10 Best Gardening Tools of 2023 - Earth Friendly Tips

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10 Must-Have Gardening Tools

You’re ready to start gardening so you can enjoy fresh food and save some money at the grocery store. But then you realize there’s an overwhelming variety of gardening tools on the market. You start to wonder, what are the best gardening tools that I actually need?

Thanks to this list of must-have gardening tools, you can save money by getting the tools that you’ll actually use and that will make gardening easier.

1. Best Gardening Gloves

If you’re new to gardening, you might not think gloves are very important. But trust me, your skin and fingernails will be ever so thankful when you get these gardening gloves.

I can’t even begin to tell you how many gardening gloves I tried before I finally found the perfect pair.

If I had gloves that were thick enough to offer great protection, they were actually too thick to do delicate tasks like pulling small weeds or transplanting seedlings. On the other hand, if I had gloves that were thin enough to provide the flexibility I needed, they often offered little to no protection.

Fortunately, not only do these gardening gloves help keep your skin and nails clean, but they also protect you from scraps, nicks, cuts, abrasions, punctures, and pretty much everything else that’s impossible to avoid when you’re digging, weeding, pruning, and harvesting.

Even better, they’re thin enough to make it easy to grip whatever tool you’re using. Plus, they’re made from a breathable material that will help your hands stay cool even when you’re gardening in the middle of summer.

2. Best Gardening Trowel

One of the most essential tools you’ll need in your garden is a garden trowel. It will help you do everything from digging holes for seeds and seedlings to digging out weeds around your plants.

I prefer using this garden trowel because it can do two jobs at once. Not only is it a great trowel for digging up weeds, but it also includes measurement markings that help me make sure I’m planting bulbs and seedling transplants at the right depths.

3. Best Gardening Dibber

I can already hear what you’re saying. “What is a garden dibber? And why in the world do I need one?”

Seeds need sunlight for germination. This is why you often see planting depths on the back of seed packets. Plant your seeds too deep, and they won’t grow because they won’t get the right amount of sunlight.

A dibber (also sometimes called a dibble or dibbler) has depth markings on it that ensure you’re creating a hole with the right depth for your seeds to grow. Simply push the tool into the ground to create a perfect little hole for your seeds.

4. Best Gardening Pruning Shears

Gardening pruning shears come in handy when you’re trying to harvest what you’ve grown or trim back unruly branches. Since you’ll use shears for a variety of jobs, you want something that’s easy to hold and not too hard to squeeze.

That’s what makes these Gonicc 8-inch Bypass Pruning Shears one of the best gardening tools you can get. The non-slip handles offer a good grip, and the shears are lightweight and comfortable.

The blades are made from titanium, so you’ll know they’ll hold up to a lot of use. They even include a sap groove that channels sap away from the shears to keep things from sticking together.

They’re called bypass shears because the top blade slices next to the bottom blade, which gives you a quick, clean cut. This is different from anvil pruners, where the top blade clamps down onto the bottom blade and can create a more rugged cut.

5. Best Gardening Cultivator

This claw cultivator will help you dig up dirt, loosen tough soil, and break through weed roots. The prongs are forged from solid stainless steel to make them durable and resistant to rust.

Additionally, the FSC-certified hardwood handle provides a strong and durable grip. The cultivator even comes with a convenient leather strap for storage.

6. Best Soil Moisture Sensor

Making sure your plants have the right amount of water is one of the most important parts of gardening, yet it can often seem like one of the hardest! Too little water or too much water and your plants won’t survive.

Fortunately, this Soilster 3-in-1 Soil Moisture Sensor makes the job A LOT easier. Simply stick the probes into the soil around your plants and it will instantly tell you whether or not it’s time to water.

But measuring soil moisture isn’t the only thing this handy sensor does. It can also tell you whether your soil is too acidic or alkaline and whether or not your plants are getting enough sunlight.

Plus, since this sensor is completely portable, it’s also a really handy tool if you’re not sure how often to water your houseplants!

7. Best Watering Wand

Once you know when your plants require water, you’ll need something that makes it easy to water them. One of the safest and best ways to water your garden is to use this Green Mount watering wand.

Unlike a standard hose nozzle, which can deliver a strong blast of water that can break and damage plants, a watering wand provides a soft, soaking shower. I also like the Green Mount watering wand because its long shaft makes it easy to reach over plants and to water my overhead baskets and boxes.

8. Best Rain Barrel

I know you might be wondering why in the world I included a rain barrel on this list of the best gardening tools, but trust me on this one. A rain barrel offers so many outstanding benefits, you’ll be glad you have one.

Rain barrels attach to the end of your gutters to catch and store rainwater coming off your roof. You’ll be shocked at the amount of rainwater you can collect from a simple shower.

One of the most obvious benefits of rain barrels is that they help you conserve water and save money on your water bill. Once you see how much FREE water you can get from your rain barrel, you’ll be kicking yourself for not installing a rain barrel sooner. In fact, you might end up installing even more!

Plus, rainwater is actually better for your garden than city water. Rainwater is highly oxygenated and contains all types of natural minerals that your plants need to thrive. City water gets striped of these minerals during the sanitation process.

9. Best Gardening Shovel

Trowels are great for planting seedlings and taking care of small jobs, but sometimes you need a tool that can handle those bigger jobs. Whether you’re scooping compost onto your plants or moving large rocks out of your way, this Bully Tools 14-Gauge Round Point Shovel can help.

It’s durable, versatile, and includes a limited lifetime warranty, so you know it can handle nearly any job you have mind.

10. Best Gardening Rake

A rake is one of those simple gardening tools you don’t give much thought to. It helps you smooth soil, clear debris, and gather leaves. But when it’s time to put the rake away, you fight with all the tongs as you try to get it back in its place.

The ingenious Professional EZ Travel Collection Adjustable Telescopic Folding Rake has solved this problem! This lightweight rake has a variable-width head that you can easily adjust from 7.5 inches to 21.75 inches wide.

When the rake is fully open, it does a fantastic job of gathering debris and leaves. When it’s adjusted to its narrowest width, you can easily rake between plants without damaging them. The narrowest width also makes it unbelievably easy to store your rake.

The rake also features an adjustable handle, so you can make it the perfect length to suit your height.

The Best Gardening Tools

Having the right gardening tools can make all the difference between a successful and enjoyable gardening experience and an unsuccessful and frustrating experience.

Fortunately, you no longer have to waste money and time trying to find the gardening tools that can help you have a productive garden. Instead, use this list to get the best gardening tools and enjoy growing all of your favorite fruits and vegetables right in your own backyard!

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