In the blog titled Lawn Care and Gardening Tools – Part I, I began my discussion on what lawn care and garden tools a neophyte should consider purchasing after just acquiring their first home. In the previous article I discussed lawn mowers and wheelbarrows.
In this blog I will cover the other tools you will find necessary including rakes, hoses, sprinklers, and more.
Rake
It is not true that a rake by any other name is still a rake. They are made of a variety of materials including bamboo, plastic, and steel.
(Courtesy: Toyo-Shi at flickr.com)
You will use the rake for all sorts of tasks including clearing out dead debris from the garden; spreading mulch, dirt, or sand when landscaping the yard; and gathering fallen leaves. A sturdy rake is recommended if you intend to do landscaping to assure the best covering.
Landscaping may require the rake to move some fairly heavy material. So, at least in this case, it should be sturdy.
Plastic rakes should suffice for moving lightweight materials, leaves and light lawn raking. Steel rakes are more appropriate for moving heavy materials.
A rake head can vary in width from 8-inches to 24-inches. The tines also come in an assortment of widths. Many suggest you own two sizes.
The cost of a rake will run between $8 and $30. You can find them at tool stores, home improvement stores and some grocery stores.
Hose
(Courtesy: Rudolf Vicek at flickr.com)
Other than the lawn mower the hose is probably the most important tool in a gardener’s garage. Hoses come in a variety of strengths as well as with lead or lead-free.
It is suggested that you use a hose that is 5/8-inch in diameter. Before buying the hose, measure the distance between the water outlet to your flowerbeds, garden, and the farthest section of your lawn, and then add a few extra feet to determine the appropriate length. Be aware that the water pressure decreases as the length of the hose increases.
Expect to spend from $10 to $75 for a hose. Rubber hoses are more costly and vinyl hoses are less expensive. You can find a hose at a home improvement store, hardware store, or even stores like Target or Bed Bath and Beyond.
Sprinkler
A sprinkler can save you a lot of time from standing and watering the lawn and garden with a hose. It comes with a variety of coverage sizes, different watering patterns, and water pressure setting. The size of your lawn should determine what sprinkler would be most appropriate.
Courtesy: Todd Morris at flickr.com)
There are pulsating sprinklers that are partially buried into the ground and direct a stream of water to a particular radius around it. These sprinklers are good for large lawns. A fixed or rotary sprinkler is more ideal for small lawns.
Sprinklers come with a number of options including a timer or automatic shutoff valve. Consider if you would like an option or would rather have a plain sprinkler that just sprinkles the lawn.
Sprinklers cost from $10 up to $100.
Other Tools to Consider
There are a number of other tools you may want to consider owning to tackle the various assignments of caring for a lawn and garden. They include:
· An edger. This is designed to create straight, trimmed edges along the perimeter of your lawn and around pathways and driveways.
· Shears. These are basically scissors that are used to prune plants and cut tree limbs.
· Spade. This tool can be used to dig holes in which to plant flowers and to spread mulch and soil around plants.
· Hedge Trimmer. A cutting tool to control the growth of shrubs.
· Kneeling Pad. A mat on which you can kneel while working on your garden.
· Gardening Gloves. Heavy, touch-material gloves that protect your hands from scratches, bug bites, and messy dirt.
