Gardening: Tools you must have

Aug 01, 2008

Gardening is a job that combines creative use of plants, some knowledge of horticulture and the mechanics of garden construction. Using the right tools will make your work easier. Here are some of the tools you must have:

By Winifred Rukidi

Gardening is a job that combines creative use of plants, some knowledge of horticulture and the mechanics of garden construction. Using the right tools will make your work easier. Here are some of the tools you must have:

Spades
If you are tall, it is advisable that you get a spade with a long hilt (handle) not to bend too low. The tilt should be large enough for a good hand grip with a glove on. Choose a full-size blade if you have a lot of digging to carry out. Wooden shafts are light and more comfortable to work with, while metallic ones are heavier and should be plastic coated to last longer.

Forks
A garden folk is very helpful for lifting and turning manure. Choose a full-sized head with square prongs for general cultivation.

Hoes
A hoe is the most basic garden tool used for almost all purposes in a garden. In Uganda we tend to till the ground, weed and plant with only the hoe. The Dutch hoe is excellent for weeding between rows and around plants. Its angled head is designed to clear out the weeds with minimum damage to the plant roots.

Hand forks and trowels
Trowels are used for planting, weeding and filling pots and containers with soil. A narrow-bladed trowel is good for confined areas such as a rock garden.

Secateurs
These are small shears used for pruning. By-pass secateurs have a scissor like action and produce a sharp, clean cut. Brightly-coloured handles make the tool easier to see, if left lying in the garden.

Nylon line trimmers
These tools are usually misused. Some people use them to cut lawn grass which leaves bare, uneven patches. Lawn grass should be cut by a lawn mower and the nylon trimmer left for tiding up long grass around trees or up to the edges of walls and hedges.

winnieruk@hotmail.com

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