List of the Essential Gardening Tools

When you take up gardening, you might get overwhelmed by the huge variety of gardening tools you can choose from. Some people will use secateurs, dibblers, Hori Hori knives, and whatnot. For others, they’ll just take up space in the storage and collect dust. Not to mention they can add up to a hefty sum if they’re good-quality gardening tools.

This guide aims to make your choice better and more informed. We’ll start with the essential gardening tools any beginner gardener should have, as well as some additional mentions for those of you who take gardening extremely seriously (if gardening can be extreme). Let’s go!

Essential gardening tools

Here’s a list of the essential tools anyone with a garden should have.

Gardening gloves

A good pair of gardening gloves is essential for everyone who spends a great deal of time in the garden. Go for a durable (but not bulky) pair. They’ll keep your hands safe from thorns, splinters, blisters, and any minor inconvenience gardening might throw at your hands.

Watering can

A watering can is the simpler option to water garden beds or potted plants compared to a hose. We specifically recommend one with a long and slender spout because it allows you to deliver water where it’s needed. Some plants can develop rot if not watered right.

Pruning shears

Please don’t put your kitchen scissors through the experience of cutting plants in the garden. Invest in a good pair of sharp pruning shears or secateurs. Your garden requires regular pruning, and these come in handy if you decide to tend to shrubs and fruit trees.

Spade or Shovel

The difference between a spade and a shovel is that the spade is pointier and used for digging, while the shovel is flat and used for scooping and moving things around.

A trusty spade is better if your projects are on the smaller side, and you don’t necessarily need to move half of your garden to the other side of the yard. It’s smaller and easier to work with. Grab one with a strong steel spade and a fibreglass handle, and it will last you a lifetime.

Garden trowel

The spade’s little handheld brother. An invaluable tool for every gardener.

Advanced gardening tools

After you get out of your beginner phase, you can get into more advanced gardening. And by that, we mean pruning trees or hedges, getting into more advanced or just bigger projects, you’ll need an extended list of garden tools.

Wide-brimmed hat

By this point, if you’re really into gardening, you’ll consequently spend more and more time outside, so you definitely need to wear a hat. You might overlook the importance of sun protection while working in the garden. Our advice is – Don’t! The Australian sun is unforgiving, and you better protect yourself. A good straw hat will guard you not only against a nasty case of a sunburned neck but also from a heat stroke. Not to mention prolonged sun exposure is linked to skin cancer. So wear your protection!

Loppers

While technically not shafted tools, they do offer a much-improved reach over secateurs and must be used with both hands. This, however, provides a huge increase in cutting power for when you need to cut off a whole branch from a tree or a hedge.

Pole saw

The pole saw is a rather niche tool, but if the loppers can’t reach or cut through something, this is your best bet. They come in both powered and non-powered varieties and with varying pole lengths depending on your needs.

Combined hoe

A fork hoe and a regular hoe in one, this tool will save you space while giving you the functionality of both. Perfect for aerating and breaking up soil.

Loop hoe

Also called an oscillating hoe, scuffle hoe, or hula hoe, this gardening tool is perfect for weeding as it effortlessly pulls out the roots of the invaders. It’s also convenient for tidying up the edges of your garden beds, thanks to its shape. The loop hoe slips very easily under the top layer of soil, making it very good for cultivating it or when you wish to add compost to it.

Golden gark

The golden gark is a multi-purpose 3-in-1 rake. We are pretty sure the golden gark is on its way to replace the traditional rake. You can use it to rake leaves and sift soil. It’s also advertised as being able to be used as a shovel, but we personally think that’s a bit of a stretch.

Weeding sickle

The ultimate weapon in the war against the weed invaders. The weeding sickle will strike where it hurts the most – the roots. It cuts times better than a regular hoe, and it’s much more precise. You just hook it around the weed about 3-4cm in the soil, and it will slash its roots clean off.

Dibbler

A simple tool for putting down holes for planting. It’s typically marked along the length to minimise the guessing game of how deep you should make the hole.

Hori Hori knife

Also known as a Japanese gardening knife, this little miracle will become your best gardening buddy. The Hori Hori knife is a concave knife with one edge for cutting and another for sawing. It easily replaces both the gardening trowel as you can use it to move soil, and the modern models are graded like the dibbler. As a bonus, the name means “Diggy Diggy” in Japanese. Isn’t that cute?

Water wand

When you use a water wand, the water loss is minimal. The wand can extend, and you can change the spout head to suit your needs. Grab a model with a built-in valve, so you don’t need to walk back and forth to the spigot whenever you need to shut off the water.

Wheelbarrow

What can we say about the good old trusty wheelbarrow that you don’t already know? It’s not an essential tool if your garden is small, but it’s invaluable otherwise. It has stood the test of time, from keeping all your gardening tools nearby to moving and removing the heavy loads of garden waste for you.

Cloches

Cloches are miniature greenhouses used to shield plants from the cold and winds. They are often made of glass or transparent plastic, but you can also find wicker and wireframe varieties. The latter protects from pests and can be overlayed with straw or plastic depending on the plant’s needs to serve its original purpose.

Takeaways

Did we miss a garden tool that you love? Tell us in the comments below!