I’m sharing my best garden tools with you in case you don’t already have some of these in your bag. I find myself using these time and time again for weeding, transplanting and digging.
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1. Best Shovel for Digging:
The Root Slayer Shovel
Recommended to me by a Master Naturalist friend, the Root Slayer is the BEST tool when you need to dig a hole in compact soil or remove a large plant.
Its serrated edges help cut through dirt and roots. It comes in multiple sizes including the Root Slayer Nomad (which I use) and the larger Root Slayer Perennial Shovel.
2. Best Weeding Tool:
Hori Hori Garden Knife
If I could only have one gardening tool in my bag, a Hori Hori knife would be it, hands down. It is essential for the chore we do the most – WEEDING!
The serrated edges of this Japanese style garden knife help cut through compact dirt and tough roots to remove weeds.
It is also great for transplanting small plants. Forget your garden trowel and go with a Hori Hori knife!
3. Best Plant Removal Tool:
Garden Pick Axe
Sometimes you need to just hack away at dirt to remove a plant. That’s where a pick axe (also called a “cultivator”) comes in. This heavy duty tool is great for breaking apart tough soil and getting underneath roots.
I use this heavy duty pick axe when volunteering with Master Naturalists to remove certain invasive plants.
I don’t use it as often as my other garden tools, but it is a handy one to have available.
4. Best Pruning Tool:
Garden Shears
A good quality pair of garden clippers or pruning shears in your bag is a must. Many native perennials benefit from being cut back at the end of winter and midway through the summer to keep their shape and promote more blooms.
Garden shears can come with different cutting capacities. I think the 5/8″ thickness offered by these Fiskars garden shears handles most jobs well.
5. Best Watering Tool:
Dramm Wand
Having a wand takes your hand watering game up a notch! I noticed nurseries often watering with these wands and decided I needed one too. It helps cut through the water stream from the hose and disperse the water more evenly.
There are different flow settings you can play with. I also like the added reach in provides when I’m trying to water my wildflower bed!
I use the 16″ version which comes in fun colors, but they also offer a 30″ version as well.
6. Best Composting Tool:
Compost Tumbler
If you want to dabble in composting for the first time like me, a compost tumbler is a great place to start. It doesn’t take up a lot of room and keeps the compost contained and out of the reach of rodents!
I have used this Maze Compost Tumbler for the past year and fill it regularly with food scraps, garden clippings and leaves.
It is a slow process and won’t create huge amounts of compost (I have less than a bag’s worth after 9 months), but it is a great way to keep green waste out of the landfill and help the environment from your own yard!
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