I am wondering what tools you use and find essentials. I am only starting out and have only a few tools. I just bought a knife and a machete, I have some pruners and a trowel. That's about it I think. I am never sure what all those different pruners are for and what other tools would be helpful. What are you using? Anything that's not really a garden tool but useful?
Also, I am having troubles figuring out where to store them (right now in a bucket) and how to carry them around. Is anybody using some sort of carrier like a tool belt? I am just looking for ideas to make this more practical ...
I have pared back my tools. I use a good pruner, a hori hori digging knife (both in a makeshift holster made from scrap) and a rogue hoe combination hoe and rake (a heavy duty McLeod firefighting tool) for 99% of my work. The rest of the tools are dedicated use-like the shovel, digging fork, or pitchfork-and get brought out only when needed.
I can't really say what you need unless it also applies to my situation, because I've only been in my limited urban setting. What I can say is that there is little need to own every tool under the sun if you have a handful of solid, multipurpose tools that do many jobs well. I use my scythe, shovel, and wheel barrow all the time. I need to get some sort of tool that does what my scythe does except hand held (sickle, machete, maybe just a long knife will do, I'm not sure yet). I'm pretty sure that those four tools could do about 99% of what I need with the landscaping/ gardening. I own a handful of other tools, but it's a very rare occasion that I need to use them. Now that I've finally started to learn how to sharpen tools it's astonishing how rarely I need any sort of additional leverage (such as you get with pruners).
If you're looking to do some roundwood framing and trellis making then the above paragraph is worthless .
EDIT: For dragging tools around a large area. My wheelbarrow looks alot like this one. You could build a little tool box into the wheelbarrow and cart the whole thing around allowing you to deliver compost, collect compost, or harvest or whatever. Maybe this would work better for you than what you have going on now.
A trovel For cutting branches etc: Good bypass secateurs, snips, loppers and pruning saw
For digging: Spade, garden fork, square shovel. I always go for old tools with good handles, and give them a rub with linseed from time to time
(don't leave the linseed rag scrunched up-it has a habit of spontaneously combusting...)
My own place is very small and moving stuff around is easy.
in a 'job' situation, I carry my handtools in a sports bag and the big tools go in a wheelbarrow.
One of my handiest and low-tech 'tools' is bamboo. Stakes, poles, markers, hole-poker for legume seeds...
Josey Hains wrote:What are you using bypass secateurs, snips & loppers for?
I spend a fair amount of time with trees, berries and vines which get a bit of pruning here and there.
The snips are just generally useful-cutting string, basil stems etc, etc
So much depends I find a good hatchet, Japanese style saw, shovels (2 kinds) and a spacing fork very useful. I want a broad fork and would not be without both a leaf and a garden rake. My poor wheelbarrow is used and abused neigh to death - has a 2 inch dia. Hole in the bed.
My scythe is helpful now and will be more so in the future on more than a .25 acre property. I want a corn knife/sickle/Japanese style harvesting knife. They all look like they work and any would likely serve my needs there.
I want a good billhook, a tool ubiquitous in Britain and continental Europe and almost unheard of here. Good for managing brush, harvesting compile and a myriad of tasks, with much more versatility than a machete.
Some flavor of hoe might be nice, but not high on my list. I keep thinking it won't be needed if I get the plantings right
For vegetable gardening I absolutely need: spade, rake, hoe and the small asian cultivator (forgot the name).
For breaking up new ground: a burr hoe.
For mulching (and I heard you get free woodchips over there) a shovel
a wheelbarrow (not too heavy)
For the trees: pruning saw, secateurs (the swiss one) and a big bypass pruner
Good gloves
I need all of it.
For the gloves don't buy these cheap oversized leather gloves. Gloves should fit snuggly.
I can tell from experience: always wear gloves when working with secateurs.
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I find a good hatchet, Japanese style saw, shovels (2 kinds) and a spacing fork very useful. I want a broad fork and would not be without both a leaf and a garden rake. My poor wheelbarrow is used and abused neigh to death - has a 2 inch dia. Hole in the bed.
