|
By: Allison Thompson
For different kinds of gardens you will need different kinds
of tools. Most hardware and DIY stores now have a wide range
of tools available in stock, but if you want there are shops
that specialize in the more expensive ranges that shout quality
to you. But wherever you decide to purchase your tools from
here a few points to help you make an informed decision.
Firstly you need to look at the size of your garden, is it
small or is it large? A small garden does not require the
same large equipment that would be used in a bigger one. Why
bother purchasing a ride-on lawn mower if you only have a
small lawn. Also you need to look at who in your household
does most of the gardening. If you say it is your wife that
spends a vast amount of time gardening then you need to look
for tools that will suit her, there are some out there that
are too heavy for women to use.
You are looking to purchase a pair of secateurs and you should
always ensure that the blade is kept sharp to avoid causing
undue damage to your plants. If you can look for a pair where
the blades can either be sharpened or they can be replaced,
as well as a pair that have a tension control system and a
pair that best fits your hand size. Normally a good quality
pair of secateurs can cost from around $50 to £130.
If you have a hedge or considering growing one (to provide
that all important privacy that you crave) then you need to
look at purchasing a good quality hedge trimmer or a good
quality pair of shears. You may find that some hedge trimmers
have a curved blade which stops branches from sliding out
when cut, and as with secateurs the shears you decide to purchase
need to be suitable for the blades to be sharpened or replaced.
Essential items you should have in your gardening tool kit
are a fork, shovel, rake, chipping hoe and a pruning saw (not
essential unless you have trees or large shrubs in your garden).
When selecting a fork remember that it has to be strong enough
to carry out the work required of it such as turning and aerating
compost as well as breaking up lumps in the soil. So rather
than opted for the cheaper versions which you will find are
not strong enough to work in heavy soil, you should look at
one that is sturdy. The average cost of a fork starts at about
$30 and goes up to about $100.
When looking to purchase a shovel it should have a scoop
blade and is mainly used for moving dirt and garden soil around.
However, a flat bladed spade is ideal for cutting edges, digging
and dividing plants. All edges of spades should be kept sharpened
for clean and efficient cutting as this will cause little
or no damage to your plants. A fork is really a gardening
necessity and can cost from say $30 up to as much as $50.
Another tool that is part of the essential ones to have when
gardening is a rake. There are two types of rakes that are
available, the strong flat head rake that has sharp metal
prongs is ideal for smooth out a garden bed and removing any
bumps and weeds that still remain, whilst the plastic version
is specifically designed for gathering and clearing leaves
and grass clippings.
The chipping hoe is a handy tool to have as it helps get
rid of all those small weeds that are dotted around the garden.
However if you want to avoid causing undue damage to your
neck and shoulders whilst gardening with a hoe it might be
well worth considering purchasing either a Dutch or push-hoe
instead.
Now we come to the pruning saw which as I said previously
is only really necessary if you have either trees or large
shrubs in your garden. This should be used in place of secateurs
as they are only really designed for dealing with delicate
plants such as rose bushes etc. A good quality pruning saw
will have a narrow curved blade that can easily fit between
the stems and branches of the tree or shrub and cuts them
as you pull the saw back towards you. You will usually find
that a good quality pruning saw costs from as little as $27
and can cost as much as $55.
Although gardening tools do not have to be expensive you
may find that you can pick up good quality tools at either
flea markets or garage sales at a bargain price.
About The Author
Allison Thompson a work from home now living in Spain and
is a partner in a small real estate firm. After working in
this field for a number of years she decided to set up a number
of sites relating to property matters and this one is related
to gardens and gardening. If you would like to learn more
than please visit http://www.gardening.householdfacts.info.
|
