Renew Your Gardening Tool Kit

The new gardening season is around the corner and you should be prepared for all the long days and nights of watering, leaf collection, sowing and harvesting. There is no need to worry when you have a new gardening toolkit and here are a few examples that you want to include in yours:

• A new rake or gardening fork. These are some of the biggest and heaviest tools, and so they require quite some space for storage. However, they are indispensable when it comes to small landscaping projects or just to collect the fallen leaves. The good old tools often require some sharpening or small repairs and adjustments, but the best way to prevent any unexpected issues is to get a new set of rakes and forks. Of course, the good care for these new tools is another important requirement, because they should stay clean and sharp, as well as protected from scratches and bending. Don’t put gardening fork and the rake in the same place the along as other big tools, such as the shovel or the mower.
• A good new set of pruners is always a must-have. These are important for getting rid of the invasive branches of various bushes and trees. Another great tool is the shears, which can be used for the more persistent leaves and for the thicker branches. Also, you can find small shears or hand pruners for the small decorative plants in your indoor garden.

• These new hedge maintenance tools will become some of the most useful tools in your kit.

• Not to mention the tools that combine pruners and shears, which give you a greater array of possibilities, take taking up less storage space and easier maintenance.

• It’s not recommended to start a new gardening season without a new set of items for personal protection. So, you’ll need one of those too. From gloves for heavy lifting, to gloves for the fine works in the garden such as trimming and hedging of the small decorative bushes along the porch - renew your set of personal protection gear. Add new pairs of shoes and glasses. A mask to avoid breathing in the chemical compounds when using fertilizers is a good addition too.
• A new set of spade and trowel will help a lot with the "easy" exercises in the garden and will be especially useful for small urban gardens and indoor gardens. These tools require little storage space in your tool kit and are easy to maintain. They are long lasting and in most cases, they do not require sharpening. Among the numerous types and sizes, choose a set that will suit most of the garden care activities in your garden. From transplanting the starting plants outdoors, to making small reorganizations of the flower beds - the spade and trowel are indispensable in all these activities.
• New miscellaneous tools, just in case. These may vary depending on your needs and type of garden. They are usually small and include: new hoses for watering and garden spraying, nails, tapes, scissors or knifes, clamps, wooden boards, plastic coverings, ropes, etc. Make sure you are prepared for the new season with new miscellaneous gardening tools.

Overall, there may be no need to buy new tools for gardening. Just a few small repairs to the old ones, a couple of hours of sanding to remove the rust and some sharpening with a file may do the job. However, think about a new set of gardening tools if you are planning to start a new garden outdoors or even just to plant new edibles that require of you to perform a number of new garden maintenance tasks.

Heather Roberts is a freelance guest blogger from London, UK. She has got many published articles on various topics such as cleaning, organizing, home and garden etc.