A good gardener is always prepared. While you can anticipate needing to do things like planting and harvesting crops, you never know what else might pop up. With that said, gardening requires a number of different things. You need to have the space to plant crops, or at least enough room to grow them in containers. You also need to have the seeds or seedlings, fertilizer (unless you’re going organic) and the right tools to do the job.
Out of all of the various gardening tools available on the market, there are five that are the most crucial. Unlike some of the modern, fancier “specialty” tools that you’ll find in any garden center or home improvement store, these five have been around for a while and have stood the test of time. You could say that they’re classics. No matter which categories you’ve put them in, you need to have them in your tool shed or garage in order to raise a successful crop of backyard garden vegetables.
1) Hoe – A hoe is a garden staple that can handle many different tasks. It can help you overturn dirt, get at pesky weeds and, in lieu of a tiller, help prepare your garden for planting. Look for a sturdy one that has a comfortable handle length.
2) Hose and nozzle – Without a hose and a good nozzle, you will be stuck watering your garden by hand with a watering can. While all of those trips back and forth to the spigot may be good exercise, they are certainly not time efficient. Choose a hose that is light enough to handle, but sturdy enough to last you a few seasons. Your nozzle should have different settings, from gentle spray to stronger spray, to allow you to reach your entire garden and customize the spray for each plant.
3) Tiller – A tiller overturns the dirt, making planting easier. There are a number of different kinds available on the market, from the large, tractor-driven ones to the old-school push ones that resemble lawn mowers in size and shape. If you don’t have the storage space for a tiller, you can rent one from some home improvement stores or garden centers – just make sure to purchase the right kind for your needs.
4) Shovels/Trowels – It is always a good idea to have several different types of shovels and trowels on hand. These tools can help you with everything from weeding to planting, and anything in between. The best trowels have sturdy hand grips that are ergonomically correct. Whether or not you choose one with a plastic grip or a metal one is up to you. You should also have a shovel (square headed) and a spade (rounded head with a pointy tip) on hand as well.
Gardeners need to be prepared for just about any circumstance, as you never quite know what challenges are going to pop up during the growing season. With these four crucial tools in hand (and several variations of them – just to make sure that you have every base covered) you will be ready for anything, especially growing and harvesting crops!
Pic by lisagsf
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