The Gardener’s Toolkit: 5 Essential Tools Every Gardener Needs

The right equipment makes every job easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable.

The right equipment makes every job easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable.Alexander Raths/Shutterstock

Garden tools are the unsung heroes of the horticultural world. With hundreds to choose from, let’s start with the few every gardener really needs.

Get a Grip

Having the right equipment makes the gardening experience more efficient and pleasurable, starting with a good pair of garden gloves.

Cloth gloves are lightweight and breathable, which is important on hot days. They keep hands clean and protected from bug bites, sunburn, and blisters after a long day of planting, hoeing, or weeding. Leather gloves add more protection against cuts, scrapes, and thorns, and some may also be waterproof.