Are you a gardening tool minimalist?

JoeX

I like gardening but I dont like clutter, and gardening seems to be an activity that has loads of single-use tools and supplies.

Ive got two medium sheds and two small sheds filled with stuff, for a normal suburban garden!

Who has a minimalist approach to gardening tools?

Whats your list?

pansyface

I hate clutter. And I’m married to someone who isn’t happy unless he’s surrounded by a pile of crud and junk.

My ideal shed would contain the following, each hanging on a named hook or standing in an allocated spot:

One spade, one fork, one mattock, one dutch hoe, one rake, one lawn edger, one lawn mower, one strimmer, one long handled pruner, one set of secateurs, one trowel, one hand fork, one ho mi, one pair of scissors, one long handled fruit picker, one riddle, one long handled net for pond cleaning, one set of large plastic builder’s buckets, one set of shelves to house out of season items such as paraffin and heater.

Instead I have a shed which you have to unlock, stand back from and wait for the fallout.

Butterfly66

You certainly feel you need lots of tools if you watch Monty on GW, I’m sure he has a different tool for every job especially trowels. I have one trowel which I use for everything weeding, planting etc..
I’m not sure you need all the dedicated tools, some yes and/or if you do a lot of a particular task but a lot is probably good marketing.

wild edges

I have loads of second hand tools that I've inherited or been given and that I never use. Having said that though the ones I do use are numerous and much loved. I have four rakes which all do different jobs, maybe eight or more different cutting tools for pruning and clipping different types of things, loads of different spades and shovels... so no probably not minimalist. I covet Monty's wall of trowels too I will admit

TenN

I've got a shed full of everything (4 different hoes that never come out) but only use a trowel, bulldog spade, hori knife, and sometimes secateurs when I can find them. I reckon I could drop the trowel if needed. I also have an old opinel knife that is use for everything from pruning to pricking out.

B3

Lots of secateurs. Lose one buy one find one repeat ad nauseam 

lilysilly

@JoeX, what do you have to fill FOUR sheds? 
I have a plastic tool box with my necessities in for easy transportation between front and back gardens.
 This includes 2 border hand trowel, one extra slim, hand held onion hoe, claw rotavator, old kitchen scissors, 3 pairs of secateurs, old butter knife, soft twine, wire, labels, cane toppers, Sharpie marker, pencil and little notebook, tissues.
In the shed I keep 1 spade, 1 shovel, 1 lady sized fork, 1 hoe, border rake, grass rake, lawn mower, strimmer, hand shears and loppers.
 I have five builders trugs, most have busted handles, various empty fence paint buckets, two kneeling pads, an old rug, an old sofa cushion . Add to that about 100 pots, of different sizes,  all stacked up, bamboo canes of various lengths, plant supports, the compost, the grit, the soil improvers, the 3 watering cans and the hose pipe. 
When it's written down I'm amazed we can still fit 2 large bikes, the barbecue and the sun loungers in the shed.

KT53

I've inherited tools over the years, but only buy tools if I have a specific need which my current tools can't do. 

Nobody needs a dozen variants on the trowel for instance, but if they feel they get the use out of them I have no issue with them having them.  The only tool I have bought recently is a hori hori trowel and I really wouldn't want to be without that now.

B3

I need a narrow pointy one which I use the most and a wide round one for digging big holes for planting

GemmaJF

I don't like tools being in the way in the potting shed, so hang up some of them, depends on the job, sometimes they get in a mess.

Some were bought for specific jobs, but I often think of new uses for them. Only one I regret really is an expensive bulb planter, a trowel would have done as it has not seen a lot of use, looks nice though!

We've done a lot of ground work in recent years, so along with the normal garden tools, I have things like mattocks and pick axe, stump splitters a sledge hammer. They do tend to get in my way and may relocate them from the potting shed at some point.

I'm a bit of a sucker for the middle of Lidl, so I do have some double ups on things like hedge shears and loppers. The tools are reasonable considering the price. In my defense I would only buy a replacement if the one I have is getting a bit worn out. I just have difficulty throwing away the old ones!

Then there are the usual power tools, mower, strimmers (petrol and electric) hedge cutter, leaf blower, I use hooks and bungees to hang them out of the way.

Have some old fashioned tools, wouldn't be without a sickle as power strimming in a wildlife garden might see unforgivable carnage. 

So not minimalist, have tools for specific jobs on the whole and always willing to buy something else if it is the right tool for the job. I just won't be ending up with a collection of bulb planters!

Fairygirl

I have a spade, a bulb planting trowel [for all planting]  and secateurs/snips. The stuff for the grass - a mower and edging shears, and for the hedge - hedgetrimmer and a brush and shovel.
A rake, a hoe and a fork for now and again.
I rarely use anything more than that.