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Garden Tools
The choice of tools required for your garden will depend on a few factors.
Consider first, how large is my garden, will I ever want to grow vegatables,
or will it be just for ornamental use? Am I feeling enthusiastic about
gardening, or will it become just another chore?
Gardening can be a very satisfying hobby, but also, sometimes can be hard work.
Consider this before purchasing expensive tools and equipment.
If you only have a small lawn, you may be able to get by with just a lawnmower.
However a patch of grass without any borders is uninteresting. Although flower,
shrub borders and vegetable plots will have to be maintained, it can be well
worth the effort.
Lawn Maintenance Tools and Equipment.
Half Moon Lawn Edging Tool.
It has a curved blade attached to a wooden or metal handle, Useful to keep the
lawn edges looking good; using this tool too often can make your lawn smaller. |
Long Handled Shears
The shears with long handles alleviate stooping. Used for trimming overhanging
grass at lawn edges, can be tiring to use for long periods. |
Spring Tined Rake
Wide rake with a long handle, with plastic, rubber or metal tines. Used for raking
leaves and dead growth from the lawn. |
Strimmer
Strimmers can be electric or petrol powered. Electric types only suitable for
smaller gardens. Engine types much more versatile.Used for trimming around
trees and tidying rough areas. Can be hard work if used for long periods. |
Scarifer or Powered Lawn Rake
Electric or petrol powered. Used for raking dead moss, leaves and thatch, usually
has a collector box. |
Lawn Aerator
Hand or petrol powered has hollow tines. Allows air into compacted lawns, encouraging
growth. Ordinary fork can be used on small areas. |
Spreader
Hand operated, metal or plastic bin on wheels with handles. Used for accurately
spreading grass seed fertiliser and granular weedkiller. |
Roller
Rollers can be made of cast iron or a better type has provision to add water
to vary weight. Sometimes used to roll lawns. No need for these if your mower
has a roller fitted. |
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Tools and Equipment for Maintaining Shrubs Trees and Hedges
Shears
Made with extending or standard length handles. Used for trimming long
grass or tidying shrubs and hedges.
Powered Hedge Trimmer
Available electrically or petrol powered Suitable for larger hedges,
can have extension for tall hedges and conifers.
Rechargeable Hedgetrimmers
Useful for small areas out of reach of power supply. Easy to use, but
lack power for thicker branches.
Secateurs
Parrot bill type has a scissors action, with curved blade. Anvil type
has a straight upper blade that cuts against a fixed flat anvil. Secateurs
are used for pruning roses and shrubs.
Pruning Saw
Made with straight or curved folding blade. Suitable for pruning in confined
spaces.
Bow Saw
Has tubular triangular frame that tensions, replaceable blade. For trimming
large, accessible branches quickly.
Long Handled Loppers
Heavy-duty cutters with extending handles, made in bypass or anvil type. For
cutting branches, up to one inch thick.
Long Handled Tree Pruner
Cutter blade is positioned on a long pole. The blade is operated by a rod mechanism.
For pruning tall trees.
Brushwood Cutter
Petrol powered with metal blade. Suitable for heavy duty clearing of undergrowth
and scrub. Efficient but can be tiring when using for long periods.
Chainsaws
Petrol or electrically powered. Use for trimming tree branches and for felling
and cutting trees up into logs. In inexperienced hands can be very dangerous.
Equipment and Tools for Cultivation and Irrigation.
Spade
Available in standard and border sizes. Made in carbon steel, can have
a non-stick coating. Also made in stainless steel. Used for digging
and shifting soil.
Fork
Available in standard and border sizes. Use for digging and cultivating
heavy soils. Smaller border fork used for cultivating borders.
Hoe
Draw and push hoes are used for weeding, sometimes used for forming seed
drills.
Garden Rakes
Made out of pressed steel, in one piece head or riveted, with wooden
or steel handle. Rakes are used for levelling cultivated soil and for
raking up debris.
Dibber
Short wooden handle sometimes with a metal point. Used for making holes
when planting cabbage seedlings
Hand fork and trowel
Used for planting bulbs and bedding plants.
Garden Line
Length of strong hemp with two metal pins. used as a planting guide to
set out line of plants.
Hand Cultivator
Three, four, or five pronged tool with a long handle. Used for cultivating
compacted soil.
Petrol Rotavator
Rotovators can save some hard work, only worthwhile for larger gardens.
Can chop, spread, and help weeds germinate.
Wheelbarrow
Can be obtained with galvanised metal or plastic bin. The builder's type
with inflatable tyre is the most durable.
Incinerators
Made out of mesh or dustbin design. Used for burning garden rubbish.
Shredders
Powered by electric, petrol heavy-duty types are available. Quickly turn
garden waste into mulch, which is then easily composted.
Watering Can
Made in galvanised metal or plastic. Essential in drought conditions
when hosepipe ban is in operation. Always use with a rose when watering
plants. Can be used for applying weedkiller, but keep separate can for
this purpose.
Hosepipe
Made in different lengths and materials. Best types are through feed
reels, permanently fixed near tap. When purchasing, make sure it will
reach to the furthest point of your garden.
Sprinklers
A few different types are available. Most common is rotary, covers a
large circular area. Oscillating type is most useful.
Sprayers
Small pump up type, or knapsack sprayer. Used for pesticides and weedkillers.
Can also be used for fertilisers and misting. Knapsack sprayer only necessary
for larger gardens.
Building and Landscaping Tools
Pickaxe
Heavy tool with a long curved steel head and wooden handle. Used for
breaking up compacted soil, or brickwork.
Shovel
Consisting of a broad blade attached to a strong handle. Used for moving
loose materials, quickly.
Sledgehammer
Large Heavy Hammer with long handle. Used for breaking up rocks and concrete,
and for driving stakes into the ground.
Spirit Level
Made in wood or metal has a tube liquid filled with air bubble resting
between two marks. For checking whether a surface is exactly horizontal.
Builders Trowels
Brick trowel and pointing trowel. Brick trowel used for laying mortar.
Smaller pointing trowel used for finishing and pointing brickwork.
Builders Line
Strong hemp line attached to pointed steel pins. Used for setting out
walls, paths and brickwork.
Lump Hammer
Heavy hammer with short handle. Used with bolster chisel for brick and
slab cutting.
Float
Rectangular shaped thin metal plate with attached handle. Used for levelling
plaster or wet cement.
Measuring Tape
Long metal or fabric tape in a metal case. Used for setting out garden
projects accurately.
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