Garden Tools

There are so many garden tools available. You can buy sets of garden tools from Gardeners Heaven or buy tools individually. This section helps you choose the most appropriate garden tool for the job.

First, garden tools come in different materials. Forged garden tools are considered the best and will last a lifetime. Stainless steel garden tools are softer and can bend more easily if used enthusiastically. This often happens with garden spades when trying to dig out tree roots.

The main different types of garden tool are listed below:

Spades - for digging, breaking up clumps of earth, moving earth from place to place and planting. A garden spade is a type of shovel, with a sharp lower blade and often treaded.

Forks - a handle and usually four sturdy tines for loosening earth, and turning it over. Used simliarly to a spade, but makes lighter work of digging when the earth is compacted. It is not as easily stopped by stones and can be used in situations where a spade may damage roots. For weeding in amongst plants you should use a border fork or ladies fork as it has a smaller head with shorter tines to avoid damage to the plants.

Rakes - where a fork can be used to sift through loose earth, a rake is often the more appropriate garden tool to use. Rakes are used to gather stones and debris, or to collect leaves and cut grass.

Hoes - a garden tool used to sweep through the upper surface of earth to loosen weeds and cut through unwanted plants. Also used for mounding soil up around a plant or for preparing the ground ahead of seed drilling by making furrows. A dutch hoe has a strap of sharp metal, so is not as efficient at moving earth but great for making weeding a lighter exercise. Many hoes are used in a push pull action to remove unwanted weeds.

Loppers - long handed extendable loppers are a must have garden tool in most gardens to keep control of branches and hard to reach hedges. Some loppers are telescopic and can extend to heights of 12ft.

Secateurs - also known as pruning shears are used for cutting and cropping stems to around 2cm thick around the garden. A useful garden tool and essential to control plants growth. There are three main types of secateur - Anvil secateurs (where a bladed part moves against a blunt side), Bypass secateurs work exactly like a pair of scissors with blades passing over each other, and parrot-beak trap the stem between the blades.

Put your garden tools to good use and grow some organic herbs. 

Organic gardening
Visit the GardenZone to find out how to grow and use organic herbs. Comprehensive information on 160 different herbs, listed under both Common and Latin names, Learn how to grow, store and use them for medicine, cooking and decorative uses.