What do you really need to garden efficiently? The answer, of course, depends on the kind of gardening you are doing. Container gardens require different tools than do rock gardens; people who garden with shrubs need tools that those who only plant annuals would look at as curiosities. But every gardener needs at least a few good, basic tools, because every garden requires some basic, necessary tasks. Buy good quality basics and maybe you can eliminate unnecessary clutter.
Digging Tools
First, we need to dig. Some of us may dig tiny holes, just for seedlings. Others may require monster holes for balled and burlapped trees. A tiny hole requires a tiny tool. My own favorite tool for handling seedlings is an ice cream fork. The tiny tines at the end help me penetrate the soil, and the bowl holds soil and rootball intact until I can transfer the seedling to its new home. Demitasse spoons are also good. But for big jobs, I use one of three things:
Spades are good for giant holes needing big tools. With the blade set at a straighter angle than that of a shovel, it cuts through dirt efficiently and acts like a lever for lifting it out. The spade is also the tool of choice when digging up huge plants. And unless you are gardening in loam so loose that you can use your fingers as your main tool, buy a heavy duty spade with a hardwood handle. You'll need it.
If you're aging (aren't we all!), or prone to back problems, or just want to make it easy on yourself, choose the longest handles you can find. Not only do they actually make the garden task easier, but they will be easier on your back.(They also make a pretty good lever for prying us off our creaky knees!) Many companies, recognizing the vast numbers of aging baby-boomers who are now gardening, have manufactured special tools for gardening ease.
For years I tried using a trowel for smaller jobs. It fit into my hand nicely and let me get close to my work. Unfortunately, the most heavy-duty trowel I could find still either bent under the strain of the big rocks my property grows, or split at the handle. Now I use a mattock for everything except digging up plants. The mattock has a flat blade on one side that cuts quickly even into rocky soil; it also works as a lever for prying up the rocks. I can get a nice big hole in about one-fourth the time I did with the trowel. Better still, if I run into difficulty, I use the other side of the tool head, an axe-shaped piece which will chop through roots and even break rock. The flat blade also makes a great surface weeder, scooping up shallow rooted plants in a trice.
