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The Basic Tools Every Gardener Needs And How To Use Them

Loppers

These are long-handled secateurs that can be used to cut branches that ordinary secateurs could not manage or reach. In practice, if you have ordinary secateurs and a pruning saw, it is unlikely you will need loppers as well. The long handles enable you to reach higher branches, but they can be unwieldy to use.

Shears

These are primarily designed for trimming hedges, but they can be used for cutting small awkward areas of grass around trees, etc. and even for pruning. They should be comfortable to use and not too heavy.

Electric hedge trimmer

This is only worth buying if you have a lot of hedge. A blade 44 cm/18 in long will be enough for most hedges. Trimmers can be extremely dangerous to use so before you buy one check the safety mechanisms - it should have a hand guard and an automatic cut-off if you let go of the trigger. Bear in mind that trimmers are tiring to use and very noisy and will not contribute at all to your peaceful afternoon pottering in the garden (or to your neighbour's!).

Lawnmower

The extent of the grassy areas of your garden will determine what type of lawnmower you need. Anything up to about 75 m2/ 250 sq ft can be tackled with a simple cylinder mower that you can push yourself. Any more than this and you will need an electrical or petrol mower. Hover mowers adapt best to uneven ground. Cylinder mowers have a series of blades arranged around a cylinder, which cut against a fixed blade at the bottom and give a close cut. Rotary motors have a single blade that turns around, cutting the grass as it turns. These are most suited to dealing with longer grass but can be used for lawns provided you are not aiming at an absolutely flat surface. If in doubt, buy a smaller mower rather than a larger one. Although it will take slightly longer to cut the grass, it will be much easier to manoeuvre.

Strimmers

These are useful for very long grass, for example, meadow areas or around hedges and trees where a mower would be awkward to use. They are powered by petrol or electricity; although the electric ones are much lighter, the length of the cable can be restrictive.

Edgers

If you want your lawn to look neat and tidy where it meets paths and flowerbeds, you will need some sort of edging tool. Long-handled shears are useful for cutting grass that overhangs the edge of the lawn, and cutters with blades at right angles to the handles will trim the grass near the edges. A half-moon cutter will tidy the lawn and can be used to reshape it.

Rakes

A useful general purpose rake is usually about 30 cm/12 in wide with 12 metal teeth, either flattened or circular like large nails. This can be used to collect up stones from the surface and to break up lumps of soil. If you then turn the rake over, it can serve to level the soil.

A spring-tined or wire rake has a curved head and is mostly used on lawns, either to collect leaves or to scratch out moss. The teeth or tines are much finer than on other rakes and will not damage the grass so much.

Besom or brush

A besom is one of the best tools to use for sweeping up leaves and is simply a collection of twigs tied to a larger stick to form a traditional witch's broomstick.

Wheelbarrow

As with many tools, whether or not you need a wheelbarrow will depend on the size of your garden. Most wheelbarrows have a single wheel at the front and two metal legs at the back. Plastic wheelbarrows are lighter to use but not as strong as metal ones. Galvanized metal is probably the most popular material for general use, but you must watch for any rust and treat it as soon as it appears. If you need to push the barrow across the lawn or soft ground frequently, it might be worth buying a ball wheelbarrow or one with an inflatable tyre as this will not sink into the ground so much.

Hoe

There are many types of hoe, but the best all-rounder is a Dutch hoe. This is ideal for weeding in between plants and even seedlings. By pushing the blade parallel to the soil and just below the surface, the blade will cut off any weeds and avoid disrupting the soil.

The swan-necked or draw hoe has a curved neck and is used with an up and down movement. It will chop out weeds and can be used for breaking up soil and drawing seed drills.

Short-handled hoes are also available and are useful in restricted areas.

Mattock

This is like a small pickaxe, with a sharp, pointy front and a wider chisel-shaped end. It is useful for breaking up stony ground.

Bulb planter

This is useful as it makes a neater hole than a trowel. However, it will only work in medium to heavy soils as sandy soils do not hold together. Bulb planters do not work well in stony soils.

Sieve

Sieves are useful for removing stones from seedbeds and for scattering a fine layer of compost over seeds.

Equipment for seed growing

For this you will need seed trays or plugs, flowerpots, a dibber for making holes and a widger for moving seedlings (the last two can really be improvised by using a pencil and a lolly stick). You will also need a waterproof marker and labels.

Of course, you could always save yourself the hassle of doing the gardening yourself. How? Hire a gardener from here!

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