Gardening is a great hobby that everyone should try out. It lets you connect with nature while improving your physical and mental health. You might find yourself obsessed with creating a beautiful space for your home.

Having the right supplies is essential to creating the perfect garden. Whether you want to grow food, flowers, or just want to create a nice space, these gardening tools will help you reach your goals. Click on the blue links to be taken to a great option on Amazon.

If you’re ready to have a green thumb, then read on!

Essential Hand Gardening Tools

Hand gardening tools are smaller tools that are great for working in small spaces and dealing with delicate plants. They’re essential for doing fine details and setting a foundation for a garden.

An infographic showing shears, a hand trowel, scissors, a hand spade, and a cultivator with short descriptions of why they are essential gardening tools

1. Hand Trowel

A hand trowel is probably the most essential tool of them all. It’s a handheld tool used for digging holes and planting. It has a small metal blade with a narrow tip for really getting into dirt and soil.

You can also use a trowel to move soil, seedlings, small plants, and bulbs around. They’re effective for digging up weeds.

Here’s a link to a trowel on Amazon.

2. Pruning Shears

Shears are sharp scissor-like tools that can cut plants, leaves, and shrubs. You’re going to need shears for grooming plants that are trying to take over the garden.

There are different types of shears, but pruning shears are a great handheld option that’s easy to use. Beginners should stick with pruning shears and branch out once they have a more sophisticated garden.

Shears are essential to cleaning up the whole garden. Click this link to be taken to a great pair of shears online.

3. Spade

A spade is basically a mini shovel. Spades are important for digging up smaller holes and doing more detailed work. 

Any gardener will need a spade for digging small holes, cutting through soil and roots, and moving soil. The sturdy blade is great for dealing with tough soil conditions.

Using a spade is a big step in preparing a garden bed, planting trees, and digging trenches.

If you want to start gardening, then invest in a spade by clicking here.

4. Hand Scissors

You might think that shears are the only cutting tool you need when gardening, but you’d be mistaken. While they’re important, they’re not too great for dealing with tiny details. A bunch of little imperfections really stand out.

Scissors are the right tool for getting mini jobs done. Click here to check out a pair of gardening scissors on Amazon.

5. Cultivator

Cultivators should be used for mixing soil that’s already been broken up, such as when compost or fertilizer is added after tilling and before planting. Cultivators can also be used after planting to control weeds.

A cultivator is a tool used for mixing soil that’s already broken up. It’s used when compost or fertilizer is added after tilling and before planting. They can also be used after planting to control weeds.

They look like forks with several blades that are attached to a handle. This makes it easy to stir the soil. That’s actually what tractors do (those farm machines with the big funny wheels)!

Cultivators are essential in raising a healthy garden. Follow this link to be taken to a great one online.

Essential Two-Handed Tools for Gardening

You’re going to need some bigger tools if you’re getting serious about gardening. Here are some essential two-handed tools for gardening that will make the hobby a lot easier.

An infographic showing a rake, hoe, shovel, wheelbarrow, and garden fork with descriptions of why they are essential gardening supplies

6. Rake

A rake is a garden tool consisting of a row of metal or wooden teeth attached to a long handle. You can use a rake to make the earth smooth and level before you put plants in or to gather leaves together.

A rake is a garden tool we’re all familiar with. They’re big tools with a bunch of tines on the end of them.

There are actually a lot of uses for rakes. They’re perfect for clean-up. Use them to gather fallen leaves, debris, grass clippings, and other messes. Rakes can level soil and leave them smooth enough for planting.

Rakes are fantastic for preparing garden beds by breaking up clumps of soil. They’re also nice tools for making straight, evenly-spaced rows in soil.

The prongs on the end can remove weeds by combing through the soil. They’re also good for loosening soil and exposing them to the air.

It’s likely you already have a rake at home, but if not, then this is a great option on Amazon.

7. Wheelbarrow

If you have a lot of compost, mulch, soil, or dirt to haul around then you’re going to need a wheelbarrow.

These huge things are great for moving pounds of materials around your garden.

Click here for a wheelbarrow on Amazon.

8. Garden Fork

A garden fork is great for dealing with loose soil. The strong tines are great for weeding, turning compost, and breaking up soil.

These heavy-duty tools are an essential in any gardener’s tool set.

Click here to be taken to an Amazon page for a great option.

9. Shovel

You know what a shovel is and what it’s used for! Digging holes. In gardening, digging holes is essential for getting pretty much anything done.

Here’s a great gardening shovel on Amazon.

10. Hoe

A hoe is a garden tool that can cultivate the soil and remove weeds. These tools are essential in preparing the soil for planting.

The funny-looking blade seems confusing at first, but it’s not too complicated. Hold the hoe the same way you would use a broom. Use a fluid sweeping motion to till the ground and expose the layers of soil to the air.

Click here for a great option on Amazon.

Essential Tools for Managing Water

Water is absolutely vital in keeping your garden alive and healthy. Managing water can get tricky. Learning how to manage water with different tools is important since different plants need different amounts of water. Even the water pressure can damage your garden if you’re not careful.

An infographic showing a hose with an adjustable nozzle, water wand, watering can, and sprinkler with short descriptions as to why they are essential gardening tools

11. Garden Hose with Adjustable Nozzle

A garden hose lets you choose where to spray the water. An adjustable nozzle lets you control water pressure and the way it comes out of the hose.

Click here for a garden hose with an adjustable nozzle on Amazon.

12. Watering Wand

A watering wand is a long tool that goes on the end of your hose. It’s typically used for directly watering plants with either a mist or a harsh stream.

Wands are more versatile than hoses as they let you aim at specific plants.

Follow this link to be taken to one on Amazon.

13. Watering Can

A watering can is a bucket with a long sprout that’s used for watering plants. These are perfect for providing gentle water to plants.

The controlled and gentle stream makes these perfect for watering plants inside. They’re perfect for watering seedlings and plants in smaller containers.

Here’s a watering can on Amazon that’ll make a great addition to your tool set.

14. Sprinkler

Sprinklers are an amazing gardening tool that will make your life a whole lot easier. Just plug them into the end of your hose, turn the water on, and go do something else. Your whole garden will get a nice, steady flow of water without you having to do anything! Just don’t forget to turn off the water.

Click here for a sprinkler on Amazon.

Protection for Gardeners

Taking care of your plants is important. But you need to be safe to take good care of them! Protecting yourself is the most important priority. It doesn’t seem like it, but gardening could be just a little bit dangerous. Here is some great protective gear that you should be wearing whenever you’re actively gardening.

protective equipment for gardeners are on display: a pair of gardening gloves, knee pads, a hat, and sunblock

15. Gloves

Thorns, dirt, and bugs run rampant in the garden. They might look beautiful, but you do not want anything to put your hands in danger.

These gardening gloves from Sprouts are fantastic for keeping your hands safe when gardening! They’re protective, colorful, and comfortable. The synthetic leather padding will keep you safe from insects and thorns. The flexible spandex back lets you move comfortably. There’s even an adjustable wrist for getting the best fit!

The whole Sprouts line of gardening gloves is great for keeping yourself safe and working comfortably. Here’s another awesome pair that you will love.

16. Gardening Hat

The sun is going to be beating down your neck out there! You’re going to be looking down a lot while gardening so it’s best to protect your neck.

Here’s a fun gardening hat that will keep you cool.

17. Knee Pads

Gardening hand tools are essential for dealing with smaller plants and finer details. But you’re going to have to be on your knees a lot of the time when you’re using them. Planting your knees into rough dirt will really take a toll on them.

Here are some knee pads for comfort and protection.

18. Sunblock

Protecting your skin from the sun is important anytime. Gardening is a hobby that will require you to be outside a lot (duh), so keeping your skin safe is absolutely required.

Here’s some sunblock that’s affordable and effective.

Conclusion

Taking a garden from nothing to something to be proud of will not be easy. But thankfully, the hobby is something that you will fall in love with. Soon enough, you’ll have a space that looks a bit like this:

A beautiful garden with a stone pathway between two shrubs with colorful flowers inside of them

The right gardening supplies are important in taking you there. Expanding your tool set will expand your opportunities. Just remember: no matter the tools, your only limit is your imagination and effort.

Have a great time gardening!