Great-tools-for-great-gardening
By Leilani-Rolphe
Gardening is a favorite pastime of people around the world. Who doesn't love an opportunity to get dirty, and to touch the cool moist earth? The stillness and tranquility of nature provide many gardeners with a sense of peace. As you tend your garden, you will marvel in its growth and beauty. You will feel great pride as you watch your garden produce delicious and colorful results. Your hard work will be appreciated by all you share your garden with.

Every gardener has tools that he or she swears by. Some use modern gadgets and equipment to tend their gardens, while others swear by the simplicity of sticking to the old-fashioned basics. without tools is virtually impossible, at least in the initial preparation stages. The selection of tools you'll choose should reflect your personal style, as well as the size and extent of your garden. Your tools should also complement the amount of work you're able to handle, the time you spend gardening, and, of course, the amount of money you're willing to pay.

In early spring, when it is time to prepare your garden for planting, there is a lot to be done. The soil must be turned, fertilizer should be added, and the area should be well watered. Having proper tools will make for easy work in the spring. Tillers are a popular tool for this time of year. The availability of a variety of cultivating tools should allow you to choose the tool just right for you.

Hand tools are the typical choice of traditional gardeners. These include shovels, pitchforks, spades, rakes and trowels. All of these hand-held tools will aid the gardener in preparing the plot for planting. Although they do call for some elbow grease, these tools are relatively easy to use. Other common hand tools are the pickax, mattock, and wheel cultivator.

There are also many useful power tools for use in the garden. They can be more expensive than traditional tools, however, they make a breeze, reducing physical labor. A tiller goes a long way towards preparing a larger garden for planting. It will mix compost and fertilizer into the soil, help to break up the earth, and cut up leaves and plants left from last year's crop. If you're not interested in purchasing your own tiller, you can probably rent one from your local tool rental shop. Sharing tools with a neighbor can make

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a more social experience. Ask someone with a nice garden in your neighborhood if he or she has the tools that you need. You may also find use in a shredder, chipper, or chainsaw.

A nice addition to any garden is a small tree, some shrubs, or a neat hedge. To care for these plants, and to make them look their best, it is beneficial to have pruning tools. Pole pruners extend to about 15 feet. These make reaching higher branches a snap. On shrubs and hedges pruning sheers are usually sufficient. If the diameter of the branch you are trimming is more than a half inch, you may wish to use lopping sheers. These are useful up to about two inches in diameter. If these tools do not get the job done, you could consider stronger hedge shears and pruning saws.

Plants need water in order to survive, and Mother Nature doesn't always take care of this business. So, it's essential to have tools and equipment on hand to keep your garden nicely watered. If you have a larger garden and a grass lawn, you'll definitely need to have a garden hose with a good quality spray nozzle or sprinkler. If your garden is limited to containers such as pots and balcony planters, you may be able to get away with a simple watering can. Some gardeners use drip hoses for proper irrigation, and more advanced gardens have entire irrigation system set on timers to provide accurate watering.

Getting down and dirty with nature and creating a lush, healthy garden is a dream come true for many homeowners, but trying to create or tend that garden can be a nightmare without the proper tools. You don't have to invest a lot of money; purchasing the basics including a shovel, trowel, pitchfork, and leaf rake is often all you need. And be sure to pick up a good pair of gloves, or you'll quickly have calluses on your hands along with that dirt under your nails.

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Leilani Rolphe contributes to various popular Internet sites, on garden centers and flower gardens issues.
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