My Garden Tools

Nowadays, the handles for rakes and hoes are made out of plastic which requires no attention.  The handles are nice and smooth, no splinters to hurt a bare hand.  They also retain their colors, usually yellow, and are easy to find in the shed or in the tall grass and among the weeds.

Garden Tools

To keep the wooden handles from rotting, it is a good idea to give them a good rub down with linseed oil obtained at the hardware store.  The linseed oil penetrates the wood, will prolong the life of the handles, and keep them from becoming brittle and develop splinters and cracks.

The most durable and dependable tool used in my garden and lawn is the spade with a slightly rounded bottom edge.  I use it for turning the soil, for loading the compost for transporting, and for cutting through the tough St. Augustine grass.  I also use it for digging up bushes and small trees for transplanting or disposal.  Furthermore, I use it to dig up large weeds in the lawn.

Because the spade is the most used tool, I should take better care of it by sharpening the blade and therefore make it easier for me to dig and turn the soil.  To sharpen the blade, I attach a grinding stone (a small wheel) to the hand held drill. It is also important to wear safety glasses when undertaking this task.  By all means, wear a mask to cover nose and mouth.  Also wear garden gloves and a long sleeved shirt.

Another important tool that I often use in the garden and yard is the hoe.  I use it to make rows for planting and I use it to cover the seeds and plants with soil.  I use it to gently pat down the seeds into the soil.  The same care I use for the spade applies for the hoe.

I use a hoe fork to turn the compost pile.  I found that the hoe fork works best to move and turn the compost in its designated area.  It works very well to hill up the compost into a pile.

My rake does not need much attention:  it is plastic!  It is easy to handle and maneuver.  It is light weight and wide enough to handle a large area of pine straw and fallen leaves.

The spade, the hoe, the hoe fork, and the rake are the most important tools that I regularly use in the garden and yard.  Of course, after each use I put them away into the shed.

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