Tools Used For Gardening: A Beginner’s Guide

I decided a few years ago that I wanted to start gardening at home, specifically vegetable gardening. I wanted to grow our own food… as much as is possible.

The first step after researching what grows well and when to plant was finding the best basic Tools Used For Gardening.

We decided to compile this list of must have gardening tools for beginners to help anyone that wants to get started and needs to know the right garden tools names and which ones they need.

Essential Tools Used For Gardening To Help You Get Started

When we think of Spring, we think of flowers beginning to bloom, birds singing, forest critters coming out to greet us in the morning and helping up clean… oh, wait… ok, I went too far, huh?

But, Spring is a new beginning and makes us happy!

The time to PREPARE the garden, though, isn’t when Spring hits; it’s when it’s still cold that we need to dig in (lol, get it?) and get that garden and garden beds ready for the plants we’ll add when Spring arrives.

Whether you’re just starting out gardening or you’re a pro, one of the most important things to prepare when it comes to gardening is the tools.

When it comes to purchasing gardening tools, it can be easy to go overboard. There are a ton of fun gadgets and gizmos that can make things easier and more fun, and boy, if anyone ever went overboard on gadgets it would be me! I LOVE a new gizmo!

Just remember, people have been gardening for centuries without the newfangled gadgets and gizmos, and planting seeds in the ground hasn’t really changed – so, the tired and true tools work just fine.

Gardening tools can also take up a lot of space and can cost a lot of money, too. You need to stay focused on the essentials to keep your storage area from being overcrowded and to save a few bucks.

So cut back on the headache and save some money by buying only the needed ones. We have you covered on that – we have prepared a list, for you, of the best Tools Used For Gardening, complete with the gardening tools names!

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Gloves

Gardening is a wonderful and relaxing hobby that can yield fragrance and deliciousness. However, it can also turn into a thorny and painful mess if you don’t have the right pair of gloves or you use your bare hands.

You need to have a good pair of gloves ready with you before you begin.

• Your gloves should be durable but not bulky.
• It should fit you perfectly. Poorly fitting gloves that are too small can cause blisters while ones that are too big can result in accidents when slipping off.
• Fabric gloves are not only water resistant, but, also breathable. They help keep your hands cool and comfortable.
• Gloves with longer cuffs protect your wrists and forearms. They can keep your arms from getting scratches and keep soil and dirt from getting in.

Side Note: I found out my first year in the garden that I apparently have a skin allergy to Cilantro. My arms itched, and I scratched until I had small sores, until it dawned on me that I must have a skin allergy… it took way too long for me to figure that out… smh.

The next year I found out…. Parsley is in the Cilantro family! lol, Yep, Parsley ALSO affects my skin with an itchy, red rash. Wanna hear a funny update? 2 years later the Dr. said it’s not a Cilantro allergy, but a Sun allergy. Supposedly it happens to some of us in Spring when our bodies are getting used to the sun again, who knew?

Side note 2: Just for fun! My Mother kept telling me Cilantro tasted like soap – we thought she was nuts. Then I read that there is a percentage of people who say it tastes like soap! I told our oldest son, and now he’s mad at me cause he said, NOW it DOES taste like soap! lol,

This is the same son who never cried from a baby on up when he got a shot. Then when he was 25, and some friends were talking about shots and said something about the alcohol swab before the shot.

He said, “What?! I thought that was some kind of thing to numb my arm!” Then he said he was afraid to get the next shot in his life! lol, Our minds are a powerful thing!

Back to the Tools Used For Gardening:

Polyester Knit Work Gloves

Super Grippy With Special Protective Coating Gardening Gloves

Hand Trowel

Trowels are essential small hand tools. Using a garden trowel is important for transplanting bedding plants, seedlings, and herbs, for transferring to containers, as well as for digging out weeds. So you’ll get a lot of use out of them.

• The handle should fit your hand comfortably.
• Select a broad blade when moving more soil to a container while a narrow blade is useful when digging up weeds and rocks from the soil.
• Trowels made with stainless steel may cost more, but they are more durable and tend to last longer.

Fiskars Ergo Trowel

DeWit Forged Hand Trowel

Dibber

Dibbers are useful for making planting small holes for your seedlings, seeds, and bulbs. It makes accurate, same size holes, which are perfect if you have limited space in your garden and vegetable gardens and to make sure that each plant has enough space to grow in.

• Those made of stainless steel are easier to clean and put away. Just wash it with running water, wipe it, and they are ready for storage.
• Choose dibbers with calibrated rings that can indicate depth. They take away the guesswork of planting.

C.S. Osborne Planting Dibble

Gardtech Hand Dibber

Spade

Spades are a short-handled square digging shovel that is known as garden workhorses. A garden spade is a useful digging tool. It makes it easy to dig holes, to the edge, to lift sod, and even when moving small amounts of soil and dirt. Spades can be a bit on the pricey side, but, they can last a long time.

• Ash hardwood handles can absorb shock and vibration. They are also durable.
• Longer handles can provide more leverage. However, they can be heavier too.
• Heads made of stainless steel are stronger and won’t rust.

Root Slayer Shovel

Spear & Jackson Traditional Stainless Steel Digging Spade

Rake

When your beautiful garden has a lot of leaves, dirt, and debris, using a rake can help whisk them away. This home garden essential tool comes in a wide variety of styles and sizes. For beginners, using a standard leaf or lawn rake is a good start.

• Choose an adjustable rake. You can use them to reach narrow areas or to gather a large pile of leaves and dirt.
• Steel tines can be stronger, but they can also be rougher especially on delicate lawns, than the plastic ones.

Jardineer 63-Inch Lightweight Garden Rake

Level Head Rake with Strong Long 54 Inch Fiberglass Handle

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Garden Hose With Adjustable Nozzle

Water is important to any garden. It’s important that the garden hose you use reach and spray every area of your garden. Having a water hose with an adjustable nozzle can help you control the pressure of the water and the spray radius.

• There are three basic hose diameters: 1/2 inch, 5/8 inch, and 3/4 inch.
• The length of the hose can affect the water pressure. The longer it is, the lower the pressure will be.
• Hoses made with vinyl are less expensive and lighter. However, they don’t last as long as the rubber ones and they tangle much easier.
• Before you buy a garden house, estimate the length you’ll need.

VIENECI 100ft Garden Hose Expandable Hose

Flexi 50 ft Expandable Garden Hose

Watering Can

If you don’t want to use a garden house, a watering can will come in handy. They are great for seedlings and herbs. If you have a container garden, a watering can is a must-have item as well.

• Plastic watering cans are lighter than metal ones, but, they don’t last long.
• Choose a stainless steel or galvanized metal can as they are resistant to rusting.
• Before you choose the size of the watering can, consider your strength as well. A gallon of water weighs more than 8 pounds.
• The handle should allow you to carry a full can. It should easily pour, too.
• If your kids or elderly parents will be using the watering can, consider purchasing the two-handled ones.
• It is ideal to keep two sizes: A larger one with a sprinkler head for your outdoor garden and a smaller one with a longer neck for your houseplants.

Behrens 2-1/2-Gallon Steel Watering Can

MyLifeUNIT Plastic Watering Can

Garden Fork

Garden forks are efficient for turning soil. They can also be used to dig into dense soil, much better than a spade can do.

• For scooping mulch or turning a compost pile, a fork with a slight curve to the spines is ideal.
• Straight tines are best for digging. They work better for rocky, clay, or compacted soil.

Flexrake Classic Hand Fork

Stainless Steel Garden Fork

Pruning Sheers

Also known as hand pruners, pruning shears are a great help and an important tool in getting control of your small branches and plants, especially the bushy and thorny shrubs. They’re also a great way to always get clean cuts.

• Choose a pair of pruners that can easily fit the palm of your hand and have the perfect handle length for you
• Bypass pruners are best for live plants or green wood.
• Anvil pruners are better for dead wood. Don’t use them on fresh, green plants and stems as they can easily cut them.

6.5-Inch Gardening Hand Pruner Pruning Shear

TOOLMOOM Hand Pruner

Hoe

Hoes help you in preparing your garden and plant beds. They also aid in cutting down the weeds. The type of pruners you use depends on the kind of garden you have.

If you have a vegetable garden, a wide garden hoe is needed. However, if you have a perennial garden, you need to use a more delicate, thinner hoe.

• Look for a hoe with a comfortable handle and a long reach.
• A sharp blade is easier to use and works better than the dull ones.
• If you use it for weeding, choose an open square head.

Hand Hoe

Sickle Hoe

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When it comes to gardening, you don’t need to buy everything that says “Garden” on it. If you’re just starting, you only need purchase the best and right Tools Used For Gardening that fit your gardening needs. A

s your large or small garden starts to bear fruit and flourish, you can then add other essential garden tools.

Which of these Beginner Gardening Tools is a must-have for you? I hope the Gardening Tools Names helped, as well. I know when you’re first getting started you might not be familiar with all the names and what item they go with – a “Dibber”?! Who named that?! lol

You can also find gardening products I use in my videos here <---

I now have an Amazon Influencer’s storefront. I put the products I use, in my posts and Youtube Gardening videos, there. Shopping there is free and the site gets a percentage of sales. Thanks!

You can go to my storefront using this secure link <----

If you need seeds, this is the company I use <--- and if you use code: farmer1 at checkout, you'll get 10% off your order!