10 Gardening Tools That All Beginners Need, According to an Expert

According to Randaci, “There are many types and styles of hand cultivators. They can be used for weeding, planting, or moving soil around. Get a few different types; one with tines, one with a flat blade and one with a long handle to avoid bending down for long periods.”

This set of hand tools includes a small cultivator rake along with a hand trowel and a narrower transplant trowel. You'll typically use these trowels for the planting phase.

Randaci says, “A hand trowel is essential for putting smaller plants in the ground. It is used to plant annuals and seedlings and bulbs that do not require a larger shovel.”

You definitely don't have to break the bank on these basic tools, though the ones you get should feel sturdy in the hand and ideally have a nonslip grip (like this set does).

More: The Best Gardening Shoes That Get the Dirty Work Done

While a garden shovel is used for scooping, a garden spade is for garden cleanup and maintenence. Randaci says, "It is used more for digging and breaking through roots or hard soil. I prefer both a garden shovel and spade with a metal handle as opposed to wood, because it will not break so easily under pressure."

This steel spade has just the slightest curve at its end, allowing you to get leverage when breaking up stubborn patches of earth.

While the rest of your wearable gear is up to you, wearing a pair of gardening gloves is essential for safety and comfort. Randaci says, “Gardening gloves will protect your hands and keep them clean ... I buy two types. Lightweight gloves for general gardening, and heavy-duty gloves for handling plants that have thorns.”

This seamless, budget-friendly pair of gloves is made from breathable bamboo fabric, and their construction allows you to dig around in the dirt without getting your fingernails grimy. We also recommend this rugged long-sleeved pair for getting elbow-deep in your rosebushes.

As any gardener knows, some bugs are your friends, while others seem to do nothing but wreck havoc on your beds.

Randaci says, "Be prepared for pests by keeping a natural insecticide on hand. Formulas like Earth’s Ally Insect Control are safe and effective for preventative treatments, as well as quick knockdowns on whiteflies, aphids and thrips."

With an ingredient list that's pretty much as clean as it gets, this handy spray is helpful for ridding your vegetable garden of troublesome bugs with its blend of rosemary, clove, and peppermint oil.

It also contains glycerol monooleate and ascorbyl palmitate, which are preservatives that are commonly used in food applications.

Even if you live in a climate with plenty of rain, every gardener needs a watering can for making sure all of your plants get a good drink every few days. "I use a watering can to hand-water plants in areas that a hose won’t reach," Randaci says.

This watering can makes lugging around over 2 gallons of water a lot easier with its dual handles providing a more ergonomic grip. Plus, the movable spout head is angled just so all you have to do is tip it slightly for a thorough sprinkling.

Randaci says, "Garden pads and kneeling pads are usually made out of a foam material to protect your knees while planting and will keep your knees from getting stained ... Some garden kneelers are foldable stools that will give you a little height if you find that more comfortable."

This 2-in-1 garden seat flips one way to become a useful stool and turns upside down to be used as a kneeler. Its thick EVA (that's ethylene vinyl acetate) foam provides ample cushioning to any part of your body that's making contact with it. We also like that this unit comes with two removable tool bags and that it folds up to easily move and store.

Even if you already own a rake for your yard, you'll want to make sure you have a designated garden rake, too. The two are pretty different in the specifics of their design.

“Leaf rakes, unlike garden rakes, have tines that are designed to flex under pressure. I like to use a standard leaf rake for larger areas, and a smaller rake to get in between plants,” says Randaci. “Use the garden rake to move soil and break up clods. Both the tines of the rake and the back of the rake can be used for this.”

This garden rake is made entirely out of one piece of steel with a cushioned grip to let you get a better handle on pulling out stubborn clumps in your beds.

Deadheading your flowers regularly allows your garden to flourish weeks and months longer than it naturally would. "A good pair of pruners is essential. They make a clean cut similar to a pair of scissors," says Randaci. "Purchase a pair of pruners that feel comfortable in your hand."

These 8-inch pruning shears are easy to handle and very grippy, but they're also heavy-duty. Reviewers tout their reliability after years of frequent use.

A nozzle for your garden hose is one of those small but genius devices that makes a necessary chore like watering a whole lot more efficient and fun. Randaci says, "A water-breaker nozzle will break down the flow of water droplets so that it's similar to a gentle rain for your plants."

Control the flow and toggle between seven different sprays with this $10 hose nozzle. We like that the trigger is easy to squeeze and its spray patterns are clearly labeled, so you don't have to spray your yard with each one to find the right level.

Randaci says, “A wheelbarrow is essential for moving rocks, mulch, compost, and garden debris. It is also used to move trees, shrubs, or really any plants in your landscape.”

Whether you’re transplanting, cleaning, or completely reimagining what will grow in your garden, a wheelbarrow makes schlepping less of a backbreaking chore.

This dump cart is easier to drag from one end of your yard to another by virtue of its four wheels. It also features a unique dumping mechanism in the handle in which the user pulls to immediately dump the load that's in the back.

Many reviewers (and their Boy Scout troops) love how incredibly sturdy this unit is, holding hundreds of pounds of debris and rocks at once.