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Spring is officially back, and if you're lucky, so is your garden. But this fast-growing season can quickly cause landscaping to become overgrown with weeds and unmanageable if not cared for regularly. That's why now is the perfect time for an outdoor spring clean-up: clear away dead plants, prune trees and shrubs, apply a new layer of mulch, trim your hardscape, and plant any annual additions. Before you get started, there's just one more task you need to complete: gather all of the gardening tools you'll need for the job.
Of course, when you walk into any hardware store, the gardening section is filled with endless options, which can be overwhelming. But experts say there are just a handful of multi-purpose gardening tools that everyone should have. Read on to find out which nine essential items to invest in if you want to keep your plants thriving all summer long.
We got advice from experts on what you need and picked some of our favorite products. Prices are accurate at time of publication but are subject to change.
Related: What is mulch and how it can turn your garden into a paradise?
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Before you plant anything new in your garden, you'll need to loosen the existing soil and till your flower beds to improve aeration and drainage. David Whitwam, founder of Whitwam Organics, says the best tool for this job is a digging fork, which looks similar to a rake but is more sturdy.
While pitchforks are great for tossing loose materials like leaves, hay, straw, compost, and fertilizer, digging forks have four finger-thick tines, Whitwam explains. These sturdy tines make digging forks great for turning over large areas and getting into deep-rooted plants.
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Two product reviewers known only as “Dave and Sissy” on TikTok and Instagram say Grampa's Weeder is another essential gardening tool to add to your arsenal, and they recently shared a rave review of the product with their audience of 1.2 million followers.
“If you have a lawn or garden, or know someone who does, you should definitely check out Grampa's Weeder. This amazing tool allows you to pick weeds while standing, which is easier on your back and knees,” Dave explains. “This tool has been removing weeds since 1913, and we couldn't believe how easy and effective it was to use…just place it over the center of the weed, push, and tilt.”
“This is a genius invention,” he added, demonstrating how incredibly fast the tool can remove weeds. “If you're a weed puller and you don't have this, you say, 'Where did this ever come from?'”
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Gardening can be a messy job, literally. That's why you should always wear protective gardening gloves when tending to your yard. There are a variety of materials to choose from, but popular choices include leather, bamboo, and cotton gloves reinforced with nitrile rubber or neoprene.
Consider how you will use your gardening gloves before purchasing: For example, leather gloves (such as those pictured here) may be too bulky for precision work, but have the perfect coverage for pruning or removing bulk debris.
Related: 8 Best Fire Pit Ideas to Transform Your Backyard into a Cozy Retreat.
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Next, experts recommend purchasing a hula-hoe (also called an action hoe or stirrup hoe), which is effective at cutting weeds by the roots, Whitwam says.
“The most effective way to use this to weed is to scrape the area and then come back a few days to a week later to remove any plants that are still living. If you remove plants too soon after using it, you'll end up picking up plants that would have died in place anyway,” a gardening expert told Best Life.
Luay Ghafari, garden consultant, educator, author, and founder of Urban Farm & Kitchen, says the stirrup hoe is one of his favorite tools to use in gardens that have flower beds or vegetable patches at ground level.
“It's called a stirrup hoe because the shape of the blade resembles the stirrup on a horse's saddle. The sharp blade at the bottom is ideal for cutting weeds at ground level. As you weed while standing, it's a great tool for people with back problems,” he points out.
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A shovel is also an essential gardening tool, used for preparing flower beds and digging deep trenches for drainage and plumbing.
“Spade shovels are great for digging up soil that's full of roots or that's really compacted, and of course they're great for digging holes because they cut through roots so easily,” Whitwam says.
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Flat spades differ from traditional round shovels in that they have a flat rectangular blade rather than a curved, concave blade, which allows them to be used more precisely and to penetrate deeper into the soil.
“A flat shovel is great for moving soil, mulch and compost,” Whitwam explains. “You can also use it to level the soil and spread compost evenly over your garden.”
They are also perfect for creating straight borders around flower beds.
Related: 13 Easy-Care Outdoor Plants for Beginners. ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb
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Ghaffari also recommends the “Hori-Hori knife,” a highly versatile stainless steel blade traditionally used in Japan, with a serrated edge on one side for digging, weeding and cutting, and a ruler engraved on one side for measuring.
“You can use it to dig trenches, weed, cut leaves, roots and branches,” Ghaffari explains. “I also use it to divide perennials for transplanting in the fall. It's a really multi-purpose tool that I use all season long, and because it's made from Japanese steel, it will last for many years.”
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Cutting back branches makes way for new growth, but pruning can be physically demanding. Experts say that ratcheting pruners can help you cut through even the thickest branches quickly, completing the job without the hassle, strain, or risk of injury.
In fact, during a recent product demonstration and review at the American Contractor Show, this gardening and landscaping tool was described as a “game-changer” due to its ease of use and safety.
“You stick this mass of limbs in there, take a deep breath, and give it all you've got,” the demonstrator says. “Nobody gets through in one go, so everybody's trying to find leverage in the wrong places – on themselves, on the ground, on the building.”
“Now, look at the pin,” he says, pointing out how a ratcheting feature effortlessly tightens the grip on the sear. “Every time you move the handle, you get the same force as when you first squeezed it. Instead of trying to cut two inches at a time, you're cutting half an inch,” he explains.
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Finally, whether you're a novice gardener just starting to get interested in plants or a seasoned professional well versed in all things botanical, hand tools such as a trowel, transplanting shovel and rake are a must-have. Adding these compact, simple, low-cost tools to your tool shed is perfect for precision work and will prepare you for a variety of manual gardening tasks.
