With summer now upon us, those with gardens will be spending more time in them soaking up the sun.
If you’ve been neglecting gardening duties throughout the spring and winter, now is the time to grab your gear and get outside to neaten things up.
Here’s all the tools, tips and tricks you’ll need to get you started.
Trimming grass and pruning
If you’ve got a large garden, a lawn mower is your best bet for keeping the grass neat and tidy.
The kind of lawn mower you’ll need depends on the size of your garden as well as your budget. Walking mowers, for instance, are cheaper than ones that you ride.
Before you purchase your lawnmower, be sure to consider what works best for you.
Beyond cutting the grass, secateurs are handy tools for pruning plants and flowers as well as harvesting fruit and veg.
They can do the kind of careful work that heavy-duty equipment like hedge trimmers can’t, and will have your garden looking tidy in no time.
Trimming hedges and heavy-duty work
While secateurs are great for certain things, you’ll need a hedge trimmer if you want to cut back your hedges or shrubs quickly and efficiently.
It’s one of the easiest ways to keep your garden looking presentable, and you can even get creative with the way you shape the foliage.
If you want to cut back trees or even chop branches for firewood, you’ll need to use a cordless chainsaw.
They work well for cutting as the lack of cord makes these chainsaws lightweight and easy to handle, reducing the risk of accidents.
Planting and growing
Growing your own flowers, fruit and veg is one of the most gratifying parts of gardening, and there are a few essential tools you’ll need to do it properly.
Firstly, you’ll need a hand fork for breaking up soil and preparing it for planting. A trowel, meanwhile, can be used for the planting itself as well as removing unwanted weeds.
Finally, a large watering can will save you an abundance of time when you’re watering what you’ve planted.
Staying safe
While you might think of gardening as relatively safe, it is possible to injure or hurt yourself by using equipment incorrectly or dressing inappropriately.
You should, for instance, always wear gardening gloves and wear sun cream and a hat if it’s hot and sunny while you’re outside.
You should also keep your hand and wrist in a straight line when you use hand tools to avoid injury and always carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using other equipment.
Now that you have the tools you need, it’s time to get going. Happy gardening!
