Ever been to the Lowe’s Home and Garden section on a Saturday in May for a watering can and broken out in hives over 1) the crowds and 2) the variety of watering can options available? Same. In the gardens of Moody Blooms we firmly believe in less. is. more.
So without further ado, here is the list of our top 8 gardening tools at Moody Blooms that check the quality boxes and help you get the job done. We’ll talk about why these are the gardening tools you need and what makes them the best. At the end, we’ll lay out how we organize and store our tools during and after use to get the most out of them and to truly maximize your gardening efforts with less.
The Hori Hori knife is the versatile queen of your gardening tool selection. If you only have ONE tool in your kit, this is the one you should have. It combines the functions of a knife, trowel, and weeder - meaning you can cut, dig, and saw all in one. As an added bonus, some brands, like this one, also act as a ruler. The measurements indicated on the blade make planting so easy. Just cut through any weeds or roots with the blade and then use it as a trowel AND ruler to dig to the appropriate depth for your seedling. Usually made with a rust-resistant stainless or carbon steel blade, this knife is durable, sharp, and precise, giving it the top spot on our list and the title of most essential and best garden tool at Moody Blooms.
Joyce Chen Original Kitchen Scissors
Yes, I know their name indicates they’re for the kitchen, but like the Hori Hori knife, their precision, durability, and versatility lend them perfectly to use in the garden. Making a bouquet of cut flowers from your garden or cutting back blooms for more future growth? These scissors have a micro-serrated edge so when you do make the cut, it’s clean and accurate, ensuring long term healthy plant growth back from the break point. Also the handle is ergonomically designed. I use these scissors all day long, cutting stems, branches, twine, and all the other materials that go into Moody Blooms designs. My hand never fatigues, making these the best scissors for your garden ventures.
If you haven’t caught on yet, all of the garden tools that we deem the best are tools that are versatile. There’s a tool for every job, but if the tools in your gardening kit can’t help with multiple jobs, we simply don’t need them. Enter the Craftsman Spading Fork, which should be used when the job is too big for your Hori Hori. With its long forks and medium length shaft with a handle for extra grip on top, the spading fork was made for maneuvering through large spaces. In the spring I like to use it for aerating soil before planting. In the late summer and early fall, I harvest my root veggies and dig out any bulbs up for transfer with it.
This saw comes in tons of different sizes and versions. The one we use at Moody Blooms is the 13”er with a handle. Without this saw we couldn't make our large scale botanical installs. It’s ideal for a variety of tasks, including pruning large branches and trimming overgrown plants, and its compact size makes it easy to carry around the garden. I’m going out on a limb here (pun intended) and saying that while it’s an essential part of my gardening toolkit, if you don’t deal with shrubbery or branchy plants on the regular, you can probably skip this one. If you do though, this particular pruning saw is the best of the best in regards to its durability, precision, and ease of use.
The lopper made the list because I like the way the word sounds. Just kidding. Like the pruning saw, if you don’t deal with branches or shrubs on the regular, this one is not essential to you. With its long handles and sharp blades, the lopper allows gardeners to make clean, precise cuts on branches up to several inches in diameter, promoting healthy plant growth and reducing the risk of disease. This tool is particularly useful for shaping trees and shrubs, clearing out dead or damaged branches, and maintaining the overall structure and health of plants.
If you work with plants regularly, the tub trug is essential to your garden toolkit. It’s just a big plastic tub with handles - simple and supremely useful when working out in the garden. I use my tub trugs when doing my weekly plant care visits. It makes cleaning up a breeze. You can use these tub trugs for anything. My sister likes to bathe her babies in them, but you can also use them for carrying soil, collecting weeds, gathering harvested vegetables, and transporting water for your plants.
Our last essential on the list. Certainly not the least. There are no less than hundreds of plant fertilizers, nutrients, and boosters available to amend the soil in your garden. This fertilizer does it all through its balanced blend of the big guns - nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Every plant, shrub, fruit, and flower need these nutrients to thrive. We typically use this fertilizer for feeding houseplants. Versatile in its very nature, it’s also easy to use. Every 1-2 weeks measure out the amount needed per your gardening area (ratios are on the package) and mix with water directly in your watering can. Watered and fed all in one. Check and check.
How to organize it all.
There’s a million ways to organize your gardening shed, garage or wherever you keep your yard and garden supplies. While I’m working, I like to wear these Carhartt overalls because they’re durable and they have pockets and loops to either hang or pocket your handheld tools for easy access. Pockets are your friend while gardening. If overalls aren’t your jam, a gardening tool belt like this one is comfortable and also easily accessible. When it’s time to clean up at the end of the day I like to hang my tools on a pegboard wall in my shed to keep the area organized and, you guessed it, easily accessible.
Ease of use. Durable. Effective. If your garden tools don’t check all those boxes, you don’t need them. Less is more unless you’re talking about wildflowers. In that case the limit does not exist.
Garden on, my friends. And if you love plants but don’t have the time or energy to bring them into your space yourself, let Moody Blooms help you. Feel free to reach out any time for a consultation.
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