This is the second in a series on Gardening Equipment we will be doing over the next several months. In our first installment we looked at pruning tools . We learned about the importance of keeping our pruning tools clean and sharp. We also discussed how good quality tools, with proper care, will last a life time.
This is even more true with the tools we are about to discuss. Some of these tools have been passed down for generations. We have had to replace a few broken handles due to our own carelessness, but for the most part, routine cleaning and sharpening has been enough. Here are the basic long handle tools every home gardener should have hanging on the wall.
- A high quality Garden Rake with all-welded heavy-duty construction, a 60 inch hickory handle, and three inch treated teeth spaced one inch apart is used for many gardening tasks.
- The Bamboo Leaf Rake with a head of rugged poly material that firmly grips the natural bamboo teeth, is a great improvement from the bamboo rakes of our grandfathers. Great for light raking and clean up.
- The indispensable 14 gauge heat-treated steel Garden Shovel with a rounded nose and solid closed back is made for heavy use. Wood handle should be made of top grade American Ash. Ones with a saw-tooth edge are great for cutting through roots.
- A forged steel Six Tine Hay Fork with 12 inch oval pointed sharp and a 60 inch ash handle tines has many uses around the home. Good for general clean up around the yard.
- The Pointed Push Hoe is a necessity for home gardening. We use it all the time either in edging or weeding around tender plants.
- The Shuffle Hoe is a double action heat treated cultivator with a 54 inch ash handle great for cutting just below the soil surface.
- Every gardener needs a basic Planter’s Hoe of heavy 14 gauge forged and heat treated steel with an extra long ash handle. Good for chopping weeds, loosening the soil, or planting.
- The Scoop Fork is ideal for mulch, vegetables, ensilage and more. This tool has 12 forged tines which are approx. 16 inches long and 1 1/2 inches apart with a 60 inch hickory handle.
- A Forged steel D-Shaped Edging Tool with a 60 inch ash handle has so many uses in the garden it would be impossible to list them all.
The solid steel tough tempered Mutt ia a tool that just about does it all: edges, digs, chops, and scrapes to clear ice, remove roots, and cut sod. One of the most versatile tools we have ever seen,
For heavier work, the home gardener should invest in a few good quality power tools. While these are relatively more expensive, they can save a lot of time for larger tasks.
