Best Tools to Start a Garden
Changeable and unsettled conditions are expected across the UK during the next week. Low pressure systems will tend to dominate bringing showers or longer spells of rain for most of the UK, with some brief settled periods.
Some heavy rain or showers can be expected, in the west, with some of this spreading to other areas at times. Snow will probably be confined to high ground in the north. Periods of strong wind are possible, especially around coasts. Some short-lived spells of drier weather are possible, particularly in the southeast.
Temperatures will likely be close to average or slightly above overall.
Time to Review Your Tool Shed
It is the time of year when conditions in the garden are becoming wet and the heavier soils sticky and unworkable. At this time, if we work those soils we destroy the structure.
So, it’s time to check our tools, clean and sharpen them and see if an additional tool might ease our work in the future.
With the season of gifting being close it might be an idea to give some thought to your own tools or those of your beloveds and friends.
Major Considerations and Recommendations for Buying Tools
When buying tools it is not worth trying to save money.
The best garden tools and equipment like the heavy hoe, spade, fork, leaf rake wheelbarrow, watering can and hand trowels are still the ones made in Britain with British steel and metal (exception copper tools). Bulldog, Spear and Jackson tools are highly recommended. I personally avoid buying in garden centres and rather go online if I know what I need or go to garden machinery repair shops, where I can feel the weight, balance and the quality of the tool.
Also, the length of tool handles is a very personal choice depending on height of person.
The attachment of the tool to the handle is essential for proper and easy handling and effective use.
When it comes to secateurs, I’d recommend tobuy Felco No2.
The best loppers I sourced from Wolf. They have also light hoes (duckfoot or swivel hoes and garden rakes which have exchangeable handles. Highly recommended.
What about the modern tools, so-called ergonomic tools with specially shaped handles to safe you bending too much? I stay away from them.
Why? They are easy for lifting but don’t transfer the power of weight when it comes to digging and getting into hard ground. And I still dig the garden when needed using the French Intensive Biodynamic way.
Essential Tools to Have in a Garden
Heavy Hoe:
In my experience a Chillington hoe (heavy hoe, see image) is essential for clearing away turf of grass when breaking new ground or for weeding overstanding, touch old weeds or flowers stalks, instead of having to pull them out of the ground.
We attempt always to undercut the plants below the growth point, so they don’t come back.
This type of how proofs indispensable for hoeing in green manures.
Garden Spade:
This tool is very handy for digging heavy soils, for applying compost to the beds, mixing potting mixes and edging beds. Traditional gardeners had used it also for skimming the grass off to prepare the ground for a new garden. I prefer using the heavy hoe for skimming. There are many types of spades.
Garden Fork:
This Is an indispensable tool for digging heavier soils, breaking up soils to get out the perennial weed roots, for tilthing or tilling to break up heavy clods, particularly after heavy frosts in preparation for transplanting or sowing.
In lighter soils or with better structure forks are handy for forking over the garden beds and for forking in compost. If you don’t have a long handled manure for it serves also for turning compost or loading bulky organic materials into the wheelbarrow to go on the compost.
Long Handled Shovel:
Instead of buying expensive ergonomic spades, rather get one of these for heavy lifting of soils, sand and other materials. This really can make a difference to your back.
Long handled Manure Fork:
The same applies as to long handled shovel saving you to bend and use the leverage of the long handle to pick up bulky organic materials and for turning compost (if you still turn your compost).
Garden Rake:
A long handled rake with at least 35-40 cm width with slightly curved, pointed, square tines is another essential tool to shape beds and prepare seed beds.
Remember that for levelling you can use also the back of the rake for a final pass if the soil is not too wet.
Leaf Rake:
This is muchundervalued for keeping your gravelled drive weed free; for collecting leaves and other organic debris and I’d make sure I’d buy a metal rake with a wooden handle instead of plastic. This way you can use it also for scarifying lawns and levelling beds if soil is light and well structured.
Wheelbarrow:
I highly recommend to get galvanised, broad bucket wheelbarrow with an inflatable wheel for ease of transport to save yourself getting paint into your garden from a metal wheelbarrow, which usually lasts half the time.
Watering Can:
The best watering cans are galvanised Haws watering cans with a fine rose attachment for watering your seedlings.
What’s the Difference Between Metal, Stainless Steel and Copper Tools?
Metal tools are usually the cheapest and last a long time. They need good cleaning to keep them form rusting. As heavy soils stick to rust you find work being harder as the soil tends to stick to these tools more easily.
Stainless Steel tools are easier to keep clean and are usually more efficient to use as they are smoother and need less force to work with therefore when digging.
The price can be 30-50% more than metal tools.
Copper, Copper alloy or brass tools cost twice as much as Stainless Steel tools or often 3-4 times as much as metal tools. They add a quality to the soil which helps the growth of plants and supposedly does not discharge the soil of growth energy like metal tools do. The disadvantage is they wear out much faster.
Here you go – choices to make that we didn’t have 50 years ago when I started gardening.
Happy shopping and gifting
Hans-Günther
