Everyone wants to keep their garden maintained during the spring and summer seasons to keep it looking good and to keep their plants growing right. You will need to get rid of weeds, water your garden and make sure it is kept fertilized well. Doing all of this will keep it maintained all season long and reward you when the fruits and vegetables are done growing. Here are some tools you will need to ensure your garden is kept well maintained all season long.
Shovel
The shovel is the most important tool for keeping a garden well maintained because it will allow you to dig in the dirt. You will need a shovel to dig holes for the plants and seeds you are growing in your garden as well as removing the dirt from the earth and either disposing of it or putting it somewhere else. One thing you need to remember is to keep your shovel sharp at all times even during the off season so you will always have one ready when you need to use it.
Spade
Many times a spade and a shovel are thought of as the same thing. However, they are quite different from one another. For one thing a spade may work better than a shovel when you are trying to edge the flower bed, get dirt out from under the sod and you can even use a spade to remove ice from the sidewalk during winter if you need to. The spade has a flatter head and is sharper than a shovel. One thing to remember when buying a spade is to try to find a stainless steel one because they don't rust as easily as other types of spades do.
Gloves
Gloves are mainly for those who don't want to get their hands dirty or have a sensitivity toward certain plants. They can also prevent you from getting cut by thorns and touching the bugs and snails that crawl on plants. However, for those who don't have these problems and like to get their hands dirty, you won't need gloves. If you really want to protect your hands from injury when gardening, make sure to choose the type that have reinforced knuckles and padding for your palms.
Trowel
The trowel is good when wanting to plant smaller plants such as bulbs and seedlings. They are also useful for cutting through debris, small weeds and small roots. One thing to remember when choosing and buying a trowel for maintaining the garden is to hold it in your hand and make sure it is not too heavy or too uncomfortable. Also, try to find one with a rubber coating which will be easier on your hands.
Making sure you have these tools is essential when keeping your garden maintained all season long. If you treat your garden right, it will reward you with beautiful flowers, plants and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Now that you know the tools needed to maintain the garden, lets talk about specific garden tools for seasons and for green living.
With green living being all the rage these days, it just makes sense to be eco-friendly with your garden tools as well. Did you know you can make your own garden tools and other garden items out of used and unwanted things from your garage or shed? Aside from making your own tools from used and unwanted things, you can also choose green garden tools to help save the environment as well as saving your wallet.
Make Your Own Green Garden Items
What is great about gardening these days is that you can be eco-friendly with it as well. One thing you can do is to reuse used or unwanted items as garden tools or plant pots. To make your own plant pots or flower beds, you can use an old wheel barrow or wooden barrels for large flower beds or plants. For smaller flower beds and plants, you can use old coffee containers or rubber boots. All you need to do is place some gardening soil inside of these old containers, make sure they are not too small or big for your plants or seeds and finally place the plant or seeds inside.
You can also use old bricks and place them around your garden as a boundary or even use them as a pathway for your guests to walk around your garden.
One good way to store your garden tools nearby so you won't have to keep carrying them back and forth from the garden back to the shed is to place an old mailbox or newspaper box near the garden to store them. You can even attach the mailbox or newspaper box onto your garden gate or fence to place your tools in. This will also keep them safe from the rain.
Another good idea is to collect rain water and reuse it to water your garden. This will save you from having to use your house water and running up your water bill. Also, your plants are getting a better source of water to drink.
You will want to use row markers to know what is planted and where. To make your own, simply take used Popsicle sticks and write on them what they are going to be marking. Then place them where the plants or seeds are so you will know what is planted and where.
Choosing Eco-Friendly Garden Tools
Instead of using gas powered tools that can hurt your wallet and the environment, use hand powered tools. They may be harder to use but you will thank yourself later when you have more money in your wallet and you know the environment is not getting all of that carbon and smog from the gas used in gas powered garden tools. For example, use a good old fashioned push mower instead of a gas powered mower to cut your grass.
When it comes to gardening, you don't have to be left out if you live in an apartment with no yard. You can use containers for gardening instead. This is especially true if you have a balcony where you can place your containers filled with seeds or plants to get the sunshine they need to help them grow. Here are some tools that are essential for container gardening to be a success.
Gloves
Regular gardeners aren't the only ones who need gloves when gardening. You can also use them when participating in container gardening. Gloves can be good for those who are sensitive to certain plants, those who don't want dirt in their fingernails or those who don't want to touch certain worms or other bugs that might be on your plants.
Watering Cans or Milk Jugs
You will need something to water your plants or seeds with to help them grow. You can either buy a watering can or save your money and use an old milk jug. Make sure to rinse and air out the milk jug before using it so you will have fresh and clean water for watering your container garden.
Trowel
If you don't want to get your hands dirty while digging in the dirt of your pots and planters, you can use a trowel instead. They are great tools when it comes to needing to dig in the dirt to plant your seeds or plants in your containers.
Pruners
Scissors might do the trick of cutting off old leaves and digging up old roots but a pruner will work better. Not only this but scissors can end up getting wet from the plants and scissors are not sharp enough like pruners are. Use pruners to get rid of dead leaves, foliage and old roots.
String or Yarn and Sticks
Container gardens need help with support to stand up. String or yarn and sticks will help with this. This is especially true for tomato plants. Sticks and yarn or string will also be needed for plants going up trellises as well as small trees. You can find sticks in your yard, the park or the woods and you can get string or yarn at a garden shop or a department store.
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is good for any type of garden no matter where you are gardening at. You can use liquid or pellet fertilizers and you can even buy a different fertilizer for each type of plant you are growing.
Knowing what tools and materials you need for your container garden will help you be prepared for when it is time to start your balcony or porch garden. You might have your own tools that are helpful to you but these tools are the most essential ones for any container garden.
When it comes to landscaping your yard, you want to be able to make it stand out from your neighbors' yards. Many homeowners want their yard and garden to look nice and beautiful and better than the rest or just as good. This is why you will need certain tools to get your landscaping done to make your yard stand out from the rest.
Pickaxe
When you need to break hard rocks and a shovel won't do the job right, you will need a pickaxe. You want one that has a wooden handle long enough so you won't be bending over too much. You also need one with a chisel on one end and a point at the other end to get the job done.
Post-hole Digger
If you are planning on putting up a fence while working on your landscaping project, you will need a post-hole digger to dig up the dirt the right way. A post-hole digger has two wooden handles attached to a blade and it will dig down into the dirt and lift it up easily.
Wheelbarrow
Many people use wheelbarrows when needing to take dirt and other materials from one end of the yard to the other end of the yard. It is a handy tool that will make things easier on you so you won't have to carry anything by hand.
Spade
You can use a spade to do what a shovel can't do well enough, dig up rocks and lift them into the wheelbarrow to dispose of or move to another area in your yard. A spade looks like a shovel but has a straighter edge to it. It does the work better than a shovel because it is sharper and straighter than a shovel.
Shovel
You can use a shovel to dig up dirt when you don't have a spade. It is a necessity to dig into the earth to remove dirt when planting trees, shrubs, flowers or anything else for your landscaping project.
Pruners
Pruners are an important tool when you have a lot of trees in your yard. You will need to prune the trees to help keep them alive and allow them to grow properly. Use pruners to prune the dead leaves, foliage and old roots from the trees to keep them neat and help them grow better.
Lawnmower
You will also need a lawnmower to keep your lawn trim and neat looking. No one wants a yard with tall grass and weeds in it so make sure to cut your grass whenever you think it needs it. Maybe once a week is good during the spring and summer season. There are now green and eco-friendly lawnmowers such as electric ones that you can use instead of the gas powered. Gas powered can be hard on your wallet and the environment.
It is that time of year again and time to prepare your garden for spring and summer. Many people enjoy making a garden during the spring and summer season because not only is it cheaper to grow and eat your own fresh fruits and vegetables but it is also healthier. When it comes to preparing your garden for the season and especially if you are a beginner, you will need to know the right types of garden tools.
Spade
A spade is one of the most important tools you can have for preparing your garden and the first tools you should use as well. It is for digging holes for the trees, flowers, fruits and vegetables you will plant. You can also use it to edge your flower beds and also for shoveling smaller items. Another thing a spade is good for is chopping up the roots of old trees before digging them up and planting new ones.
Hand Trowel
You will need a hand trowel for planting the bedding plants in your flower bed. If you want to plant things in boxes or planting pots during the summer, you will need a hand trowel for this as well. They come available in different types such as wood, metal or plastic handles. However, a wood handled one might be better to grip than a plastic one.
Hedge Shears
Shears will be needed if you have trees, hedges or shrubs that need tended to. You can also use shears for getting rid of grass around flower beds, along sidewalks and for trimming grass around your curbs. Make sure to buy one priced in the middle. You don't want them too cheap because they won't last long yet you don't want to pay too much because then you are just paying for the brand name.
Rake
A rake needs to be used for raking the piles of things you have cut and trimmed. Putting these things in piles will help you to be able to clean them up easier.
Shovel
You will not need this right away but you will eventually need it. A shovel can be used to move dirt, soil, sand and compost. You can also use a shovel like a dust pan with the rake when getting rid of the stuff you dug up with the spade.
Watering Can
Although you can use a bucket for a larger garden, you will need a watering can for pots and container gardens. They usually hold two gallons but you can also get one that holds less water which will be easier to lift and carry. The watering cans that hold less water can be used for hanging plants.
Hoe
A hoe can be used for getting rid of weeds in the garden and along sidewalks. Make sure to keep the blade sharp enough to be easier on you.
Now that you know what you need for preparing your garden it is time to get out there and start on it. Other garden tools that will make things easier include a wheel barrow, step ladder, water hose and a pick axe.
When it comes to caring for your garden tools, don't just throw them in the shed during the winter. Take the time to care for them and properly put them away so you can use them next spring for a new garden. If you care for them properly and put them away properly, you won't have to buy new ones next spring. The money you save not having to buy new garden tools can be used for buying new seeds and plants for your new garden during spring.
Clean and Disinfect
It is best if you clean and disinfect your hand tools such as hoes, trowels and rakes. Using soap and water will help get rid of dirt but you will also want to get rid of the stubborn clumps of dirt with a wire brush or a putty knife.
Your mowers and trimmers need cleaned too. You can use a putty knife to remove clumps of grass from them. Otherwise, leaving those clumps of grass can cause rust to settle in over the winter months.
Your sprayers need attention as well. Remove any leftover water or cleaner in the sprayers and dispose of them properly by reading the guidelines. Make sure to flush them out three times with soap and water to disinfect as well.
Remove Gas
Do not leave gas in your lawn mowers, weed whackers or trimmers over the fall or winter months. Remove the leftover gas with a turkey baster by siphoning it from each of these lawn tools. Or, if it is timed right, you can use these tools until the gas is run out. Don't forget to change spark plugs to have these tools ready for next spring. Also, properly remove batteries and store them for later.
Sharpen Blades
Sharpen blades on lawn mowers, hoes, trowels and shovels now before spring so you won't have to go through a rush to get them ready. Use a file or whetstone to sharpen the blades on your trowels, hoes and shovels. Have your lawn mower blades sharpened by a professional before the next spring season so you will be ready.
Prevent Rusting
To prevent your garden tools from rusting over the winter season, wipe them down with a special lubricant or oil. Make sure to pay special attention to the wheels and axels because they tend to rust easily. Store them upside down in a bucket filled with special sand and some motor oil. When storing them, make sure the blade is down inside the bucket.
Another thing to think about is to drain your water hoses and hang them up properly in your shed or garage. Also, properly hang up your sharp tools upright on hooks or nails to keep them off the ground or floor. For any chemicals you have that need stored for winter, the dry chemicals should be kept dry and the liquid chemicals need to be kept from freezing during the winter months. Store these chemicals in containers with lids on them.
This guide has covered the various types of tools available to you, how to maintain them and what can be used for various gardening techniques. There are hundreds of tools, gadgets and gizmos for gardening lovers. This guide should get you started and help you to determine what tools you need to start with and what tools can be expanded on later as you become more accustom to year round gardening techniques and options.