It’s the day you’ve put aside to get outside. The sky is blue, and you’re armed like a yard warrior: wide-brimmed hat, bug spray and the garden gloves you did not skimp on. The garage doors open, and there they are. The tools you’ve collected through the years. The ones your Uncle Bob gave you. A few that were here when you moved in. The general purpose for must have gardening tools is pretty obvious (or is it?), but there are gray areas when it comes to greening. So what better time than spring to brush up?
Relax There won’t be a quiz!
“The right tool for the job” should be a gardener’s golden rule. Here are some basic tips on the tools every grower needs.
Rate the Rake
Rakes come in two distinctly different shapes. “Fan” rakes are general purpose, great for collecting leaves and cleaning up. Owning a few different sizes – wide to narrow – is a great idea. “Bow” rakes look like a comb and handle heavier jobs like loosening soil, spreading mulch or leveling ground. Be sure to buy quality, looking for a strong connection between the handle and tool. Get a grip, and see how it feels before you buy.
Dig the Difference
Shovels have either round or square points. If you’ve ever used the wrong one for your task, you know the difference is real. Round point shovels are for scooping, digging or cutting through roots. Square shovels are perfect for leveling ground, squaring edges or cleaning up the remnants of a pile. Both have a flat surface on top for your foot, for when you need added strength.
Hedge Trimmers
are for one purpose only – trimming and shaping bushes and hedges. The trick is to keep them steady as you chop, chop, chop, imagining an outline, and taking time to step back and look. And do yourself a favor: keep the blades sharp!
Hand Trowels
are never far from the gardener’s reach. Most call the trowel their “go to” tool. Trowels come in many shapes and sizes. Like mini handheld shovels, they can dig up plants you’re moving, or create small holes for planting.
Handheld Pruners
come in multiple configurations, but the most common and useful is the bypass pruner, with two curved blades that bypass each other. Hence, the name! They’re used for trimming or cutting hard woody stems. Rule #1: find pruners that fit your hand comfortably!
The Garden Hose
is the most important tool in your arsenal. There’s no time or energy for wrestling with it, unknotting it or dragging it through garden beds. And since your hose will be standard equipment for years to come, you want one built tough and durable. But does one hose fit all? No way. That’s why Teknor-Apex offers a range of garden hose solutions, customized to meet your watering needs. Do you water daily or twice a week? Is your yard tiny or expansive? Do you use sprinklers? Should the couplings be brass or aluminum? No matter which hose suits your gardening style, Teknor-Apex takes the work out of yardwork!
Put Your Green Thumb To Work
Smart gardeners know that a green thumb is for counting money, too. The best advice is to make an investment in quality must have gardening tools once, to avoid buying them every few years. Care for them with common sense, hosing free of dirt and hanging to dry. The next time you need one, you’ll be good to grow.
