Toolmania may strike if you go shopping for a tool without deciding what you need beforehand. Here is a rundown of some of the basic tools and their uses. If you start with these you should be prepared for most of your garden chores. Before buying a tool, try it on for "size". Heft it and go through the motions of using it. The tool should feel comfortable in your hands and shouldn't strain your neck and back. The handles of the tools intended to be used standing up, such as rakes and hoes, should be at least shoulder height. Many tools are available with extra-long handles for tall gardeners.
Check the quality of the handles carefully. Don't buy tools with painted handles - the paint may conceal weak wood. The grain of the wood should run straight up and down the handle with no knots. Wood handles have more "give" and absorb shock better than fiberglass or metal handles. Northern white ash is strong and durable and is not as heavy as hickory.
Shovel The familiar American shovel has a concave, pointed blade and a long handle. Shovels are good for general digging, scooping, chopping cover crops into the soil and planting trees. Some models have a flat metal tread across the blade shoulders to make pushing the tool into the soil with your foot easier.
Spade The classic English garden spade has a short handle and a flat, square-cornered blade. It works well for double digging, trenching, removing sod, lifting soil from planting holes, and edging beds. Long-handled styles are also available.
Hoe The hoe is a favorite for cultivating around plants and creating furrows for sowing. There are a variety of styles available.
Digging Fork This is an essential tool for loosening soil, mixing in compost and havesting root crops. The standard garden fork has broad, flat tines. English style forks have square tines.
Garden Rake The rigid-toothed garden rake comes in a variety of widths and types of teeth. Choose a rake with widely spaced teeth for working heavy or rocky soils; closer spacing is best for average soil and finer work such as smoothing seedbeds and planting cover crops.
Trowel Trowels are handy for weeding, planting, and many on-the-spot digging chores. They get frequent use and, as a result, are the most often broken tool. Never buy a cheap trowel. If you can't find a good steel-forged garden trowel, consider a pointed mason's trowel, built for heavy-duty work and available in most hardware stores.
Hand Cultivator The hand cultivator is a popular tool for use in small flower beds. It is used to weed and aerate the soil between plants. It is often purchased along with the trowel as a set.
Pruners Pruners are used to remove dead branches or other woody material. Long-handled pruners are also available giving extra leverage and work well for reaching into crowded plants.
Garden Hose & Sprinkler Cheap plastic hoses kink, have weak fittings, and seldom last for more than a couple seasons. Instead, buy 2 or 4 ply reinforced rubber or vinyl hose with well-built solid brass fittings. Look for a manufacturer's warranty of at least five years.
Choose your sprinkler to fit the needs of your garden. The style should have a water pattern to cover as much of your garden as possible without having to move it around to distribute the water evenly over the area. Sprinklers are used to keep seedbeds moist. A handheld hose, soaker hose or drip system are better for an established garden.
Wheelbarrow or Garden Cart A box-like garden cart, with oversize pneumatic tires, makes it easy to move compost and other bulky materials to and from the garden, even over bumpy terrain. A wheelbarrow requires more muscle to use but it is less expensive and more maneuverable in tight spaces.
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