10 Essential Tools for the Laidback Gardener

I have lots of tools in my shed that I never use. Or very, very rarely. I bought them on a whim or received them as a gift or won them in a draw. For example, the garden fork. I can think of a lot of situations where I could use a garden fork or even where I should use one (harvesting potatoes, mixing soil, blending compost, etc.), but finally, I always end up using my old garden shovel every time I need a long-handled digging tool. I thought it would be interesting to make a list of the 10 tools I really couldn’t get along without, sort of an “If I were on a desert island, what gardening tools I would bring?” list.

Note that, as a laidback gardener, I certainly didn’t choose the same tools as the typical home gardener. What would I do with a hoe or a cultivator, for example, since I mulch everything? Still, I did have to include a lawn mower on my list. I’ve converted almost all of my yard to garden, but I have to confess I still do have a little bit of lawn and can’t imagine myself mowing it with a hand pruner!

So, here is the list of 10 tools I could not live without… and all would excellent gifts for the gardener in your life!

1. Dandelion puller
2. Garden rake
3. Garden shovel
4. Garden trowel
5. Hand pruner
6. Hose
7. Leaf rake
8. Loppers
9. Manual mower (there’s no electricity and certainly no gas on that )(&_)@(*# island!)
10. Pruning saw

I wish I had space to add a tool for transporting earth or objects, like a wheelbarrow or a plastic bucket, but then I’d go over my limit of 10 tools. But I found a solution to that: I presume that, on my desert island, there will surely be banana trees (there always are in movies about desert islands). Therefore, I’ll be able to use banana leaves as a transportation tool.

What about you? What tools do you find essential?