Time to zone out and sort that garden!

Living

4 min read

With Spring now in full flow, it is the ideal time to get stuck into many people’s favourite pastime – gardening! With the ability to grow something beautiful, and the overall health benefits, gardening is one of the most rewarding things you can do for your personal wellbeing. But where to start?

We have the essential tools you need help get your started if you are a beginner – with a little time, you will start to love it…

Essential Equipment

Gloves

When it comes to gardening, blisters and cuts are commonplace, especially when you’re pruning roses and handling prickly bramble. Therefore, thick leather gloves are essential. You can then use thinner gloves for weeding and general gardening jobs.

Top Tip

Buy a brightly coloured pair, so they’re easy to find.

Spade

Spades are used for digging soil and planting large plants. They can also vary in their shape and length. Your best bet is to just go instore and see which one feels right to you. If you garden has tough, compacting soil, then a pointed end spade may be more useful.

Forks

A hand fork is essential for weeding beds and borders which can be a vigorous activity, at best. A border fork is used to remove roots and break up the soil. It’s important to get these tools right when it comes to size and weight.

Top Tip

Stainless Steel forks cost more but are much easier to clean and last longer.

Trowel

A hand trowel comes in useful for planting small plants but also weeding and digging in awkward places. Some people prefer longer handles for greater leverage, but again see what feels right for you. You will always need to use your trowel, therefore it is worth investing in a good quality tool!

Pruning Shears

Also known as secateurs. These are used for cutting stems to help maintain plant health, as well as shaping the look and feel of your garden. For chunkier plants and bushes, you may need lopping shears.

Top Tip

Stainless Steel forks cost more but are much easier to clean and last longer.

Knee pads

Gardening can become pretty uncomfortable - especially as you are spending lots of time on your hands and knees on rough ground. It’s also important to protect your joints, therefore some padding or a kneeler will make gardening life that little bit more enjoyable.

Maintenance and Storage

It’s important to remember to keep all your tools in good condition. By cleaning your tools after each use, you are preventing diseases, fungi, and weed seeds being unknowingly spread around the garden. It also extends the life of your tools.

The best place to store your tools is somewhere dry like your garage or garden shed. By leaving them outside, you risk them the sun corroding them, and the heat can make wooden handles split. Don’t forget to keep them safely tucked away to avoid accidental hazards.