As my first post, I will describe a few of the most helpful and most used tools in the garden. These tools are not necessary, but they do make life easier. You can find them new or used at garden stores, on Craigslist, from farmers markets, from friends or anywhere else.

Bucket – soil mixes, collecting weeds, carrying things

Machete – pushing back the forest or clearing an area for a garden bed

Sickle – cutting back mulch plants or overgrown weeds in a bed

Pruning Shears – harvesting, cutting back, deadheading

Hand trowel – planting, mixing soil

Gloves – hand safety (I do not use leather because of mold issues)

Tip: Keep your tools inside and clean them after use to prolong their life. I let my tools dry, then use a wire brush to clean, then move around in a box of sand to scrape final debris clean.