Did you know that 35 percent of U.S. households grow food either at home or in a community garden? Now more than ever, people are getting into gardening and yard work.

Creating a beautiful backyard and garden takes effort, but having the right tools for the job makes it easier.

If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve compiled a list of useful gardening tools and their uses. So keep reading to discover which essential gardening tools you need to create your backyard oasis.

Trowel

A trowel is a handheld tool similar to a small shovel. It has a sharp pointed tip and a scoop blade.

You use trowels to break up soil, scoop soil, dig small holes, and add fertilizer.  Because of its versatility, a quality trowel should top your garden tools list.

A good trowel should have a sharp enough edge to cut through grass, tough soil, and roots. It should also have a sturdy handle that’s easy to grip and comfortable to hold.

Leaf Rake or Leaf Blower

If you live in an area with deciduous trees in or around your yard, you need to invest in a quality rake or leaf blower.

Leaf rakes rake up dead leaves and small debris like twigs. A good leaf rake should have tines to collect leaves and grass clippings. It needs to be sturdy as well so you can sweep up twigs and small debris.

If you hate cleaning debris out of your rake, you might want to invest in a leaf blower instead. A leaf blower might save you time and effort, but it can create noise pollution. Before buying a leaf blower, make sure your city doesn’t have any noise limit laws.

Did you know that dead leaves can benefit the garden? Moving leaves from your yard to your garden creates food for earthworms. Earthworm castings help improve the quality of your garden soil.

Garden Cart or Wheelbarrow

When it comes to useful horticulture tools, wheelbarrows top the list.

If you’re a beginning gardener, you may feel a wheelbarrow is unnecessary or too expensive. But if you have a large yard, a wheelbarrow can make transporting leaves, plant matter, and other materials easier and faster.

A wheelbarrow is also useful if transporting heavy landscaping materials because it doesn’t require as much heavy lifting on your part.

You can use your wheelbarrow or garden cart to transport debris from your yard to your trash or your compost bin. You can also use it to carry your garden veggies back to the house.

Pruning Shears

Like the trowel, a reliable pair of pruning shears is one of those essential things used for gardening. It should be one of your go-to tools because of its wide array of uses.

You can use pruning shears to cut away dead leaves and flowers as well as trim bushes and trees. A durable pair of shears is essential because you want to make a clean cut and avoid damaging the plant.

If you’re dealing with larger or tougher branches, a pair of two-handed shears will be your best bet.

Shovel

If you’re serious about gardening, a shovel needs to be on your list of gardening tools. You want a long-handled shovel with a pointed tip. Like the trowel, the pointed tip helps you break up soil and dig larger holes with ease.

Look for a sturdy shovel with a comfortable grip. Wooden-handled shovels are the most common type you’ll see. They’re budget-friendly and good for beginners.

Fiberglass-handled shovels are another option. Fiberglass-handled shovels are both sturdy and won’t give you splinters.

Having a pair of gardening gloves help protect your hands while shoveling or raking.

Kneeling Pad

While kneeling pads aren’t a necessity, they do make gardening more comfortable. If you find yourself kneeling on the hard ground and your knees ache, invest in a kneeling pad.

This type of pad protects your knees and keeps your pants from getting covered in stains. The best type of kneeling pad should be thick enough to provide comfort. Some even have handles to help you stand up or double as a gardening chair.

If you don’t want to drag your kneeling pad around, you can use a pair of thick knee pads instead.

A Quality Mower

If you have a beautiful garden and you want to show it off, you need to keep your yard in top shape. No matter how stunning your garden is, no one will notice it if you have an unkempt yard.

If you have a small yard or want to reduce the noise you make, consider buying a push mower. Make sure you get one that cuts cleanly to promote a healthy lawn.

A mulching mower is also a useful tool because it chops up the grass so it can be redeposited as fertilizer. Proper lawn care and maintenance are the key to a healthy, beautiful yard.

Taking Care of Your Tools

Once you have your gardening essentials, you need to know how to care for them. Proper care ensures that your tools will last for years to come.

Make sure to clean your tools after each session in the yard. Wipe them down, use a brush, or spray them with a hose to remove caked-on dirt. Clean tools not only last longer but help to prevent the spread of disease.

To care for wooden handles, rub them with linseed oil. Remove sticky sap or plant residue with turpentine or WD-40.

Rusty tools? Instead of tossing them, try to remove the rust with vinegar.

Proper storage prevents rust and damage. Hang small tools on a pegboard and larger tools from hooks on the wall. Keep them easy to find and access so you’re always ready to maintain your lawn and garden.

Use These Essential Gardening Tools to Keep Your Backyard Beautiful

Having the right tools is key to caring for your yard and garden. Keep these essential gardening tools on hand so you can keep your backyard looking beautiful all year.

Looking for more tips and advice like this? Be sure to check out the rest of our site for a variety of useful tips and local news stories.