Gardening: Tools, tools and more tools

By Karen Gibson, Denton County Master Gardener Association

Are you looking for the perfect gift for the gardener(s) on your Gift List? Think tools!

Here are some basic, good-to-have tools to assist their gardening journey:

Hand trowel – Look for an ergonomic design that feels good in your hand. One with a measuring guide is a bonus.

Hand weeder – This can be invaluable for removing those pesky weeds quickly and efficiently.

Kneeler – Protects knees and lower back! This will help your gardener get to ground level in comfort and ease. Splurge on a pricier model that includes rugged metal arms to assist in getting back up off the ground.

Cultivator – Use a hand cultivator to break up soil and scratch in amendments.

Hand saw – An invaluable tool used to cut off small branches and remove woody perennial die back.

Hand pruners – Splurge and get the best you can afford. This will be a prized tool used to create clean cuts and keep plant shaping and dead heading in check.

Sharpshooter shovel – Great for digging holes for planting and removing unwanted plants.

Steel rake – Assists in smoothing mulch and shaping beds.

Round garden shovel – Every gardener needs one for general digging purposes.

Gloves – Great stocking stuffers. Invest in a good pair to protect your favorite gardener’s hands.

EXTRAS for the really serious gardener includes a manure or bedding pitchfork for moving mulch and/or a garden auger for making planting holes using a home drill.

Does your gardener already have all the tools they’ll ever need? Consider a gift certificate to get their tools sharpened. Or invest in a tool bucket organizer so their tools will be easy to find the next time they garden. The gardeners on your list will think of you each time they use your gift.

For more information about gardening in North Texas see dcmga.com/north-texas-gardening/.

Happy Gardening!