When you are setting out to learn a new activity, whether it is cooking, home repair, woodworking or gardening, you can be overwhelmed by the array of tools available. It isn't unusual for people to buy lots of things only to discover later that there's just a handful of tools they really use and enjoy. All the rest just take up room in the garage.

This article was written to help you sort through the ever-expanding collection of gardening tools available and decide what you need for the projects you are doing now.

Maintenance tools

These are the workhorse tools. They are the ones you will reach for most often, season after season. If you have an established garden, these may be all the tools you need until you are ready to make a major change to your garden spaces. Because these are the tools you will use most, take care when you select them. Choose sturdy tools over cheaper ones; in the long run you'll spend more money on and be more frustrated with the cheaper ones that don't last.

Pruners -- A good pair of hand pruners is well worth the extra money you might pay for them. Look for by-pass pruners, which have a curved blade that "by-passes" the other in a scissors-like action. These are better than anvil pruners, which have a straight blade that compresses the stem against a flat anvil blade to make the cut. By-pass pruners make a clean cut vs. anvil pruners which crush the stem to cut it.

Good quality pruners, such as the Felco brand, come in different sizes to accomodate different sized hands. This is important if you do much pruning. You'll feel less fatigue and have fewer hand cramps using right-sized tools. Replacement parts are also available and blades can be sharpened.

Pruning saws -- Folding hand saws are great for getting into tight places and doing light duty work. But for big jobs and cutting large branches, a full-sized, stationary blade saw is essential.

Saws and pruners are the tools you use to make precision cuts on trees and shrubs. To do your best work, be sure the blades are clean and sharp.

Loppers -- Loppers are not used for precision cuts. They are good for quickly cutting away excess foliage, so you can get at an area where you will make precision cuts. They are also good for cutting out thorny plants, like blackberries, that you don't want to get too close to.

Since these tools are not used for precision work, you can choose either by-pass or anvil style. There are some loppers available that feature what is called compound action. This means that they have a sort of ratcheting action that cuts dense material without as much effort on your part. If you have a lot of brush to clear, these are an excellent choice.

Hand cultivator -- These hand tools usually have three prongs, sometimes five, and are used for weeding and transplanting small items like annuals.

Hori-hori knife -- This tool, also known as a soil knife, sometimes raises eyebrows. To some people, this tool looks like a weapon. But once you start using it, you discover that you can retire several other tools and you wonder how you ever gardened without it. It can be used to dig out the roots of weeds, it can be used for transplanting and the serrated side of its blade is good for cutting through the fibrous rootballs of perennials when you divide them. The blade is sturdy enough to stand up to years of rigorous use of all sorts.

Hand leaf rake -- This miniature version of the classic leaf rake is very handy. It is narrow enough to fit into areas where the standard sized rake will not fit. You can use it to remove debris or evenly spread mulch.

Long-handled leaf rake -- If you have deciduous trees, you need one of these. The springy tines make it easy to pick up leaves without tearing up the soil. Leaf rakes are lighter weight than bow rakes (descibed below), so you can rake longer without fatigue.

Shovels -- These may be used for maintenance or installation. See description below.

Renovation or New garden installation

Mattock -- This tool, which looks like a pick except that it has a flat blade on one side, is good for removing sod. When you get the hang of it, you can use that flat blade to cut away the sod, just below the root zone. This assures that the grass doesn't grow back right away.

Shovels -- There are all kinds of shovels: round head, square head, drain spades, long-handled, short-handled. Choose a shovel based on what you will be using it for. Digging a large hole to plant a tree? A long handled, round head is a good choice. Digging in a tight space? Consider a short-handled version. Transplanting smaller plants? A narrow bladed drain spade might be a good choice. Spreading crushed rock or topsoil? A long-handled, square head shovel is easier to use than a round head.

Soil Fork -- Some people prefer soil forks to shovels when they are turning over soil in a planting bed. They are also good tools to use when harvesting root crops, like potatoes or carrots.

Miscellaneous

Hoe -- The best thing to use a hoe for is to create a little trench for seed in vegetable gardens. Some people use them for weeding, but I find that they just chop the tops off leaving the roots to regenerate the weed again in a few days.

Specialty weeders -- these include "winged" weeders, dandelion poppers, scuffle hoes, ball weeders and more. Nearly every year, some enterprising manufacturer offers yet another clever item that promises to eliminate the drudgery of weeding.

No harm in sampling a few of these things, but your best bet is to get at weeds when they are just emerging, dig out the roots with your hand cultivator or soil knife and then put down a good layer (1-1/2 - 2") of mulch. Do that and you will not spend much time weeding.

Lawn Care

Mowers -- If you have a large lawn, electric or gas-powered mowers are your best bets. Reel mowers are great for small lawns and environmentally conscious homeowners. Choose a mower that is the "right" size for you. The mower should be light enough that you can easily handle it, especially on slopes. To keep your lawn looking good there are times of the year when you need to mow once a week. Be sure that the mower is pleasant to use or you will be finding excuses to skip mowings.

String trimmers -- After mowing, it takes only a few minutes to clean up the edges of the lawn with a string trimmer, giving the lawn a nice finished look. For regular lawn use, an electric trimmer is all that is needed.

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