All you need are the basics for a happy, healthy garden
BY NANCY MATTIA, CTW FEATURES
Having a beautiful, bountiful garden takes work and the right equipment. Take a look at this list of the top dozen items that do their jobs efficiently and save you time and effort:
1. Spade
The pointy edge of this popular hand tool helps pierce the soil and break up lumps, says Evelyn Tully Costa, a garden designer in Brooklyn, New York.
2. Hand trowel
You can rely on this mini shovel for tasks like digging out spots in the garden for flowers and plants and for digging up weeds.
3. Hand cultivator
The claw shape of this tool helps turn and loosen the soil for planting, says Costa. It can also be used to remove weeds.
4. Gardening gloves
Gloves, whether leather, cotton, or a special fabric, protect your hands from cuts (think thorny roses) and blisters (all that raking!). They should be water-resistant and fit well.
5. Wheelbarrow
This workhorse can easily move myriad pounds of soil, compost, mulch, and all those fallen leaves in your backyard from Point A to Point B.
6. Pruners
Use this scissor-like tool when your flowers or shrubs need a good trim. Costa recommends Felco #2 pruners, a lightweight classic that will last for years.
7. Loppers
This aptly named oversized trimmer can lop off large tree branches or shape overgrown shrubs that pruners can’t handle.
8. Rake
When you’ve got piles of fall leaves to sweep, reach for a leaf rake, which looks like a fan with a long handle. It’s made with a flexible material that moves leaves and grass clippings, says Costa, but keeps the soil in place.
9. Hoe
The classic hoe comes in handy when you want to break up chunks of soil or chop weeds out of the ground.
10. Knee pad
When you’re on the ground planting and weeding, having a cushion under your knees will make staying in that position a lot more comfortable.
11. Hat with mosquito netting
“If you live in an area where mosquitoes and blood-thirsty green flies fill the skies, you’ll need protection,” says Costa. “With the hat, I don’t need bug spray, and I can work in a garden for hours without getting bitten.”
12. Garden hose
You’ll be doing a lot of watering, so make the job easier by getting a high quality hose with a nozzle that comes with adjustable watering settings like “spray” and “jet.”