If you are a serious gardener like me who can camp out in your backyard for hours, even during the insane torture of a Florida summer, then you know how important it is having the right tools to accomplish your goals before you pack up and head back inside.
Growing up, I was the child that my mother could never make come inside. And if she wanted to find me, she would need to search up to 10 acres of land before locating me. (My family still has to do the same thing! ha!) I have always loved nature – the feel of the sun on my skin, the sounds of birds exchanging songs, and listening to the wind flirt through the trees. But it wasn’t until after my husband and I moved into our 3rd home – a 1920’s house previously-owned by citrus farmers and a master gardener – that I truly discovered my passion for gardening.
Gardening in this yard is a hardcore workout to rival any gym routine. I have probably hauled literally a TON of debris away over the years. And I must admit that obliterated a lot of plants before I figured out what they were and how to tame them. (If you yourself have also killed a lot of plants learning, then wear that badge of honor boldly!)
After years of toil and sweat and colossal mistakes, I have discovered some indispensable tools that have saved me time and effort, so I’d love to share them with you in the hopes that they will save you oodles of time and effort too.
Table of Contents
The Hori Hori Knife
I stumbled on this gem of a tool while mindlessly scrolling on YouTube one day. I was watching a gardener dig up a large plant, divide it, and then replant it in multiple locations. I’ve done that same maneuver before, and it is really hard work, especially if the plant was root-bound from sitting in a container for too long. However, this woman whipped out her knife and in seconds had sliced the plant into multiple pieces before I could figure out what had just happened. I was mesmerized!
Hori Hori knives originated in Japan centuries ago. How did they keep a secret like that??? It is a total shame that more gardeners don’t know about this wonderful tool! If you need to dig a hole, move a plant, subdivide a plant, dig up bricks, chop through tough roots, then this tool is for you. Below is a link to the one I own, but there are many to choose from on Amazon.
The Furniture Handtruck
If you’ve ever had to move several bags of mulch or soil, lug a large potted plant across your yard, or any other heavy object, I’m sure you’ve grabbed your wheelbarrow or a wagon and tried hoysting it in the cart with a lot of grunting and straining. Or better yet, you have yelled for a family member to COME HELP NOW. I did all of that for years until one day our furniture dolly got left outside of the garage from moving a piece of furniture and I took one look at it and wondered if maybe I couldn’t move a few heavy mulch bags with it….
Now it’s mine and will never go back in the garage. I have basically commandeered this piece of equipment for my garden instead. Muahaha! Why almost kill yourself when you have the power of wheels? (The ancient Mesopotamian civilization would be so proud.)
Folding Combo Kneeler/Sitting Bench
As you get a little older, sitting and kneeling for long periods of time gets a bit more challenging. I’m working on that, but no guilt for using a tool that offers some help, right? If you are a crazy plant lady like me, the best part of this nifty tool is that it allows you to garden loooonger. Yay!
Take your pick: sit on it as a bench, or flip it over and it instantly becomes a kneeler. And as long as you fold it up and tuck it back in the garage when you’re done, it should last a very long time unlike those little foam kneelers you get at the Dollar Store. Double win!
I lucked out and found this gem at a local discount store for substantially less, but they carry them on Amazon as well. I loved it so much I bought one for friends and family too.
Traditional Japanese All-Purpose Weeding Sickle
A dear friend, knowing the crazy plant lady that I am, gifted me a gardening tool for my birthday one year. She consulted a very seasoned gardener. He said that I needed one of these Japanese weeding tools to add to my arsenal.
I was excited when I saw it, but even more excited when I actually used it! Because you can slice, chop and yank weeks out of the ground with it, it is a formidable ally in your war against the unwanted greenies.
Use the side with teeth on any sprawling weed, and it will rip it straight out of the earth. But if it won’t budge, then you can chop and slice it. It will be toast in seconds. I am a huge fan and highly recommend it!
The Pressurized Garden Sprayer
During the pandemic, I decided that learning to grow food was a valuable skill. Me, and thousands of others also had this delightful thought. I feverishly went about gathering soil, seeds, tools and whatever else looked exciting. (I also bought lots of things I still haven’t ever used. Sorry Honey.)
Initially, I was interested in shortcuts, so I spent money on pre-mixed sprays and products for organic gardening. It was hard enough to learn how to not kill your vegetable plants, let alone fend off Mother Nature from destroying your crop. I happily used those bottled sprays for years until I discovered a guy on YouTube who showed you how to make your own. And guess what? He had some really cool tools too!
And so, the pressurized garden sprayer became one of my favorite tools very quickly. Instead of pressing the trigger on a bottle until my hand went numb, I was able to just hold down the trigger and wave it over my vines with a big smile on my face. Sooooo much easier!
Below is a link to the one I own. It was the cheapest, highest rated one I could find and has worked fantastic for me so far!
Quick Conclusion
Hopefully you are inspired to run out and obtain one or more of these fantastical tools to aid you in your garden adventures. They have really blessed me. I hope they bless you too!
Thanks a ton – Your feedback is much appreciated and helps me improve. Have a lovely day!
