The Quick and Easy Guide to Landscape Tools

By Jeremy Szechenyi

Landscaping is a great way to improve the appearance of your yard, and landscape tools are essential for any landscaping project. There are many tools out there, some made for one specific job. The best thing you can do is to purchase a basic group of tools that you can multi-task with, and add specialized tools one at a time as you need them. The basic group of tools is listed below.

The shovel is the first group of tools.

Group 2 is the rake

The third tool group is the pruner, shear or lopper.

Group 4 is the garden cart or wheel barrel.

The first tool group is the shovel, which is a flattened piece of metal attached to a handle. The main use for a shovel is to move material from place to place. There are many different variations of the shovel. The main types are the rounded or pointed tip shovel. This type digs into material well, and is perfect for digging holes in the ground. The second type is the flat shovel. This one has a wider surface area, and is perfect for scooping from rock or gravel piles. The last shovel is the narrow shovel. These are perfect for digging in tight quarters or for making small holes in the ground.

Group 2 is the rake. It has a long handle with the rake head attached. Two main types are commonly seen, the leaf rake and bow rake. The leaf rake has thinner prongs. These pick up leaves and lighter material, but do not damage the ground below. The bow rake is heavier and sturdier, meant for moving heavy items like rocks and gravel.

Group 3 is the lopper, shear or pruner. These tools cut, snip and trim. Pruners are single hand devices made to cut through smaller, but still tough, items. These are good for precision work. Loppers are two-handed devices, intended to cut heavier and bigger items like tree limbs. The shear, commonly seen as a grass shear, is a two-handed device made to cut through thinner items, but in longer cuts. It is used mainly for shaping items like hedges and shrubs.

Group 4 is the garden cart or wheel barrel. These tools are essential for moving bulky or heavy materials around. The main difference is that garden carts have two wheels and wheel barrels one. Garden carts have lower maneuverability, but great stability. Wheel barrels are the opposite, with higher maneuverability and lower stability.

If you plan to undertake any landscaping project, whether big or small, you will need some tools. The basic tool groups listed and explained above will give you the ability to perform many tasks outside, and successfully complete your project. - 30228

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