Wheelbarrow

If you’re lucky enough to have a nice big yard to garden in,

you’ll find that a wheelbarrow or a garden cart will make a lot
of jobs so much easier. Move dirt, compost, even piles of
leaves effortlessly across your property. They’re also great for
transporting new seedlings to your garden bed.

A traditional wheelbarrow design will be best if you’re often moving soil or compost as
it’s easy to dump your load once you read your destination. If you mostly need to move
tools or plants then a cart design might work better for you.

Loppers
If you have trees or shrubs that ever need pruning, a simple pair of
pruning shears won’t cut it (hah!). Loppers are perfect for keeping
your hedges under control or removing diseased branches.
A nice pair of loppers (like the one pictured) will allow you to cut
branches up to 1-2″ in diameter. When you’re shopping, make sure
to pay attention to the max thickness the loppers will cut. Usually,
longer loppers can cut thicker branches. If can afford the extra
cost, buy one that can handle 2″ branches.

Weeder

Weeds are the bane of an gardener’s existence and can be a major

pain to remove. Luckily there are a few handy tools to use to battle
weeds in your garden. The first is a hand weeder (pictured), which
some call a dandelion digger. It’s designed to help remove weeds
with a tap root, with the tines penetrating the soil to easily pull the
weed out.

Some prefer standup weeders (like this one). You push the spikes into the ground,
press down on the lever with your foot, and it grabs the weed and its roots (see it in
action in our article on how to remove dandeliona). They’re easier to use if you have
back problems or a ton of dandelions to remove from your yard.

Hori Hori Garden Knife

Sometimes referred to as a garden knife, the hori hori originated
in Japan, but has become popular with gardeners across the
world. It’s a stainless steal blade that is slightly curved with a
sharp edge and a serrated edge. That makes it perfect for cutting
through soil or roots. Some people even use it as a weeder.
Some people use a hori hori instead of a hand trowel, as you can
easily use it to transplant seedlings and dig holes for planting.
Many models also have measurements engraved in the blade,
making it easy to measure depth when planting seeds. Campers also find a hori hori
useful for digging into hardpacked dirt or prying up rocks under your tent.