So you want to kickstart your garden. You’re going to need the right tools to do so, but your nearest Home Depot or local gardening supply store is overstocked with stuff you may or may not need. You can break down garden tools into three categories: those for prepping, those for maintaining and those for cleaning. So whether you’re new to the whole gardening thing, or you’ve been doing it before pandemic gardening was cool, here are the eight must-have tools you need to get a garden that’s the envy of the neighborhood.
Trowel
Trowels are basically like tiny shovels. They’re good for breaking ground so you can plant some seeds or plants, and you can use them to move small amounts of soil around. You can also use trowels to help dig up old plants or make it easier to pluck out weeds. When you’re shopping for this type of garden tool, look for one that’s sturdy and has a comfortable hand grip — developing hand blisters after constant use is one of the worst feelings in the world.
Stainless Steel Garden Trowel
Wilcox All-Pro amazon.com
$24.99
Over 1,600 have used this trowel from Wilcox All-Pro, and it’s east to identify why it has so many glowing reviews. The 16-gauge stool is not only incredibly durable, but also lightweight for easy maneuverability when you’re in the dirt. It has a very sharp point for getting into the earth, and the plastic handle is comfortable in the hand.
Amazon
ComfortGel Stainless Steel Garden Trowel
This affordable trowel from Corona has a comfortable handle fitted with a ComfortGel grip to reduce hand pain and fatigue. The grip has a finger guard and thump grip to prevent slippage when in use, and the depth gauge gives off-the-cuff measurements so you know exactly how deep you should be digging. The trowel even has an integrated bag ripper to make it easier to cut into that tough-to-open bag of soil.
Lowe’s
Ergo Garden Hand Trowel
A rusty trowel is almost every gardener’s worst nightmare. The Ergo Garden Hand Trowel from Fiskars comes fashioned with a polished aluminum head that keeps rust at bay while remaining sharp for durable for years of use.
Amazon
Spade
Don’t you dare call a spade a shovel. Spades distinguish themselves from shovels because of the former’s squared-off blade. You won’t be able to do much digging with a spade, given the shape of its blade, but they are good for turning soil, as well as breaking up clumps and roots.
Fiskars 46 Inch Steel D-handle Square Garden Spade
Fiskars amazon.com
$38.06
The all-steel design of this spade makes in incredibly strong and durable. The sharpened blade is exactly that: sharp, so it’ll easily cut through whatever you throw its way. The extra-large D-shaped handle is comfortable to hold, and the whole spade is ergonomic to use.
Amazon
Ash YD Handle Stainless Steel Spade
Pedigree homedepot.com
$59.95
With its 25-year warranty, this Pedigree spade should be with you for quite some time. It was tested withstand 200 pounds of bending, and the treads on the top of the blade protect your shoes when you use your body weight to apply pressure.
Home Depot
Steel Garden Spade
Reviewers of the Kobalt Steel Garden Spade applaud how strong the blade is for cutting through lots of stubborn grass or other organic materials. It has a comfortable handle, important for those doing hours of garden work, and those who have used it find it to be lightweight and the perfect height.
Lowe’s
Gardening Gloves
Getting down and dirty in the garden is fun and all, but gardening gloves are a definite must-have to protect you from battering your hands, protecting them from sharp objects and preventing too much gunk from accumulating under your nails. Look for gloves that are breathable, flexible and comfortable so garden work doesn’t feel too much like a chore.
Rubber Latex Double Coated Work Gloves, 12 Pack
G & F Products amazon.com
$12.67
These super-affordable reusable work gloves are coated in blue latex to protect your hands while the gloves themselves are made of sweat-absorbing cotton. Because these come in a pack of 12, you can afford to lose some or keep a pair in every nook of your home.
Amazon
Men’s 3-Pack Handiwork Nitrile Gloves
Duluth Trading duluthtrading.com
$14.95
Duluth describes these work gloves as giving “second-skin dexterity,” which basically means you have the same nimbleness as if you weren’t wearing gloves. The nitrile coating offers grip, while also protecting against little pricks.
Duluth Trading
Puncture Resistant Gardening Gloves
Garrett Wade garrettwade.com
$16.90
With maximum protection against punctures, these gloves are for heavy duty garden work. The gloves have triple-layer protection, the front is slightly tacky for grip and the back is breathable. While the gloves are stiff upon first use, subsequent wears will help soften it for future comfort.
Garrett Wade
Rake
You’ll be familiar with rakes if you’ve ever had to clear away a bunch of leaves in the fall. The toothed bar is good for gathering debris en masse with as few passes as possible. Rakes are good for keeping soil level and smoothed out, especially before planting.
Leaf Rake
Fiskars homedepot.com
$19.99
The Fiskars Leaf Rake has a 24-inch head with patented curved tines to grab more debris with less likelihood of clogging. Its aluminum handle is lightweight, yet the rake itself manages to stay strong and durable — enough so that Fiskars offers a lifetime warranty on the rake.
Home Depot
Collapsing Garden and Leaf Rake with Extendable Handle
Garrett Wade garrettwade.com
$19.50
For those tight on shed space, Garrett Wade’s rake can collapse so it takes up less real estate. Easily adjust the rake between three feet and five feet, and adjust thee 15 steel tines so that they’re as close together as seven inches or as spread out as 22 inches.
Courtesy
Steel 16-Tine Bow Rake
True Temper amazon.com
$47.12
Loosen and level soil ease with the lightweight True Temper rake. The fiberglass is a breeze to wield, especially with the non-slip cushion end grip, and the 16 tines make garden work like a charm.
Amazon
Shovel
Grab a shovel the next time you need to dig a deep hole, fill pits or move away mounds of debris. Look for a shovel that doesn’t strain your back and helps you move things with ease.
Super Socket Digging Shovel
Razor-Back homedepot.com
$23.98
You’ll break ground easily with this shovel thanks to its industrial-grade, tempered steel, which the brand says makes penetrating the ground twice as easy. The top of the blade features a large “PowerStep,” so you can really drive the shovel into the ground.
Home Depot
Digging Shovel
This budget shovel is fairly barebones, but all you need to know is it’s 45 inches long, has a tempered-steel blade and comes with a sanded-hardwood handle.
Lowe’s
Digging Shovel
Craftsman lowes.com
$21.98
This Craftsman shovel’s fiberglass handle keeps it lightweight, which may make you surprised at home strong it is thanks to the tempered steel blade. The handle has a cushioned end grip for comfort, and the shovel is backed by a 15-year warranty.
Lowe’s
Pruner
A pruner, also known as pruning shears, a hand pruner or a secateur, is a type of scissors to be used specifically on plants. A good pair will be super sharp to cut through thick branches as easily as they can cut through twig-like stems.
Plant Snips
Burgon & Ball bloomscape.com
$25.00
Cut with ease using these plant snips from Burgon & Ball. They have stainless steel blades that are resistant to rust, and the handle is comfortable to hold.
Bloomscape
Carbon Steel Bypass Hand Pruner
With the Fiskars Carbon Steel Bypass Hand Pruner, you get a razor-sharp pair of pruners that stay sharper for longer with less resistance that comparable options. A coating reduces friction and resists rust, making for easier cutting through sappy branches and leaves.
Lowe’s
Mainichi Secateurs
These Japanese pruners are common among gardeners in Japan, and one may scoff at the high price tag, once you get a pair in your hand, it all makes sense. It has excellent action and offers precise cuts. From looks alone, it’s a worthy addition to the tool heap.
Tula House
Hoe
A hoe kind of looks like a spade with its blade bent at a 90-degree angle. The rectangular blade breaks up clumps and is excellent at smoothing the surface of soil, cultivating soil and removing weeds.
Hoe
Fiskars walmart.com
$26.77
The riveted head on the Fiskars Hoe is durable and won’t detach from the lightweight fiberglass handle, which is adorned with grips in multiple positions for comfort when in use.
Walmart
Fiberglass-Handle Garden Hoe
Craftsman lowes.com
$21.98
The beveled blade edge of Craftsman’s hoe gives users cleaner cuts, and it’s an ideal choice for those who don’t want to spend too much on an easy-to-use and efficient garden hoe.
Lowe’s
Japanese Triangular Hoe
Garrett Wade garrettwade.com
$39.95
This made-in-Japan hoe is a reworking of a design that’s been used by Japanese gardeners for centuries. One end of the blade meets at a curved point, and accompanied by the short handle, the natural swinging of the arm pulls the blade towards the body as it digs into the soil.
Courtesy
Garden Fork
A garden fork is just like a dining fork, except it utilizes its strong, sharp prongs to break through earth and not food. Use a garden fork to create holes in the ground for seeds, move things around or uplift weeds. Garden forks are one of the most utilitarian garden tools thanks to its multitude of uses.
Garden Fork
Clarington Forge shopterrain.com
$98.00
Clarington Forge’s garden fork is hand-forged from a single piece of steel, so you don’t have to worry about breakage. The brand has been around since the late 1700s so you can be sure Clarington Forge has a lasting reputation for well-made gardening tools.
Terrain
Spading Fork Wood
Razor-Back walmart.com
$31.67
The four-tined fork from Razor-Back is a barebones gardening tool that gets the job done. The handle is made of wood with a D-grip handle.
Walmart
Forged Spading Fork
Ames homedepot.com
$36.57
Backed by a 15-year warranty, the spading fork gets the work done with its forged head, super-sharp tines and comfortable-to-hold handle.
Home Depot
Tyler Chin
Tyler Chin is Gear Patrol’s Associate Staff Writer.