Gardening can be one of the most therapeutic ways to spend a sunny spring or summer day, but in order to succeed, you need the right gardening tools. “Selecting the right tools is like choosing the right friends for a road trip,” says Teri Valenzuela, gardening expert and natural science manager at Sunday. “They make the journey smoother, the work lighter and the experience more enjoyable.”
We tapped three expert gardeners to help you find all the must-have gardening essentials and answer some of your pressing questions about tools. For a garden that operates like a well-oiled machine, here’s exactly what you need to know about curating the perfect gardening toolkit.
Best gardening tools
“There are lots of tools on the market and many that help make gardening easier or more enjoyable,” says Melinda Myers, horticulturist, certified arborist and host of “How to Grow Anything”. “Matching the tools to what you want to grow can help you focus your budget on those that will help you the most.”
When should you replace your gardening tools?
Quality tools should last for years or even decades when properly cared for, according to Myers. She recommends removing mud and rust from digging tools and plant sap from pruners to lengthen their lifespan and effectiveness.
Jabbour says replacement would depend on the type of tool. “If the wooden handle of a shovel, garden fork or hoe snapped or broke, I would try to find a replacement handle. If my hand tools were very corroded, I would replace them if I couldn’t remove the rust or damage.” Because the blades usually take the brunt of abuse on pruners, Myers says you can extend their life by replacing the blades.
To avoid having to replace your garden tools as often, take Jabbour’s lead by taking good care of them to begin with. Keep them clean, sharpen them, lubricate them as needed and store them in a dry place during the winter when not in use. While high-quality tools made from durable materials may cost a bit more up front, they’ll pay off in the long run because you won’t need to replace them as frequently.
Finally, selecting the right tool for the job to begin with is also important in maximizing their lifespan, according to Myers. “Lots of people damage the tool, make poor cuts or suffer muscle fatigue when using the wrong pruner for the job, for example by trying to cut a stem larger than the tool is designed to cut,” she says.
What is the most-used gardening tool?
While every gardener has their go-to tool, Jabbour loves her garden fork, collinear hoe and garden knife. “A garden knife, also called a Hori Hori knife, is a multi-use tool that can be used as a trowel for digging and planter, a weeder for removing stubborn weeds and as a cutting tool to divide perennial plants,” she says.
The blade of said garden knife also features a ruler to help gardeners plant seeds and bulbs at the appropriate depths, making it a wise investment for all gardeners. Myers says this type of knife is also her most-used gardening tool because “you can dig right next to the weed and pop it out with minimal disturbance to surrounding plants.”
What is the best tool to turn over your garden?
Jabbour prefers to opt for a garden fork for working the soil. “It makes loosening and adding soil amendments like compost quick and easy,” she says. She also relies on a long-handled cultivar when prepping garden beds for seeding and transplanting.
Myers adds that the no-till (no-dig) approach has “become popular as we discover its many benefits, such as an increase in organic matter, reduction in erosion and fewer weed seeds being moved to the surface.” For this method, she recommends a broadfork with wider tines that work well in tougher conditions, whether you’re for turning in compost or turning over the soil before the start of the season.