look neat and tidy with sharp edges.
8. A PRUNER
A PRUNER is a very strong type of gardening scissors used in cutting branches , strong enough to cut hard branches of shrubs and small trees. It has short handle and a sharp blade generally made of stainless steel, carbon steel or titanium coated alloy. They usually have a bent blade. But do not get confused between pruners and hedge shear ( here’s it coming).
9. HEDGE SHEAR
A gardening hedge shear is a large gardening scissors, used for shaping leaves, cutting whole branches, small branches etc. It can also be used to cut woody material up to ½ inch thick.
Note: All the tools informed here are manual . Many of these may also be available in electrical form.
Conclusion
There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments.
Jannet Phillips
At last, planting is the main aim. Let there be a mutual relation between you and your garden as well as your tools. Nurture them as if they are your body part. At last it’s just peace of mind. Using expensive tools, is a secondary thing. So I’d conclude by a short poem.
The pitchfork and the shovel
Anonymous
each gave a lusty leer.
The trowel and the steel rake
stared too- that much was clear
For romping in the dirt
‘twixt a freshly planted row,
was the farmer hot and sweaty with his favorite little hoe!
Image courtesy: Pixabay
