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Garden Tools
By peace | March 25, 2007
Basic tools are needed regardless of the type of garden. Basic equipment can be gradually added to as required but should definitely consist of a spade, border fork, shovel and hoe for the shallow and deep loosening of soil. One small and one large metal rake, and a scarifying rake will also be needed.
These can be supplemented by smaller tools, including a trowel which is used for planting out and a weeding hand-fork or similar tool for loosening and weeding dense growths in the beds, and sieves of varying mesh. Pegs, lines, a dibber, garden scissors, a knife for removing weeds and a universal gardening knife all come in handy. A pair of sharp secateurs are also invaluable.
Other indispensable tools are those needed for watering, fertilizing and protecting the plants. These include one or two watering cans with a choice of roses, sprays, a hose with a fine spray nozzle, and a small or larger insecticide sprayer.
Specialized tools
For intensively cultivated vegetable gardens, a hand soil cutter or a rotivator is useful for preparing large beds. These cultivators can be specifically modified for use by slightly built women or by the handicapped. In this type of garden, other machinery that will come in useful includes seed and row drills with a distance adjuster and a sowing wheel. Some seed drills also enable control of the quantity of seeds released, cover up the seeds with soil, press them down and mark out another row. Such machines sow seeds in one or two rows.
Gardens with a predominance of fruit trees require specialized tools for the care of trees and for fruit harvesting. These include various types of saws, knives and specialized secateurs. If the trees are tall growing varieties, a platform ladder is also essential; you could buy a multi-purpose ladder.
No garden should be without a lawn and this also requires additional equipment. For maintenance of small areas of up to 50 square metres, a hand mower is sufficient, although a small electric lawn mower certainly makes work much easier. For larger expanses of grass, electric or petrol lawn mowers can be chosen. The decision will be affected by the size of the garden and by the availability of a sufficient length of cable. The length of the cutting blade is determined by the type and quality of grass surface. In sloping gardens with an uneven surface, this length should not exceed form 26 to a maximum of 32 cm.
Modern lawn mowers do not damage young grass so that the need for grass cutting by hand has been almost eliminated. If teh lawn is to be maintained to a very high standard, the possession of a roller will be important as the true English lawn is rolled after each cutting. Special electric trimmers are also very useful for keeping the areas of lawn around paths and steps neat.
Another very useful lawn care item of equipment is a circular scarifying brush which removes cut and dead grass together with moss. The height of the brush can be adjusted and the scarified material is collected in a box which is emptied when full.
A lawn needs also to be aerated. This can be done with a special machine with a number of swinging blades, the height of which can be adjusted. It is especially used on surfaces infested with moss.
Gardeners will also need a storage place for smaller tools; this should contain pliers, drills, screwdrivers, chisels, an axe, a set of wrenches, various sizes of nails, screws and hooks, thin and thick wire and iron stakes. All the above will come in useful. Obviously, replacements and spares of hose extensions, seals, screws and connecting joints also need to be readily available.
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