27 Essential Tools For Gardening And Lawn Care (UPDATED)

They say that choosing the right tool is one of the joys of gardening.

But that’s easier said than done — especially when you’re standing in the garden aisle of a home improvement store, faced with so many choices: Which ones do you actually need? What kind of tools work best for your garden? What sizes should you choose?

I get it — it’s easy to go overboard when purchasing gardening tools.

But don’t worry, it’s a struggle that a lot of people are familiar with. According to a study conducted by the Pennsylvania State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences, a total of $30 billion was spent in the US on lawn care equipment alone.

Believe me, I’ve been there. When I first started my lawn care journey, I ended up with an overcrowded shed and an empty wallet. Most of these tools never even made it to my garden. It took me a lot of time and research to realize that you don’t need a huge collection — just the right kind of tools.

Before I delve into my list of essential tools, here are a few handy tips I’ve learned along the way:

• Choose quality over price. Cheaply made tools deteriorate faster and are a lot easier to break.
• Bigger doesn’t always mean better. Lighter products with wide handles are much easier to grip.
• Comfort comes first. Remember that you will be spending a lot of time using them, so they have to be comfortable to use. Generally, gardening tools with padded and ergonomic grips are good choice to avoid aching hands and blisters.
• It helps if you can try out a tool before buying it. Consider the weight of the product against your grip strength, and how balanced it feels in your hand.
• Consider tools with interchangeable heads. These may be a bit more expensive, but are versatile tools to have in your collection.
• Always check the product warranty. Ask how long it lasts and what it covers, to ensure that the product is worth buying.

Still not sure where to start? Don’t fret — I’ve got you covered. Here’s a rundown of 27 essential tools for gardening and lawn care and their different types so you can find the right fit for you and your gardening needs:

Let’s Discuss 27 Essential Tools For Gardening And Lawn Care

01. GARDENING GLOVES

Garden gloves can go a long way to protect your hands from the usual hazards of gardening — rocks, dust, dirt and thorny plants. They also help increase your dexterity so you’re more productive for those long days in the garden.

A. Standard Gloves

These are the most common and inexpensive gloves. They are usually made from cotton or knit jersey and are machine washable. Because they are relatively thin, they offer very little protection. But they are definitely more comfortable and breathable than thicker kinds.

B. Nitrile Coated Gloves

Neoprene or nitrile gloves are made of synthetic, oil-resistant rubber that creates a waterproof barrier — making them a good choice when working with fertilizers and other hazardous gardening products. They’re also a good alternative for those allergic to latex.

C. Canvas Gloves

Much like cloth gloves, canvas gloves are an inexpensive option for the budget-friendly gardener. They are also machine washable. The downside is that they are less durable than other kinds of gloves, and may need to be replaced from time to time.

D. Digging Gloves

As the name implies, these are designed specifically for digging and are usually reinforced with claws at the end of the fingertips. These claws will help you work through multiple surfaces and keep your hands safe from soil-borne bacteria like tetanus.

E. Leather Gloves

Leather gloves may either be synthetic or made of real leather like cowhide or goatskin. These gloves are thicker than other kinds of gloves and are suitable for a number of heavy tasks like shoveling, moving large rocks and even using power equipment.

F. Touch Sensitive Gloves

These gloves are the perfect companion for the modern day gardener. The main benefit of these gloves is that you can use your smart phone and other hand-held devices while wearing them — which may come in handy when you need to answer work emails or calls while gardening.

G. Protective Gloves for Rose Garden

Trimming rose bushes require moving sharp, thorn-lined branches aside. These gloves, also called “rose pruning gloves” are made from rugged, thick material that provides the right resistance against thorns and sharp edges, but without being too thick as to restrict your movement.

02. GARDENING TROWELS

Garden trowels are small handheld shovels or spades that are generally used for digging small holes. It’s a go-to tool if you’re planting bulbs or perennials or when you need to dig into tight areas in your garden.

A. Measuring Trowel

A measuring trowel has traditional blades with curved sides. This is the most commonly used style and is generally used to dig up holes and break up hard soil. The blade usually contains clear gradation marks that offer depth measurement.

B. Transplanting Trowel

Compared to the traditional trowel that has a curved blade, a transplanting trowel has blades that are long and thin and have a pointed tip. It is designed to move seedlings and small plants from one location to another, such as from the greenhouse to the garden. The narrow blade also enables it to be used in tight spaces like flower beds.

C. Root Slayer Trowel

What makes this trowel unique is its narrow blade with saw-toothed edges. This particular shape is designed to cut through roots and hard soil. It’s particularly helpful for digging narrow trenches.

03. GARDENING SHOVELS

Any professional gardener will tell you that a shovel is one tool you cannot live without. It’s a multi-purpose tool that allows you to perform various jobs all at once — from digging and transplanting to removing dirt and weeds.

A. Handheld shovels

Similar to a trowel, these are miniature shovels with short shafts of around six inches in length. They are usually used for a variety of small garden tasks, like digging up weeds and removing small plants. These shovels come in a variety of shapes and designs depending on the intended use, the most common having a fairly narrow rounded or pointed blade, typically measuring around four inches.

B. Mini D Handle Shovel

As its name suggests, this shovel has a D-shaped handle intended to increase grip. Its compact size and specialized grip provide the right amount of leverage when kneeling low — making it the ideal choice when digging small holes for shrubs or planting in tight spaces.

C. Mini Digging Shovel

This compact shovel has a blade that comes to a pointed tip and edges that curve upward slightly. It also has a wide footplate that enables you to use your weight to dig through tough, compacted or rocky soils.

D. Round Head Shovel

This shovel is easy to spot because of its curved edges and a tip which likewise has a curved shape. While it may not be the best for rocky soil, it is one of the best tools to have when digging holes in softer soil types.

E. Border Spade Shovel

A border spade shovel is characterized by its flat, narrow blade and shorter handle — suitable for smaller gardens. Despite its size, it is equally effective in digging up dirt. A heavy-duty border spade has a blade made of either carbon steel or stainless steel.

F. Root Slayer Shovel

A root slayer shovel is like having three tools in one — it acts as a shovel, root saw, and root hatchet at the same time. With its sharp-toothed edges, primarily designed to cut through tough roots and hard, rocky soil.

G. Square Spade Shovel

A square spade shovel is better used for picking rather than digging. Its square surface provides a better grip on the material for its flat tip. It works best for scooping soil from garden paths and weeding out unruly grasses.

H. Nursery Spade Shovel

This shovel’s primary purpose is for transplanting trees and shrubbery. It has a long, narrow blade for digging holes and has inch markings etched on the blade to help find the correct depth for planting.

I. Perennial Planter Shovel

This is the perfect handy tool for splitting perennial plants. It has a pointed tip that slices easily through roots to divide into new plants, with very minimal disturbance to the rest of the plant. It also works well when digging while kneeling, as it has a good grip and prevents you from working at an awkward height.

04. GARDENING FORKS

If you’re garden is full of stones or has clay-type soil, chances are your shovel and trowel will not be enough to the do the trick. This is where garden forks come in.

A. Pitchfork

A pitchfork has prongs that are thinner and longer. They are also more far apart from each other compared to other kinds of garden forks. It is used primarily as a rake for loosening rocky or compacted soil.

B. Bedding Fork

This fork has curved tines that are closer to each other, intended to move loose material from one place to another. It also works handy in spreading material around.

C. Manure Fork

A manure fork features very sharp tines that are intended for cutting into manure or compost. This is designed primarily for grabbing and lifting when turning over a compost or manure pile.

D. Spading Fork

Much like the pitchfork, the spading fork commonly also has four tines. But, unlike the pitchfork, this one is primarily used for digging or turning over lighter soil types and sometimes even for harvesting different kinds of root crops.

E. Hand-held Fork

As its name suggests, this is a small fork — about the size of a trowel — designed to be used with smaller plants and seedlings. It is sometimes called a “weeding fork” because it is used to dig up weeds in closely-planted beds. It also has only three tines, instead of the usual four.

F. Hand-held Cultivator

Sometimes called “gardening claws”, this tiny fork looks and works like a small rake. It typically has four or five prongs and is used for removing small, tender shoots of weeds.

05. GARDENING KNIFE

Despite being a relatively simple tool, the garden knife has a crucial role in weeding, transplanting and dividing plants. There are several types made of either stainless or carbon steel.

A. Digging Knife

Sometimes called a “hori-hori” or “soil knife,” a digging knife features a heavy serrated steel blade primarily used for digging. The blade is sharp on both sides and comes to a semi-sharp point at the end — perfect for getting into those narrowly planted beds.

B. Multi-purpose Knife

If you can only bring one garden knife to your garden, this is the one to take. This knife acts as two tools in one: it has a stainless steel dished blade for digging and a sharpened, serrated edge for cutting. Most are also equipped with a measurement scale on the blade to better measure soil depth.

C. Perennial Splitter Knife

A perennial splitter knife has a longer blade than other kinds of garden knives — typically at 8 inches, with one side sharpened and the other serrated. Its designed primarily for cutting back dead perennials and tall grass.

06. GARDENING PRUNERS

Garden pruners perform two important functions: cutting and trimming. It’s an essential tool to keep your plants in shape so they grow perfectly.

29. Snips

Snips are the smallest type of garden pruners — so compact, in fact, that you can use them with just one hand. Ideal for deadheading and cutting flowers, they feature simple cut-and-hold designs that are lightweight and easy to use.

30. Pruning Shears

As its name suggests, pruning shears are tiny garden scissors. But don’t let its size fool you — they are strong enough to prune hard branches of trees and shrubs, sometimes going up to two centimeters thick.

31. Bypass Pruners

Bypass Pruners feature two blades that pass each other like scissors when used. Because of its design, these pruners have the precision to make clean cuts in almost any kinds of plants — from thick branches to delicate flower stems.

32. Rubber Gripped Pruners

These types of pruners have the same features as standard garden pruners, with the addition of a thick rubber grip designed to keep your hands firm while in use. Some come with ergonomic features for added comfort.

33. Fiskars Steel Shears

Fiskars Steel Shears have heavy duty, precision-ground steel blades that cut all the way to the tip. Another unique feature is its low-friction blade coating that reduces gumming and improves rust resistance.

34. Heavy-duty Pruning Shears

Durable and made of thick steel blades, heavy-duty pruning shears are large scissor-like garden tools that require you to use both hands. They are almost as big as loppers, with handles that are typically two feet long and can cut through thick branches and shrubs.

07. GARDENING LOPPERS

To put it simply, garden loppers are like pruners — only supersized. They are the perfect tool to have in hand when cutting stems thicker than a large pencil. Loppers generally also have longer handles, for a better and longer reach.

35. Anvil loppers

Anvil loppers work similar to a knife, such that its blade is pushed through the plant material. They work well for cutting up old dead wood and other rougher stems.

36. Bypass Loppers

Unlike anvil loppers, bypass loppers work more like scissors where the two blades pass by each other. This is the ideal tool for thinner stems and soft plant tissues.

37. Electric Chainsaw Loppers

Electric chainsaw loppers work exactly like chainsaws but are lighter and easier to use, particularly for more heavy duty cutting. Its clamping jaws allow you to grab and cut in one easy motion. They even come in wireless varieties.

08. GARDENING RAKES

Rakes consist of pole-like structures with either a toothed crossbar or fine tines at the end of the pole. Garden rakes serve a number of purposes, particularly to brush together cut grass or break up clumped soil and remove stones.

38. Leaf Rake

Leaf rakes are usually built with more lightweight material than other kinds of rakes — usually made of thinner wood for the handle, while the tines are made of either plastic or steel. These rakes are used to move large amounts of lightweight leaves over large areas.

39. Soil Rake

A soil rake is a heavy duty rake — designed for jobs that a leaf rake cannot handle. It is usually made of metal like steel and is used to move heavier soil for tilling.

40. Thatch Rake

A thatch rake has two kinds of tines: a curved one for cultivating soil and a straight one for removing dead grass and pushing leaves.

09. GARDENING CART/WHEELBARROWS

Garden carts or wheelbarrows consist of a wheel at the front and a container used for carrying the load, with two stands at the back. They are useful for maneuvering through narrow paths and can carry a lot of supplies at one time.

41. Yard Cart

A yard cart’s main feature is its straight side barrow — setting it apart from other garden carts with sloping sides. It also has two wheels, instead of the usually single wheel design. It’s generally used for moving and carrying lightweight plants and other supplies.

42. Dual-Wheel Barrow

This is a wheelbarrow with two wheels and is intended for heavier loads. The dual wheels ensure that you have greater stability at the front, making it easier to carry unbalanced loads. The only disadvantage is that its a bit more difficult to maneuver than single wheel carts.

43. Four Wheel Dump Cart

As its name suggests, this garden cart has four wheels that is used for hauling huge loads. This particular type of cart is used for moving rocks, compost, bricks and even for mixing concrete or fertilizers.

10. GARDENING WATERERS

Water is vital for the life and survival of all plants. It is also essential for the transportation of nutrients from the soil to the plants. The type of garden waterer you use will depend largely on the type and size of your garden, as well as the kind of plants you decide to grow.

44. Watering Hose

A watering hose saves you the time and effort of carrying heavy watering cans from your shed to your plant beds. Aside from watering your garden, its also a multipurpose tool that can also help clean your garden tools and garden furniture.

45. Watering Wands

Watering wands, as their name implies, are wand-shaped tools that are designed to be attached to the end of a watering hose. Water then flows through them like a sprinkler head and sprayed out in rain-like water to the plants. It’s a good option to consider for smaller gardens, as its gentle spray does not damage seedlings or tender growths.

46. Automatic Waterers

Automatic waterers refer to water irrigation systems which may either be in the form of sprinklers or drip systems. The advantage of these kinds of waterers is that they can be set so as to provide exactly the right amount of water needed for your plants. Some also allow you to set a timer to ensure your plants are water at designated times every day.

47. Normal Watering Cans

Normal watering cans are either made of ceramic or plastic. The end of the spout usually has a “rose”– a small cap with holes to break the stream of water and help avoid excessive water pressure on your plants.

48. Metal Watering Cans

As its name suggests, these watering cans are made from metal. This means that they are more durable and better suited to regular and heavy use. The disadvantage of course is that they are prone to rust.

49. Long-Neck Watering Cans

Compared to normal watering cans, these ones have longer spouts that allow you to aim and water your plants without bending too far. It saves you the effort of finding a high enough place for your plants where you no longer risk spilling too much water over them.

50. Electric Pressure Washers

Electric pressure washers are cleaning tools that use water pressure for cleaning driveways, garden furniture, fencing and gutters. But unlike the other items under this category, this tool cannot be used to water plants as the pressure would be too strong and likely to cause damage.

11. LAWN MOWERS

Garden mowers are machines used for cutting grass on a lawn. They are commonly used to clean up a lawn and are usually made of thick and very sharp iron plates.

51. Manual Powered Mower

A manual powered mower runs on manpower alone. The obvious benefit is that there’s less pollution — safer for your plants, and you also get the satisfaction of contributing a tiny bit to the environment. And then there’s the fact that there’s no cord to get tangled up in, so you can move freely around your garden.

52. Automatic Lawn Mower

The perfect choice for the modern-day gardener, this robot lawn mower does much of the work for you. All you have to do is set up the perimeter and cutting height and make a schedule, and the lawn mower does the job without you having to lift a finger.

53. Gas-powered Lawn Mower

This lawn mower is powered by a machine that runs on gas and has an oil reservoir. With its speed and power, gas-powered lawn mowers can easily cut long and tough grass. The downside is of course that gas runs out and will need to be refilled often.

54. Battery-powered Lawn Mower

This lawn mower runs on lithium-ion batteries. Since it has no oil, clutch, throttle and gears, it requires less maintenance compared to gas counterparts. You’ll also lose the hassle of constantly refiling gas, and clean up is generally a lot easier.

55. Electric-powered Lawn Mower

This lawn mower runs on electricity. They usually have a cord from a power outlet to the mower to supply electricity. Compared to gas-powered ones, these mowers are more lightweight and easier to operate. They also cost a lot less in the long run.

12. LAWN SWEEPERS

Garden sweepers are basically intended to replace your rake. They can sweep up leaves, acorns, grass clippings and other debris. Small size sweepers are generally used for home gardens, while large ones are better used to aid heavy landscaping work.

56. Push Garden Sweepers

Push garden sweepers are operated manually. The mechanism is relatively simple: it has a rotating sweeping brush that gathers up the debris into an attached hopper bag. Once full, all you have to do is empty out the bag.

57. Electric Garden Sweepers

These sweepers are sometimes called “tow-behind lawn sweepers” because they are usually pulled by a lawn tractor or riding mower. Compared to push garden sweepers, these ones get the job done faster and save you a lot of time and effort.

13. LAWN TRIMMERS

Regardless of the size of your garden, grass trimmers are essential to keep it in perfect condition. Even if you already have a lawnmower, grass trimmers are still a useful addition because they can cut around trees, walls and other spaces that a lawnmower cannot reach.

58. Gas-powered String Trimmers

As the name implies, these trimmers run on gas and can be powered either by a two or four stroke motor. They are compatible with a lot of accessories, but can be a bit noisy to use.

59. Battery-Powered String Trimmers

Because these trimmers run on batteries, they are a lot more quiet compared to gas-powered string trimmers. There’s also the obvious advantage of being cordless, so you can move freely around your garden.

60. Electric String Trimmers

Ideal for larger gardens, electric string trimmers are more powerful than other kinds of trimmers on this list but they remain to be relatively lightweight. The downside is that you have to deal with long extension cords.

61. Electric Chainsaw Trimmers

These trimmers likewise run on electricity and unless wireless, usually have a cord from a power outlet. instead of the usual steel blades, these trimmers have a chainsaw-like blade used to trim heavy and dense bushes.

14. PICKER-UPPERS

A picker upper is a handy tool that saves you hours of work in the fall, when autumn leaves are scattered all over the lawn. They come in various types that include leaf scoops or claws, shredders, and leaf blowers with mulching features — all which serve the ultimate purpose of cleaning up fallen leaves and other debris from your yard.

62. Leaf Picker-uppers

This is the most basic kind of picker-upper. It features a long handle with jaws or teeth at the end that clamp together to pick up large amounts of leaves and lawn clippings. The handles are commonly adjustable to change the height in order to reduce bending over when picking up leaves.

READ More: Top 10 Best Leaf Picker Uppers (The Buying Guide)

63. Acorn Picker-uppers

An acorn picker-upper, sometimes called a “nut gatherer” is a manual rolling device that is specifically designed to pick up acorns and other autumn debris and puts them inside of a basket.

Once you’re done, all that’s left to do is empty the basket. They are relatively easy to use and require no gasoline or electricity.

Also READ: Top 7 Best Acorn Picker Uppers (BUYING GUIDE)

64. Pecan Picker-uppers

These tools feature broom-length poles with wire cages at one end. Some varieties have cages that rotate while others are fixed, but they generally serve the same purpose — to pick up stray pecans. It works by placing the cage end on the ground and rolling it over the pecans, applying pressure on the handle so they’re trapped inside.

65. Brass Picker-uppers

An essential autumn lawn care tool, this picker-upper is designed to collect spent rifle and pistol brass from garden surfaces. It features a long handle that ends in a roller which picks up brass when pushed along. It also comes with a roll cage separator that allows you to dump the collected brass into a bucket quickly.

15. GARDEN HOES

One of the most basic tools to have in your garden, garden hoes are primarily used to shape soil and remove weeds in order to prepare plant and flower beds for planting.

66. Standard Hoe

Sometimes called “paddle or draw hoe,” this is the most basic options for gardening. The paddle at the end is in the shape of a small rectangle that is angled at 90 degrees toward the handle. It is used in an up-and-down chopping motion and commonly used to dislodge weeds.

67. Warren Hoe

This hoe also has a flat paddle similar to the standard hoe. The only difference is that it is shaped like a triangle or spade instead of a rectangle.

68. Action Hoe

The head of the action hoe pivots back and forth under the soil for weed-cutting action. The blade cuts on the push or pull stroke.

69. Weeding/Two Prong Hoe

This type of hoe is designed to remove weeds by a push-pull motion that cuts just under the soil surface.

16. LAWN EDGERS

Lawn edgers are designed to create tiny and sharp edges between your lawn and paved surfaces. While primarily used for beautification purposes by adding defined lines to your yard, lawn edgers also help fix the edgings of flower beds and other plantings.

70. Manual Lawn Edgers

Manual Lawn Edgers are characterized by their long handle with a serrated or smooth wheel at the end. Since it runs on manpower, it will take a bit of work and effort on your part to run the wheel back and forth.

71. Gas-powered Lawn Edgers

Better suited for larger yards, gas-powered lawn edgers have either a two or four cycle engine. They can be a bit heavy to use and there is the added cost having to routinely refill the gas when it runs out.

72. Electric-powered Lawn Edgers

These edgers are plugged in to an electrical outlet via a lengthy cord, so there’s a bit of restriction when it comes to movement. But these are more budget-friendly and lightweight, providing around 18 volts of power. There are also some cordless varieties to choose from.

17. OTHER GARDEN TOOLS

73. Sprayer

Garden sprayers are tools that are used to apply liquid treatment to flowering plants or vegetables, such as insecticides to control pests or fertilizers. Both synthetic and organic substances can be applied using a sprayer.

74. Mattock

A mattock is handheld garden tool used for digging or prying. The end has a pick which is used to break up hard soil surfaces and rocks.

75. Burn Cage

A burn cage or burn barrels are also essential to keep your garden clean. It usually comes in the form of a huge, modified metal drum used to dispose of leaves and other combustible material by incineration.

76. Rain Gauge

A rain gauge is a simple meteorological instrument used to measure the precipitation in rain. This helps you decide how much to water your plants between rainfalls.

77. Lawn Aerator

A lawn aerator is a tool designed to create holes in the soil in order to help grass grow by enabling air, water and nutrients to penetrate the soil. It also improves oil drainage and reduce compaction. There are generally two types: pike aerators that have wedge shaped solid spikes, and core aerators which use hollow tines like a fork to pull out cores from the soil.

78. Dethatcher

As its name implies, a dethatcher is a tool designed to remove thatch — that thick layer of debris which accumulates between the soil and grass blades. It commonly uses metal blades or tines to comb across a lawn and pull up thatch from the surface. A dethatcher can be as simple as a rake towed behind a tractor or motorized.

79. Lawn Spreader

Too much fertilizer applied on one spot can kill grass. This is where a lawn spreader comes in. Also known as a “fertilizer spreader,” this tool features a bin that holds the fertilizer. As you move the spreader over your lawn, the fertilizer drops from an opening in the bin to onto the lawn. It is equipped with an application rate controller that lets you set up how much fertilizer should be applied.

80. Handheld Weeder

This compact tool is small — about the size of a regular garden trowel. It has a short metal end that ends in a fork with two tines that are usually 1 inch long. A handheld weeder is used to leverage weeds from the ground.

81. Weeder/Grass Blade

A weeder or grass blade is composed of a blade that is sharpened on both sides. This tool used to trim weeds, small trees and other smaller foliage up to two inches thick — commonly used to clean up areas not accessible by a lawn mower.

82. Bush Axe/Briar Axe/Ditch Blade

A brush/briar axe or ditch blade is handheld tool which features a large blade and a solid, sturdy handle. Unlike a regular axe, this one has a curved blade suitable for hooking into thick brush or undergrowth before dragging it up and clearing it out of the way.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Whether you’re a home gardener or a seasoned landscaper, this list of essential gardening tools will take you a step closer to having a beautiful and well-maintained lawn.

Take it from me — having the right set of tools can make all the difference.