Garden tools

[homesteadingnky]

What would you say the most important garden tool you own is?? (Besides the power of observation)

I'm just curious what everyone will say. There's no right or wrong answer. Just what's your most important tool or tools.

I use several tools constantly in my garden. My pruning shears, shovel/spade, rake, hoe, grubing hoe, ect. I couldn't get my garden in the ground without my shovel (which is worn out and will have to be replaced this year because of the handle).

But my shears are much faster than my pocket knife and I prune my tomatoes (all several hundred of them) to where there are no leaves with in a foot of the ground and then I keep them thinned out several times a year and use some of the cuttings to start new plants.

So for me it would be shovel #1 shears #2

How about you? ???
Homesteading Dad

[lateaprildawn]

HI Homesteading Dad,

I think my most important tool is a petrol mini tiller, i only use it twice a year to give the vegetable beds a really good turnover, its a great plus when you have a " tricky back".

My FAVORITE tools are a little mortar laying trowel only about 3inches long and 1 inch wide, but it gets down all the nooks and crevises when weeding. It also doubles as a handy bulb or seedling planter.

The second is a wall paper stripping scraper, a flat blade about 3 inches wide. it is brilliant as a mini Hoe. I got fed up trying to hoe weeds in my strawberries with a regular hoe as i kept uprooting them by accident. This does mean kneeling or sitting but it quickly uproots and severs seedling weeds.

Best wishes,
April

[aerontg]

For the shovel you can take a handle from another garden tool, or in the worst case buy another handle and attach it by drilling a hole through the shaft and wood (with the handle in the shaft), then fastening it with a bolt and nut.

[MooseToo]

i've come to the conclusion that the most helpful thing to have for the garden is a slave - or at least an deeply indentured servant -

[homesteadingnky]

I will hold on to the shovel and probably put anouther handle in it for a back up but I double dig my beds usually and I have a lot of beds that I'll be digging next year if my health permits so I'm going to invest in a really good heavy duty shovel that will hopefully out last me.

Moose Too, I thought that's what the kids are for.... but, the indentured servant... you may be on to something there!

Homesteading Dad

[Baxtherin]

i've come to the conclusion that the most helpful thing to have for the garden is a slave - or at least an deeply indentured servant -

That's why we get married, right? ;) ;D
-Travis

Oh and Shovel is my most useful. I keep breaking them though... I need to buy one with one of those yellow plastic handles... Or steel... Hmmmmmmm ::)

[WileyCoyote]

No no no Travis - that's why we have CHILDREN.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

My most useful tool is my big wheelbarrow. I have to trundle stuff everywhere - from groceries from the car to burn pile stuff - and my wheelbarrow makes my life easier.

[homesteadingnky]

Believe it or not I don't even own a wheelbarrow. *I say every year I'm going to get me one but I haven't yet. *Dad has one so of course I know how valueable they can be. *I just haven't been able to spend the money for one. *Maybe I'll change that this year and get one while I still have a little money left that I haven't put in my gas tank. *I do know that not having one has created a *lot more work for me at times.

As for shovels, anyone tried the Fiskers?? *I have to find a real sturdy one.

Homesteading Dad

[Faye]

I like my stirrup hoe for weeding in the big garden and hope they make a small version because I am going to square foot gardening and won't need large tools.