Garden Tools: Essentials and Extras

As our Garden Tower initiative grows, many supporters like you are looking to start gardens in their own yards and communities.  

There are lots of ways to get involved and reap the benefits of a garden. Join our Garden Tower Community Adoption Program and establish these amazing garden systems as a neighborhood effort. Or, till your own soil and start growing nutritious food for friends and family. Whatever you decide, it’s essential to have the right tools for the job.

Take a look below at all the tools a rookie gardener needs to start their garden right and keep it growing all summer long—plus a few extra gadgets to make the process a little easier.

Gardening Essentials

  • Shovel

Moving mounds of dirt, digging holes, and tilling the ground—you’ll need a long-handled, heavy-duty shovel or spade with a wide blade for most of your soil work. A good hardwood shovel absorbs shock and has treads on the back of the blade for you to stand on. And stainless steel blades won’t rust.

  • Hand Trowel

Apart from your shovel, a hand trowel is your best friend in the garden. It performs most of the tasks a shovel does, but on a smaller scale so you don’t hurt your plants or surrounding features. Use a broad blade when moving soils and a narrow one when digging up weeds or rocks.

  • Gloves

Your hands are one of your best gardening tools. So dig in! But make sure to keep them protected with gardening or work gloves. Thin, well-fitting gloves are especially helpful when working with fragile seedlings. Make sure the gloves you choose are water-resistant, but breathable.

  • Watering Can

Every plant in your garden needs a consistent supply of fresh, clean water. Watering cans come in both plastic and metal; plastic is lighter, but won’t last as long. Cans will help you water young plants without damaging them and are important if you’re using a water-soluble fertilizer.

  • Hose Attachment

For larger gardens and better watering, you’ll want a water hose within reach of your plants. Look for a hose attachment that can provide a large quantity of water at relatively low pressure, like a drenching shower. This will help you water deep across a large area without hurting your plants.

  • Pruning Shears

Hand pruners let you control the growth of your plants before they control you. Proper pruning will keep your garden from becoming crowded and susceptible to disease and infestation. And properly pruned plants often yield a greater harvest.

  • Wheelbarrow or Bucket

Your arms can carry only so much. To help you haul soil, water, tools, and even the veggies you harvest, invest in a sturdy gallon bucket or wheelbarrow. Nothing fancy is required—just give your back a break and let your tools do the heavy lifting.

  • Wide-Brim Hat

You love the sun almost as much as your plants do, but that doesn’t mean you should absorb the rays all afternoon long. For any extended garden-tending session, protect your face, head, and neck with a hat that provides ample cover. You won’t regret it.

Extra Gardening Gadgets

  • Garden Apron

Keeping track of and carrying all your garden tools can become quite the hassle. But you’ll never lose your trimming scissors or your green wire if you have a garden apron to store them. Plus, it really helps you look the part.

  • Kneeling Pad

This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but the ground is beneath your feet (most of the time)—and it’s also pretty hard. A kneeling pad makes gardening a little more comfortable. Save your knees to spend more time digging in the dirt.

  • Moisture Sensor

Knowing exactly when and how much to water your growing garden is often a mystery to even experienced gardeners. Luckily, it’s a mystery you can mostly solve with a moisture sensor or meter. Stick the metal prong into the ground, set the desired moisture level, and the sensor will let you know when the soil becomes too dry. 

  • Mason Bee House

Even if you care for your garden with perfect patience and consistency, none of your plants will fruit if they’re not pollinated by bees, flies, or other insects. Placing a mason bee house in your garden will give some helpful, native bees a place to live. You can also plant flowers between your vegetable plants to attract more pollinators.

  • Bird Bath or Feeder

Attract birds to your garden with a bird bath or feeder. Small birds, like finches and sparrows, can search through dense growth to eat harmful insects, like grasshoppers and squash bugs. Hummingbirds are also fantastic pollinators.

Now you have your essential garden tool list to help you achieve your veggie-growing goals!

To help communities around the world grow the food they need to thrive, donate to our powerful Garden Tower initiative. $20 gives a complete Garden Tower to a family in need, including the tower mesh, soil, and seeds.

Good luck and good gardening!

Food for Thought

Remember, 100 percent of all donations made to the USANA Foundation always go to change the lives of those most in need around the world. You can help us reach our goal of raising 30,000 Garden Towers by donating here!

We love to see all of your Garden Tower content! Remember to tag us on social media @usanafoundation_ on Instagram and USANA Foundation on Facebook and use #WhereHopeisGrown 🌱

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

About Us

We believe everyone should have access to quality nutrition.

We Are Unique

USANA Health Sciences, Inc. covers 100 percent of the Foundation’s operating expenses so that every dollar donated can do the most good for those in need.

Our USANA Family

The 500,000+ USANA sales associates worldwide are advocates for advancing health and unlocking potential in others. Their donations, plus the generosity of their friends and customers, are the lifeblood of our work. USANA Foundation Ambassadors are leaders in their own communities, identifying needs and actively serving others. Click here to find out more about becoming an Ambassador.

Powerful Partnerships

The USANA Foundation works with dozens of local and international organizations — experts in delivering on-the-ground aid to those who need it. Together we can provide effective and sustainable long-term solutions.

KEEP IN TOUCH

Recent Post