The Five Essential Gardening Tools Every Gardener Needs

Garden centres are full of a vast range of weird and wonderful tools they want you to buy, but very few are essential, some are really quite specialist and others are simply a matter of preference.

So, here are the five tools every gardener MUST HAVE:

1. Spade

A good spade will be needed for ground preparation and hole-digging as you plant.

2. Fork

Good for breaking up the soil after you have used the spade and for pulling soil around to give a level result.

3. Trowel

A hand trowel is ideal for close work, weeding and digging small holes as well as working in containers.

4. Secateurs

Needed for all trimming and pruning (apart from thicker branches, where you’ll need a pruning saw or loppers).

5. Hoe

Sadly under-used in many gardens, a hoe is perfect for weeding without having to bend down.

Of course, you may also need a lawn mower and edging shears if you have a lawn and a hedge trimmer or shears if you have a hedge to cut, but these 5 are basic tools that will cover most tasks around the garden.

Always clean them after use, as leaving them dirty makes them rust and rot.