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Basic tools for the first-time gardener

Good Gardening Tools Matter! Can you imagine trying to do the laundry without all the right equipment? Or, trying to cook a beautiful meal without the proper cookware? This is true for growing things in the garden. Tools matter!

Master Gardener Carrie Petty says there are a few basic gardening tools you need to make your gardening life flourish and to protect you while you work. The very first is a wide brimmed hat! People, do not think you can work outside and not be harmed by sun damage. I always wear a hat, sunscreen and well-fitting gardening gloves, it not only protects but it puts me in the ‘gardening mode!’ Also, when using loud equipment like a blower I always protect my hearing with earplugs and protective eyewear!

My greatest asset in my tool inventory is my hand pruners and a hand trowel. ‘Dig and snip, dig and snip!’ The well-worn leather holster on my right hip is a must to hold my pruners. I always know right where they are and intuitively reach for them when needed. The hand trowel, a small shovel, should fit your grip perfectly and help protect your wrist with an ergonomic design.

One ultimately great brand that I trust is Fiskars. They have the best line of large hedge sheers and loppers. From their wide array of selections I suggest to begin with hand sheers and a C curve lopper. Also, you will need a sharpening tool on your garden bench to keep everything sharp. After sharpening I use a mechanics oil and soft cloth to avoid any rust buildup.

Collecting debris and cleaning up requires a good rake. Now rakes, I use 3 different types. Large plastic tined, medium metal tined and my favorite, a small bamboo handled, metal tined rake for reaching under bushes. I love the Fishers portable “Kangaroo Popup Bag” to dispose of my trimmings and debris too! This is a great time to use a hand cultivator for the hard to reach spots.

Digging larger holes takes larger tools. Shovels and edger shovels are my 2 favorites. Keep the edge of your shovels sharp at the garden bench and oil these after use to keep rust at bay. 2 kinds of shapes, round edge and square edge shovels do two different tasks-Digging and edging respectively.

These Few Basic Gardening Tools Will Get You Started!

Carrie Petty is a fourth generation Hoosier! She is a lecturer, Master Gardener, as well as a top Garden and Lifestyle Blogger. After a long career in the Corporate & Political world she’s finally doing what she loves! Playing in the dirt. An amateur naturalist, painter & photographer, Petty loves teaching families how to, “Grow a Beautiful Life.”

NEWS: Carrie will be speaking at the Indiana Flower & Patio Show at 2pm from the main stage on March 13-16th. Now booking spring 2017 lectures, contact Carriepetty@comcast.net.

Through her NEW gardening & lifestyle blog: http://www.CarriePetty.com. She can also be found on Twitter @CarriePetty.

To learn more, visit www.CarriePetty.com.