The quintessential gardener has different kinds of garden tools each used for very specific purposes. Over the years he has collected a fairly large amount of tools which he knows by heart how to use and maintain. These tools were also designed by fellow gardeners who have discovered ways and means on how to make gardening easier. And then they were refined and refined until it came down to us. We, the present gardeners, amateurs or professionals, beginners and old-timers, now have at our disposal hundreds of tools which we can use to enhance, maintain, and/or expand our gardens.

In this article, we will talk about the most common of garden tools.

Garden Tools – A Long History

The earliest tools came from agricultural paraphernalia used by man. Because agriculture expanded and gardens remained small, the present gardening tools are just refined agricultural tools from our ancient past. They were refined in such a ways that they were made stronger, or more useful for specific types of gardening plants, but not necessarily altered. The earliest gardening tools, (which were also farming tools), were made from sticks, stones and bones.

Garden Tools – Weeders and Landscapers

The most common tools, and the easiest ones to find at retail, hardware, or even flea markets, are weeding tools. Weeding tools are pretty common because no garden is ever safe from weeds. Yes, weeds are the hardest thing to get rid of because they are relentless. They always find a way back into our precious gardens. The most common kind of weeding tool is the hoe. And even the hoe has several different kinds, like the warren, the draw, the Japanese, or the scuffle. There is no best kind of hoe so you might want to try out a few for different kinds of jobs. Then there’s the trowel, different kinds of knife, and other sorts of weeders. As we have mentioned, they have similar purposes but each is specialized for a very specific kind of job.

Then there are your landscape tools. These are basically in charge of clearing out lands for starting gardeners, or maintaining gardens for those who already have their own gardens. The common kinds of landscape tools are your chippers, shears, chainsaws (for those with trees in their gardens), rakes, spades, shovels, and so many more. All these things are used to make sure that your garden is clean and well-maintained. They also help shape your garden.

Garden Tools – Maintenance

But all good things must come to pass. It is only a matter of how long these things will stay good. So keep your garden tools well maintained. Make sure that you remove all the soil from your garden tools. After washing them, make sure you remove all traces of water as this will allow your tools to rust. If you have used your tools with chemicals like fertilizers or pesticides and the likes, make sure they are cleaned thoroughly and then dried thoroughly as well. Also make sure that your tools are regularly sharpened and well-oiled. Oh and don’t forget to take extra care of the most important garden tool you will ever have…your hands.