Basic Gardening Tools Every New Gardener Needs

No one would try to carve a baked ham with a spoon. Of course not, carving knives would be the way to do this.

Just like when serving a delicious meal, gardening requires the right tools to make life easier.

Having the right gardening tools to do your gardening tasks will save you countless hours and a lot of frustration.

Experienced gardeners will tell you if you are a new gardener there are some basic gardening tools you should have on hand.

In this post we go over some of the basic garden tools every new gardener should have.

If you have someone in your life that is thinking about starting a garden, or just started gardening, then these can be great gift ideas for gardeners in your life.

Basic Gardening Tools For New Gardeners

The gardening tools that you will need as a new gardener will depend on the type of gardening you do and the size of your garden.

If you are mainly concentrating on container gardening, then you will mainly want the handheld tools.

But if you are turning a major part of your backyard into your vegetable garden, then you are going to need a wider arrangement of gardening tools than someone doing some container gardening on their apartment balcony.

Tips for Starting a Vegetable Garden

Gardening Gloves

Believe me, there are going to be plenty of times you are going to want gardening gloves.

These aren’t only useful for touching yucky stuff.

There are things in the garden that will poke you, or make you itch if it gets on your skin. So always make sure you have a pair on hand in your garden shed.

Form fitting gloves are usually best and make it easier to do things. Big heavy bulky gloves just make garden work cumbersome.

Pruning Shears

Pruning shears are a gardener’s best friend.

I don’t think there is a day that doesn’t go by working in the garden that I don’t find myself reaching for them. No matter what I’m working on in the garden these always seem to have a use on everything from my potted tomato plants to my green beans growing on my trellis.

When it comes to pruning shears, I usually stick to the Fiskars brand, as they seem to be the ones that last. Other brands I have tried have always fallen apart within a few months.

Fiskars Steel Pruning Shears

Garden Trowel

Having a good garden trowel is another essential garden tool for any gardener.

This gets about as much use as my pruning shears and I couldn’t garden very well without.

Fiskars Ergo Garden Hand Trowel

Garden Hose

Water is an essential need for every plant in your garden. So you are going to need a way to deliver it to your plants.

You will want a hose that is long and will be sturdy enough to last. Don’t go too cheap on your garden hose. If you do you are going to be replacing it several times each year.

I have a really long and narrow backyard so a 100ft hose is just right for me. But if you don’t need to venture to far from your water spout, then a shorter garden hose would probably be a better fit.

Flexzilla Garden Hose

Handheld Garden Cultivator

No matter what type of garden you have a handheld cultivator is an essential garden tool.

I prefer to have one that is a 2 in 1 tool, like the Truly Garden Cultivator Hoe with a hoe on the opposite side of the cultivator.

Truly Garden Cultivator Hoe

Small Bucket

I know this might be a “whaaaat????” garden tool. But in all seriousness, there isn’t a day that doesn’t go by in my garden where I’m not toting around my small bucket.

Having one as a gardener I have found to be essential for my garden tools and accessories.

It provides so many uses, from a garden tool box to haul my hand tools out to where I’m working, to a catch all for garden clippings to be added to the compost tumbler.

Digging Shovel

If you are doing gardening in your backyard and plan on having something beyond a few containers then you will probably find yourself needing a good digging shovel.

This will help out when you are needing to move dirt around or dig out bigger holes.

Bonus Beyond Basic Garden Tools

If you are looking for some gardening tools that go beyond the basics, here are some that I have found aren’t necessarily needed, but sure do make gardening easier.

Garden Drill Auger

Hands down a drill auger is my #1 must have for non essentials. Ok well maybe it’s made it into my should be essential garden tool list.

A drill auger makes life easier in the garden.

I just put this on one of our drills and viola I have a hole in so much less time than it would take to use a shovel.

It also gets bonus points for tilling soil in small spots.

Power Planter Drill Auger

Lawn Cart

As a gardener, if you are moving things around for your garden then a lawn cart is going to become your best garden friend.

Wheelbarrows are usually used for this kind of thing, but I prefer the more back friendly carry all, a Yard Dump Cart.

Compost Tumbler

Any gardener can tell you that compost is the black gold of the garden.

A compost tumbler can make getting compost for you garden much faster than waiting on a compost pile to finish.

Check out how to start making compost with a compost tumbler here.

FCMP Outdoor Tumbling Composter

Outdoor Watering Can

This is another thing that isn’t an absolute necessity, especially if you have a garden hose.

But there are so many times I find myself reaching for my watering can.

Things like just one plant needing a bit extra water, or adding some water soluble fertilizer to the watering can.

Another major use this has is when I make worm castings tea for my garden plants.

Outdoor Plant Watering Can