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Introduction to Landscaping Tools and Supplies

By Moses Wright

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Published: 24Oct2007
Word count: 579
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Like many hobbies, such as photography, there are numerous tools that can aid your landscaping efforts. There are a few, however, that are absolutely necessary for any landscaper.

Save yourself a lot of hassle, right from the beginning, and invest in a good shovel. You'll need one that's not going to break when you start trying to move hard dirt. The edge should also be durable and easily handle rocks and clay. For landscaping projects, a variety of shovel styles is recommended.

A square ended shovel, while harder to drive into the dirt, can handle heavier loads. These types of shovels are best suited for loose or soft dirt and moving earth that has been put in piles already. Compost and manure-based fertilizer are easily distributed with this type of shovel as well.

A triangular spade is the best choice for digging large holes for planting and transplanting. If you can have only one shovel, this type will prove useful for most landscaping tasks. A telescope handle shovel has a long handle and a narrow blade, similar to a trowel. This type of shovel is useful for many weeding jobs and any jobs that require digging smaller holes.

You will definitely need a good set of gardening shears. With the many varieties that are available, you should have no problem finding a set that fits your hand. Most gardening shears have blades that are shaped like a moon. One side will be concave, while the other is convex. These are perfect for trimming dead branches and flowers. Some have a nice safety feature that allows them to lock in the closed position. It also makes them easier to store.

Another must have for your gardening arsenal is an ordinary rake. They have many more uses than some people realize. Many people prefer to use a power leaf blower, but many times the job ends up being more neatly done by using a rake. These tools are perfect for cleaning up twigs and stones from your lawn in the Spring or Fall.

Rakes are great for working seeds into the soil in a small area. Removing any unwanted items, such as weeds, stones and sticks, from your garden is best done using a rake as well. Metal rakes are becoming harder to find, but are worth the effort when compared to the lack of durability in the plastic ones.

A wheelbarrow is another essential piece of equipment for landscaping jobs. You'll be glad you have one when you start transporting your many small pots of flowers around.

You'll find that whether it's manure-based fertilizer or topsoil or whatever the case may be, the job will be much easier if you dump it out of the wheelbarrow and spread it with the rake. Shaking your materials out of a 40 lb bag can get old in a hurry, especially if you have to carry them any kind of distance.

There are many other tools that can make your landscaping jobs much easier. Pruning trees is quite easy with the use of a folding saw or pole saw. O good tool for loosening dirt for weeding and transplanting is a mattock. A hoe will be very useful, especially for planting. Gloves are a very good idea, not only for picking up prickly weeds, but also for preventing blisters. There are many others as well, including trimmers, watering cans and weeding tools just to name a few.

Better get started today!

Moses Wright is the webmaster of HomelyFamily. He provides more resources on landscaping tips and guide, gardening topics like Rose, Bonsai and Herbs Gardening on his site for free.

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