Basic Gardening Tools Every Newbie Should Have

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Gardening is one of the best ways to relax, and it provides you with fresh air while doing it. But if you are a garden newbie, you do not want to go overboard buying garden tools for beginners.

So, when shopping, first consider your budget and storage space. Then start with the basic tools for beginners instead of the ones looking advanced. Also, do not aimlessly stroll the aisles; seek assistance from someone with years of gardening experience.

That is why Plantly decided to list essential gardening tools for beginners here.

List of Essential Gardening Tools

With the tool list here, you can use them for your vegetable garden beds to indoor plants.

Gloves To Protect Hands Cleaning Garden Beds

Yes, gardening means getting your hands dirty, but it does not need to be that way. It is not fun when you need to clean a garden bed and get splinters, sharp stones, or thorns in your hand.

So, gloves are ideal for protecting your delicate hands from injuries, especially if you are a newbie. But you cannot wear just any glove; it helps to have gardening gloves. It must be thick and durable when working with delicate plants and seeds.

The gloves should not fit too tight, causing calluses or blisters or slipping off. It should be water-resistant with longer cuffs. Lastly, the gloves need to provide you with a firm grip opening bags of fertilizer, using garden tools, or working with pricky fruits or vegetables.

Hand Trowel for Turning Soil

If you cannot get the essential gardening tools on the list, then at least invest in a hand trowel. The tool will help you turn over the soil on plant pots, flower beds, window boxes, and planters.

With a broad blade, you can rearrange more soil, while a narrow blade is great for digging up weeds. Finally, you find the hand trowel in steel designs with wooden handles for added grip.

While you can find it in plastic with metal handles as well. The important thing is to place it in your hand to feel the weight and if it is comfortable to use.

Hand Pruners or Pruning Shears

Some other essential tools are hand pruners or a pruning shear. With the hand pruner, you get the versatility to trim the small tree branches, perennial plants, to shrubs. The best is to choose a bypass-style pruner where the top blade can pass the bottom blade when slicing.

You get a tear-free cut that helps your plants heal faster. Using an anvil pruner damages the stems as the top blade chops down onto the bottom one. Another helpful thing about these gardening tools for beginning gardeners is that you can harvest vegetables without damaging your plants.

Hand Fork or Cultivator

Another essential tool is the hand fork or cultivator to scratch soil to remove weeds in the garden or container. Never skimp on this tool, as a cheap one might break too soon. Choose one that is strong for you to handle with a solid build where the head and shaft join.

You can find the tools for beginners sold in sets with a pruner.

Long-Handled Shovels and Spades for Digging Holes

No gardener can go without a long-handles shover and a spade. It would help if you had your spade for making holes for planting seeds, trees, and more. It is a crucial garden tool as you can use it for edging your flower beds or even shovelling small amounts of dirt.

You can chop off small tree roots using your spade to dig them up. Look for quality tools made of stainless steel, which will not rust with a sharp blade to make digging holes easier. Another helpful tool is the shovel with a rounded edge that is also great for digging holes or moving soil.

Garden Rake

There is no need to spend a fortune on a leaf blower if you have a leaf rake. It is an essential tool but is needed in the fall. You find the garden rake in different colors, shapes, sizes, and styles. You can even find adjustable rakes that you can use for multiple purposes.

Preferably choose a garden rake with steel tines as it is tougher and more durable than plastic ones. The only good use for plastic tines is to rake leaves or use delicate seedlings.

Garden Hoe

The garden hoe you choose depends on your garden tasks but having a sturdy wide one is best for a vegetable garden. If you do have a perennial garden, then selecting a lighter one with a thinner design is best. The hoe needs to feel comfortable in hand and provide you with a long reach with a sharp edge blade to prepare a garden bed or help remove weeds.

Garden Hose with Adjustable Nozzle

A garden hose with a flexible nozzle is another essential tool as your outdoor plants need water. With the adjustable nozzle, you can manage the water pressure when watering newly sprouted seeds or delicate flowers.

Another great thing is to invest in a rotating nozzle that prevents your hose from getting twisted. Also, estimate the hose length before buying one as the longer the hose the water pressure is lower.

So, before starting your garden, ensure that it is close enough to the water source as a hose needs to be kept coiled and out of direct sunlight.

Self-watering Container

The self-watering cans are not a must but help if you do go on vacation or away from home a lot. You can use the container to provide water to the plant roots and keep them hydrated indoors or outside.

The base of the container is the reservoir that allows your plants to absorb the water at a pace and will alert you when empty.

Garden Fork

When you plan on growing plants in rocky soil, it helps to have a garden fork. You can use it to turn over the ground to remove the rocks and use it to turn compost piles. Another helpful thing about garden forks is that you can use them to harvest your potatoes or separate large plants.

Garden Shears

If you plan to grow hedges, then the garden shear is a must. You can use it to trim hedges, shrubs, and trees. It looks like scissors but in a bigger form. We recommend looking for a quality one instead of a cheaper version.

Wheelbarrow

The priciest gardening tool for a beginner is the wheelbarrow, but it’s a helpful tool. You can place all the above tools inside it to cover a great distance in the garden. You can use your wheelbarrow to haul compost, soil, or mulch bags.

Final Thoughts

Whether it is summer or winter, the gardening tools above will make working in your garden simpler. All the tools mentioned are beginner-friendly and will prepare you to work like a pro to invest in more tools later.

Whether you want to buy, sell or simply reach out to other plant enthusiasts, Plantly is the right place to be!