13 Must-Have Tools Used for Gardening Every Beginner Needs
As I mentioned recently, I’m gathering intel and supplies to start a vegetable garden with my munchkin. I’ve been looking up the tools used for gardening to decipher what are the must-haves because with any new hobby, it’s so easy to want all the things.
I feel like a new natural hair product junkie with shiny object syndrome wanting all the things. When my granny used to plant she didn’t have half of these gardening tools and she did just fine. We always had the freshest thyme, scallion and greens to eat.
Technology has come a long way since the days of my granny’s garden and so I’ve managed to narrow down my list of gardening tools for beginners to these 12 must-haves. Read through and see if you have all these. Is there anything I’m missing on my garden tools list?
Related: How to Start an Easy Veggie Garden with Your Child
Top Tools Used for Gardening
This list of the best gardening tools to start with are in no particular order. I think these are all must-haves but you may not need every one of them depending on what type of garden you have. For instance, you may not need a hose or a rake if you’re only doing container gardening or planting in a raised-bed. So pick and choose your must-haves depending on your current needs. I am doing a mix of container gardening while also trying to get a small plot going in my backyard so all of these are handy for me.
Garden Hose and Watering Can
You can’t have plants growing if you’re not watering them so of course, you’ll need a garden hose and watering can as soon as you start a garden. You may even need both so you can get to high pots and planters if you have them. I like the watering can for a nice gently watering of delicate herbs and a garden hose to cover far-reaching corners of your garden or wide areas such as a lawn.
You can also add things like plant food or organic repellents such as neem oil and dish soap to your watering can to fertilize them or help stave off any unwanted insects.
Garden Rake
If you have a yard, it will need raking. You’ll want a garden rake to rake up leaves falling from trees and just gathering debris blowing in as well, so your yard looks neat and tidy, especially if it’s in the front for that curb appeal.
The gathered leaves can also be turned into mulch for your plants.
Shovel
You’ll need a shovel if you’re gardening outside to help you dig holes for seeds or transplanting plants you get from the nursery. If you’re small scale or container gardening, you can get away with probably just using the next gardening tool.
Hand Trowel
A hand trowel comes in handy to help you dig up weeds, transplant seedlings from trays to beds or containers or dig holes to plant your seeds.
This handy kit comes with three beginner gardening tools to help you get your garden started.
Garden Fork
A garden fork will help to till your soil, get down to the roots of weeds or harvest root vegetables and transplant flowers.
Gardening Pots or Beds
Of course you will need pots for your plants indoors or beds for your patio or outdoor garden. Here’s where you can really get creative and add flair to your decor inside and outside. This set of white minimalist garden pots is a great place to start. They’re ideal for small to medium plants and can be hung or arranged on shelves or in clusters.
I also love these whiskey oak barrel pots for lining your curb or driveway with beautiful pots and plants. Here’s a beautiful raised garden bed that’s inexpensive and will give you function and style in your garden.
Garden Hoe
I had to put the garden before the name of the tool because I didn’t want you to get confused. A garden hoe will help you to weed your outdoor garden, dig up and neaten your lawn hedging and is just a generally useful tool to have on hand. It’s probably a skip if you’re only container gardening.
Gardening Gloves
Some of us love to feel the dirt between our fingers and some of us are creeped out by creepy crawlies, even with high gardening aspirations. Plus gardening gloves have come a long way and will help you to be overall more efficient at things like poking small holes for seeds, uprooting and clearing away weeds and even pruning your plants.
Pruning Shears
Whether you’re gardening inside in containers or outside, you’ll need to prune your plants and harvest your fruits and veggies. Pruning shears can help you to do this job.
Potting Soil
If you want to get a good start on your garden, you’ll want to get good top soil for your plants. A good potting mix sustains your plant with the right amount of plant food, aeration and soil to increase the chances of your plants thriving.
Plant Labels
Cute plant labels you stick into the earth next to them will help you to identify what’s growing in your pots. This can be useful if you’re planting lots of herbs in small pots or lots of veggies in one big planter box.
Moisture Meter
Now things are starting to get really exciting! If you’ve ever wondered whether you just put in too little or too much water in your plants, wonder no more. These nifty little gadgets will help those of you who like to kill plants with love…aka water. This one will even tell you if your plant is getting too much or too little light!
Grow Lights
Speaking of light and tech, if your plants are inside, you may want to get them a grow light. This can also help you to lengthen the season for your plants if you live somewhere that gets all four seasons.
