Everybody loves a beautiful lawn. However, that doesn’t just happen on its own. Quite an amount of effort has to be put in to keep the grass trimmed and any other lawn areas well kept. Various lawn care supplies are required to achieve this, and knowing the right ones to go for makes the job easy.
Even though most people turn to lawn maintenance firms to handle their lawns, there are still supplies that they require to be able to handle simple tasks themselves. Here is an essential list of all the tools you will need to keep your lawn maintained.
Lawn mower
This is one of the most obvious tools to have as a homeowner with a lawn. Lawn mowers can be found in a variety of types on the market. The two most common types are electric lawn mowers (corded and cordless) and gas-powered lawn mowers. They are also crafted in different styles including walk-behind mowers, manual-reel mowers, and riding mowers. When deciding on which one to invest in, it is advisable to first assess various factors, such as the size of your yard and what you want your mower to do for you. You might want to think about buying a used lawn mower, or perhaps you prefer buying new. You can ask around for some good suggestions from people who already own lawn mowers.
Hose
A hose can be used in the yard to perform a variety of tasks: It can be used to water the grass and any other plants you may have on your lawn, it can be used to clean your vehicle, or to wash dirt off your patio. The most essential of these uses is watering your lawn. However, it is not advisable to water your grass and plants every day, even during the dry spells. This is because the water only ends up at the top of the grass or only a few inches in the soil, which means the roots will not be deep-rooted. Therefore, to keep your lawn as healthy as possible, give it a good sprinkle once or twice a week.
There are various factors you will need to consider when purchasing a hose. They include:
- Length – choose a hose that is long enough to ensure you can water your entire lawn without any limitations
- Material – the material used in the construction of the hose should be sturdy and able to withstand moisture without growing mold or breaking
- Flexibility – the hose should be flexible enough to be easily rolled up for storage and turning around in the lawn without much trouble or showing signs of wear and tear.
Rake
With so many functions under its belt, the rake is regarded as an essential tool to have in your home. The rake comes in a variety of types, sizes, and makes. Each of these designs come with a specific purpose. In most cases, rakes come with long handles and feature long and rigid prongs. The main purpose of rakes is to get rid of leaves, especially during the fall season.
There are numerous reasons as to the importance of raking leaves. They include:
- Failure to rake leaves will block the much needed sunlight from reaching your lawn grass. This will lead to the grass drying up, especially in areas where the frost may prevent the leaves from decomposing fast enough.
- When leaves aren’t raked by winter, and the grass is covered by a layer of dead leaves and snow, it may result in a deadly fungal disease that changes the color of your grass and eventually cause it to die.
- At times, the weight of the dead leaves on grass can prove too much for your lawn to handle. This leads to some of the patches dying, causing large brown patches to appear between the grass.
Clearing your leaves is essential to avoid all these outcomes. Therefore, it is of great importance to have a rake in your garden tools collection.
Shovel
Just like the rake, a shovel is a simple supply that one should have for their yard. A shovel comes in three main types:
- Square-point shovel – this type is used for transferring debris, gravel, soil, or any garden waste from one point to the other.
- Round-point shovel – this kind of shovel is used for digging up the ground
- Sharp-point shovel (spade) – this type is used for cutting elements, such as roots in the ground as well as edging.
Even if you do not plan on performing any landscape or garden work on your lawn, a shovel should be on your list of items to have.
Wheelbarrow
A wheelbarrow goes hand in hand with the shovel. It is the basic transportation tool for items in your yard. It can be used to move plants, soil, gravel, debris, leaves, and other garden supplies. Like any other garden tool, the wheelbarrow comes in a variety of makes and sizes. Therefore, you should carefully do your research when considering various factors to pick out one that best suits your needs.
Pruners / Secateurs
If your garden happens to have small plants such as shrubs and trees, you are definitely going to need a pruner in your tool collection. Even though you may consider substituting them for a good pair of flower shears or even scissors, at some point you will need a sturdy tool for trimming hard stems. Pruners can be found in three different types:
- Bypass pruners – this type is the most popular among homeowners. They feature two curved cutting blades that come with the same functionality as a pair of scissors. Only one blade is sharpened for cutting, while the other is thick and unsharpened for sliding over
- Anvil pruners – such pruners have one sharpened edge that slides over an anvil when cutting. The mechanism they feature makes them efficient for working on tough stems. However, they pack more weight than bypass pruners which makes them harder to use on crotches
- Ratchet pruners – these pruners are quite similar to anvil pruners in appearance and functionality. However, they work to cut elements in stages. They are ideal for times when a lot of pruning work is required since they limit the stress on your wrist and hands
Before making a purchase of a pruner, ensure you hold it in your hand to see if the grip is comfortable.
There are plenty of other numerous essential tools to use for lawn maintenance such as gloves, string trimmers, edging shears, etc. Even so, the above stated six tools are great to start out with, and you can expand your collection as the years go by.
