Vegetable gardening can be a small-scale effort or require the resources of a large farming operation. Growing a garden is a rewarding activity, and even if your only available space is a small patio, you can grow an abundant vegetable harvest in pots.

Gloves

Wearing gloves will help to protect your skin and fingernails from injury while allowing you to firmly grip tools. When pulling pulling weeds, you can encounter thistles, and sturdy gardening gloves will prevent thorns from embedding in your fingers.

Trowel

A small, handheld trowel is essential for removing weeds, dividing roots and planting seedlings. A trowel is an essential tool for all types of gardening, including small farms or patio pots. A well-made trowel will last you a lifetime, and it will serve many multi-functional purposes in your vegetable garden.

Shovels

Shovels are an extremely important tool for backyard gardeners and farmers. For planting trees and harvesting root crops, a shovel is the right tool to have. Many gardeners have several types of shovels, including rounded or square shapes and different handle lengths.

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Rakes

Rakes with hard metal tines are excellent for smoothing out soil, gravel and compost. In addition, leaf rakes with flexible tines are ideal for raking up piles of light materials such as leaves, weeds and twigs. Both types of rakes are useful for many different types of clean-up tasks in the garden.

Pruners

Although they are designed to prune trees and ornamental plants, pruners are also a useful tool in the vegetable garden. When digging in the soil, you may encounter small tree roots; you can easily cut through them with a set of pruners. You can also cut back larger garden plants such as raspberry canes and blueberry bushes.

Pitchfork

Although a pitchfork seems like a farm tool that is used for spreading hay or straw for livestock, it is actually a very useful tool in the backyard garden. As a digging fork, you can use it to penetrate compacted soil to provide aeration and a better growing environment. It is also useful for picking up piles of garden debris to transport to your compost pile.

Wheelbarrow

For your backyard garden or farm, a wheelbarrow is a wonderful transport tool for soil, compost, rocks and debris. Wheelbarrows are available in different sizes to suit your garden, and a large wheelbarrow can require a great deal of strength to move when fully loaded. To provide stability, choose a wheelbarrow with two wheels to provide support.

Kitchen Scissors

You may already have a pair of scissors in your kitchen drawer, and this useful tool can also be helpful in the garden. Cutting lettuce, herbs and other small crops is simple with a sturdy pair of scissors. They can also be used for simple pruning or for cutting edible or decorative flowers.

The tools you’ll need for your productive garden are simple and easily obtained, but they are a critical component of keeping your garden healthy and vibrant. A pared-down selection of tools is a practical way to get started, but make sure that you purchase tools of adequate quality and size that suit your needs and will provide you with many years of practical use in your Alair Homes backyard garden.