Must have tools for vegetable gardening

Whether you are a seasoned gardening veteran or a beginning hobbyist, you probably have a few favorite tools for use in your vegetable garden to help make propagating, and cultivating, your plants easier. 
There is a multitude of tools widely available for use, but most people stick to a few tried and true resources rather than branch out to something new. However, it is definitely worth your while to consider adding a few helpful implements to your gardening shed for overall vegetable gardening care. 

Growing a vegetable garden not only provides an opportunity to provide for your own table but also creates many learning opportunities to help pass on the knowledge of self-reliance and sustainability to younger generations.  Gardens can be grown any place you can find some soil to work in. Whether you are creating container gardens in an urban setting, or are planning a large plot of land in the country- there are many tools to help you get the job done. 

Sharp pruners

Pruners truly are a vegetable garden must have as they are super handy to help cut out any leggy branches, trim up plants to provide better sunlight, train plants to grow along trellises- or against flat surface, or even snip through any gardening string or other materials you’ve used within the garden. 

A good pair is worth investing in to keep your hand from getting fatigued and to last for years to come. Plus, they are very versatile and strong enough to use on plants elsewhere in your yard. 

Shovel 

Shovels, although slightly bulky, truly are a tool you do not want to do without. They can be driven into the ground to turn soils, dig up plants, transplant, mix, cut through roots, or anything else you feel you need to get some leverage on. A good shovel will last you years to come and also come in a variety of shapes and sizes for the specific jobs you need them for. 

Hand trowel

A hand trowel may be the most popular, and well-used gardening tool ever. This handheld miniature shovel is amazingly helpful to reach into tight spaces, dig small holes for planting, help dig up and transplant seedlings, and allow you to work close to your plants. It is also amazingly helpful for potted plants and container gardening, especially if you have any raised beds. 

Electric weed eater

Although most people don’t think about running any sort of mechanized tool in their garden, an electric weed eater truly is a helpful tool to have in your vegetable garden. It can be used to clear pathways, cut back weeds from around the beds, and even edge your garden to keep weeds and grasses from invading. Corded string trimmers are much cheaper than the heavier duty equipment used to maintain a property, are much easier to handle, and can be used in tighter spaces to ensure clean cuts. 

Cobra head

No matter how careful you are with keeping your garden weed free, if you don’t quite get an entire root, or allow a few days of uninhibited growth- you may end up with weeds making themselves at home in your carefully planned vegetable garden. A Cobra head tool has a notched metal head that you place at the root of your weed where it emerges from the ground. The handle is curved to allow tension to occur when you press down, which in turn lifts the weed from the ground. 

Gloves!

Even if you are not particular about how your hands and nails look, a good set of gardening gloves is a must to help protect the delicate skin of your hands from sharp tool edges, splinters, prickly weeds, or even contact allergies from certain plants. 

Long-handled hoe

Save your back with a good long handled hoe which can be used to help break up soils, cut into and pull up roots, and even help mix in good compost to the surface of your garden. The hoes long, flat-edge is the perfect surface to use within the garden for maintenance purposes, and when combined with a long handle saves you the effort from having to bend down to get the job done. 

Wheelbarrow or utility cart

Wheelbarrow and utility carts are amazingly versatile, come in many different sizes, and will save you the headache of having to make multiple trips back and forth to haul all your gardening materials to where you need it. This type of tool allows you to organize and stock up on all your gardening needs to take with you in just one trip. Plus, it makes an excellent place to move plants within, hauls dirt on, mixes cement in, or anything else you can think of that needs a durable bed to rest materials in. 

 

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