Ten Tools for Vegetable Gardeners

When planning to start a vegetable garden, inexperienced gardeners may find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of tools and equipment available for purchase, wondering what exactly is necessary. Likewise, for experienced gardeners, the temptation to purchase fancy or expensive equipment can be almost overwhelming. The garden retail market is flooded with all kinds of trendy pots, planters, tools and accessories for the back yard gardener to spend his or her money on. Narrowing down the selection to a list of ten essential tools will help to clarify what items are necessary for the vegetable gardener’s shed.

1. Sun hat. These days it only takes about 20 minutes in the hot sun for a sunburn to set in. Arming oneself with a good quality sun hat that shields the face and neck from the sun is absolutely essential. Pair this with an SPF 30 sunscreen and avoiding a sunburn is easy.
2. Work shoes. Some gardeners prefer to wear a lightweight foam gardening shoe. While these are comfortable, they won’t protect tender toes from a dropped flower pot! A reliable and comfortable pair of work boots, work shoes or running shoes with socks provides the best support and is the safest choice.
3. Spade. A long-handled garden spade is probably the most commonly owned gardener’s tool there is. This tool can be used to dig up weeds, divide perennial plants, turn over soil, and work compost into the soil. When cleaned and sharpened properly on a regular basis, a good quality spade can last a gardener’s lifetime.
4. Kneeler. A garden kneeler is a foam pad that softens the ground below for kneeling in the vegetable patch. While expensive versions are available in the form of a small bench or seat, an inexpensive kneeler pad with a handle is available at local garden supply stores for a few dollars. When stored in a shed or out of the rays of the sun, it will last several years.
5. Stakes. Assorted bamboo stakes, posts and old broom handles make excellent supports for tall plants that need vertical support.
6. Pruners. A trusty pair of pruners is an absolute must for the vegetable gardener. These will be useful for harvesting herbs and vegetables, deadheading flowering plants, and pruning woody stems, such as raspberry canes.
7. Compost bin. Making use of a compost pile is the most effective and environmentally safe way to add nutrients to the soil.
8. Rake. A garden rake is a useful tool for leveling soil in preparation for sowing vegetable seeds into the bed.
9. Wheelbarrow. How else to move the compost from the compost bin to the vegetable garden? A wheelbarrow is also a helpful tool for moving large plants to a new location, collecting harvested vegetables and carting other materials around the yard.
10. Buckets or baskets. A large bushel basket or bucket makes a wonderful container for collecting weeds and clippings that will be thrown into the compost pile. Keep several handy in and around the garden.

If the garden shed is well stocked with these items, the vegetable gardener should find everything he or she needs is at hand. Investing in a few good-quality tools will prove to be an efficient and cost-effective way to grow vegetables in the back yard garden.