Container gardening has had a long popularity through the ages. Plant people adopted container gardening because of space constraints. But now container gardening is widely known as a mindful hobby, home decor and a lot more. Once you start growing plants there is no going back, only becoming plant-obsessed.
I feel that magnetic aura in plants. It’s like attraction law, the more you love plants the more you are into exploring plant varieties, gardening methods and involving in nature. I started with only 5 plants and ended up Gardening Blogger and many more gardening-related roles in my career.
Knowing the importance and use of the Right gardening tools helps make your gardening purpose easier and more enjoyable. As a beginner, you are hesitant to spend money on tools or you might spend money on the wrong tools. Knowing the right tools and their importance helps you buy and use gardening tools efficiently.
BASIC CONTAINER GARDENING TOOLS
These basic gardening tools can be used in multiple ways in container gardening. With these basic tools, you can do most of your gardening work easily.
A basic tool that can be used for digging, planting, soil mixing and soil scooping. And also helps to transplant plants and lot more gardening work. Buying rust-free and sturdy material helps for longer life. Cleaning the mud after every use and keeping it dry in sunlight helps to keep the Trowel clean and sturdy for longer times.
I bought pruning shears in my starting stages, just for two main reasons cutting off dead parts and pruning after the blooming period to encourage the next bloom. There are different types of pruning shears and saws available for various pruning and trimming purposes in gardening. But in the beginning, you only need a simple quality pruner to cut off dead parts and trimming the flower plants after bloom to encourage growth is enough.
Watering cans are an important tool that can’t be negotiated in container gardening. Using watering cans to water the plants helps to water the plants in controllable pressure, watering cans with spouts helps to reach tight spots in smaller or bushier plant pots.
Trust me gardening gloves are important whether you’re a beginner or expert. Using gloves can avoid skin irritation and getting brushes. Also, using gloves in gardening helps to use hands in gardening without any hassles. Sometimes you need to handle plants with your hands. And have to be exposed to chemicals so using Gloves can avoid skin allergies.
TOOLS FOR SOIL AND PLANT CARE
Hand forks are used to transplant seedlings, and plants and help to loosen the soil sometimes soil becomes dry and hard and can’t be used for potting mix so you need to loosen up the soil with hand forks by pouring some water in hardened soil and rest them few hours helps to loosen the soil easily with hand forks.
Hand forks help in weeding without even disturbing the roots, you can use a hand fork and lift shallow near weeds can be a useful method. To me, I use a hand fork to loosen up and lift the plant from one pot to another. You can also mix soil amendments with hand forks, and help to make holes so you can plant small seedlings or bulbs. Hand forks also can be used for root aeration when you repotting root-bound plants.
Soil scoops are useful to fill the potting mix without creating any mess and without spilling soil. Soil scoops help to fill the potting mix precisely and evenly. With the help of soil scoops soil amendments can be added to potted plants without spilling.
MEASURING AND MONITORING TOOLS FOR CONTAINER GARDENING
Sometimes, our measuring or monitoring of soil moisture can be wrong or you have to identify thermos levels and acidic levels of soil. If you’re continuously facing watering issues in soil., or you’re plants not doing well even with good care you have to check the moisture meter, pH meter and thermometer.
Helps to check moisture levels in soil, the meter shows dry to wet levels you can identify the highest levels and can water the plants which are suffering from underwatering or overwatering. These moisture meters help to prevent root rot and help to keep the plant hydrated. This tool is ideal for gardeners who struggle to know the moisture in pots.
pH meters are helpful to people who have poor-quality soil, this meter helps to make and keep the soil in the right acid levels that encourage plant growth. This meter has three levels acidic, neutral and alkaline. Know your plant’s soil requirement and match the soil level to keep the plant thriving.
TOOLS FOR PRUNING AND MAINTENANCE
As a beginner you don’t need many pruning tools, but having frequent pruning plants or having a huge collection of plants needs some specific needs of pruning tools to maintain the garden neat and healthy. The below-listed tools help to maintain a neat garden.
Garden scissors are needed for delicate pruning or pruning a small-sized plant. These small plants’ stems are delicate and soft and can be easily broken. Having sharp and small-edge scissors helps to prune them easily. Also, these scissors help to prune precisely without any damage.
Loppers are designed for cutting tough and thick stems, branches or woody plants. Loppers have the cutting power of thick branches so you can cut the stronger plant precisely without breaking other stems.
The purpose of these snips is deadheading, removing spent blooms, dry leaves or any dead part of the plant. This deadheading helps to encourage the blooms and growth and also keeps the plant healthy and neat. Prevent plants from spending energy on dead parts these deadheading snips are much needed if you have got a flowering plant.
POTTING AND RE-POTTING TOOLS
Potting Benches
Potting benches create a workspace to do gardening work and help you to keep organized and productive through gardening. Potting benches help to avoid frequent trips, clutter searching for things and cutoff time waste as well.
Potting benches are much more useful when you’ve over 20 plants in pots. Because you’ve to propagate, repot, check the plant or treat the plant and a lot more gardening work having potting benches gives you a comfortable place to work and makes work easier by organisation.
There are various labelling options available for plants, using labelling helps to identify the plant as a beginner and helps you give the right care. Labelling is used to identify seedlings and small saplings.
Labelling not only for identifying the names but also helps to record the date of planting, fertilizers used and a lot more. With the proper utilization of labelling, you can care for plants easily.
OPTIONAL TOOLS FOR CONVENIENCE
These tools are for people who have to do gardening for hours and have discomfort in kneeling and lifting heavy items.
Kneeling pads help to prevent knees from kneeling on rough surfaces, these pads come with cushions to protect the knees from pain and discomfort. Also, Knee pads help to reduce stress and strain on the knee while kneeling and doing gardening work. A lightweight portable tool to carry around.
Sometimes we’ve to move around the garden and work, at those times, having a tool organizer helps to carry all tools in one place and cut off frequent trips for tools. You can use tool organizers, a belt or a Garden apron with pockets.
It is a needed tool for gardeners who have struggled and discomfort in lifting heavy items. Some of you may be suggested by doctors to not lift heavy stuff or you’ve strained and backpain. For those dollies are helpful tools that can be available in various models.
CONCLUSION
This blog post helps to identify the roles and importance of gardening tools, you can buy the tools that are suitable for your garden needs based on the above details. You can also experiment with different tools in gardening to reduce the chores and enjoy gardening.
Investing in your hobby or work is not a waste having quality tools helps and supports the process and makes us better in the field. Start with some basic gardening combos, to try tools and gradually explore advanced tools to take your garden and gardening skill next level. To know about Gardening tools and Container gardening read my blogs. To know more about me & my gardening journey click here.
Happy Gardening!