A Garden Tools Shopping Guide for Beginners

If you're creating a garden for the first time, it's hard to know which gardening tools you should buy to build and maintain your garden. This guide will help you put together a shopping list for the basic gardening tools you'll need to get your garden going. Knowing how to shop for the right garden tools will not only help you cultivate your garden, but will save you a lot of time and effort through ease-of-use and reliability.

Garden Gloves Many people enjoy digging through the soil with their bare hands. But if you'd like to keep your hands clean, or you're tackling a tough project like pruning a rose bush, consider buying a quality pair of gardening gloves.

Garden Kneeler Many of your gardening tasks, such as weeding, digging and harvesting, require you to kneel. Investing in a garden kneeler could save your knees a lot of stress and pain.

Round Point Shovel If you only buy one kind of shovel, make it a round point shovel. This will help you dig holes, move soil, lift plants and even serve as a level and hammer if you need one. Round point shovels are available in both long- and short-handles. Some people find that they get better balance from the short-handled version, but try out both to see which one is best for you. Try to shop for one with a flat edge on the top of the blade because it will give you a better surface for your foot.

Trowel Hand trowels are extremely helpful for getting in close to weed and aerate without damaging the plants. Steel blades will last longest. You have several buying options for handle choice. Soft rubber handles are easier to grip. If you want to prevent stress on your wrist, there are also ergonomic designs you can shop for. A trowel with a narrow blade is good for digging in solid soil. Trowels with a wide, rounded blade remove soil more quickly. Buy the trowel that will help you accomplish your project, though you may end up adding a few different types to your tool shed.

Garden Rake There are several different types of rake available for purchase. Unlike the rake you use for leaves, the garden rake is sturdy with strong, short steel teeth. Width-adjustable rakes are great for keeping debris out of your flower beds or keeping the soil in between rows loose and weed-free. You can also buy an ergonomic rake to prevent stress on your back.

Garden Hoe Every gardener has to deal with getting rid of weeds. Buying a hoe can make this tedious work a lot easier. Also, it's much easier to break up soil and outline rows with a hoe than going from plant to plant on your knees. A hoe with a rolled steel blade that is riveted to the handle is good if you need strength. A hoe with a smaller blade will let you get in between plants.

Hand Shears and Pruners You'll probably use shears and pruners to trim, deadhead, prune and shape the plants in your garden all year long. Shop for quality pruners and shears-they will make a cleaner cut on the plants so they don't tear or rip. These tools are an investment, so try holding a few so you can see which one feels more comfortable in your hand. Try to shop for shears and pruners with replaceable parts and blades that you can sharpen.

Garden Hose with a Spray Nozzle Weather is often unpredictable, so buying a gardening hose is a great way to make sure your garden gets the right amount of water. You'll also use the hose to clean your garden tools and hands and also wash soil off of driveways, garden paths and sidewalks. When shopping for a garden hose, compare burst strength, width of the hose and the material the hose is made from. Rubber withstands weather the best, but try to find a hose with a reinforced layer of mesh. Also, a kink-resistant hose is much easier to maintain, and will just make your life easier.

Wheelbarrow or Garden Cart Moving things around the garden can become very difficult without a garden cart or wheelbarrow. Without it, moving plants, soil, mulch or compost to your garden gets tricky. If you're thinking about buying a wheelbarrow, you need to look for a stale stance, handles that reach to the tire, a deep tray and an air-filled tire. If it's within your budget, consider buying a heavy-duty contractor's model or something with a reinforced undercarriage. Look for large wheels with spokes because they provide smoother steering. Deep buckets are good for dumping, while flat beds are better for shoveling out of the cart.

A few other notes when buying garden tools:

• Steel blades last the longest
• Soft rubber handles are easier to grip
• Short handles give more control, but can cause stress on the back
• Long handles provide more leverage
• Buy a steel brush to clean off tools after each use
• Frequently check and tighten screws and fasteners
• Before winter, sharpen your tools and protect them with a coat of wax, oil or petroleum jelly
• Rub handles with linseed oil to keep the from drying

These are the basic tools everyone needs to cultivate a garden. Once you use this garden tools shopping list to get your garden started, you'll probably also want to start adding more specialized garden tools to your collection. Be sure to check out other gardening products in the Sears Lawn & Garden section. Happy planting!