Getting into gardening. What equipment do I need?

ra38697riaH3OeC

Hi,

I'm a 21 and live in a flat, I'm thinking of getting into gardening. I already have some ideas on what I want to grow but I need some advice about what essential (and maybe not so essential) equipment I need to start. What equipment would you have liked when you started out gardening?

Thanks, RA.

JennyJ

It depends what kind of garden space you have and what you'll be growing. My basics that I use most frequently are secateurs, trowel, border fork and border spade (smaller than full-size fork and spade so easier for my puny self to manage), a long weeding knife for digging out deep-rooted weeds, a hook-shaped weeding knife for between paving slabs, and a short onion hoe for annual weed seedlings.

If you have large shrubs to tend, you might want long-handled loppers and maybe a pruning saw. If you have a lawn, you'll want a mower and maybe edging shears. Dibber for pricking out seedlings, knife for trimming cuttings and cutting string etc. String, clips etc and canes for supporting plants. Hedgetrimmer or hedge shears if you have a hedge. A hoe if you're going to have a traditional veg patch with bare soil between the rows.

The list is almost endless.

pansyface

You say you live in a flat. Where will you be storing these tools? In the flat? How much space do you have? 🤔

Fire

I would start with nothing - start your project and figure out, as you go, what kind of tasks that you like to do. You will find yourself wondering if there is a tool for that. There may well be and you can ask for that and go and find it.

There's no point in gathering what you don't need. If you have a balcony or some pots on a step, you might want certain tools. If you have a large plot with trees, you might want something else.

You can easily find second hand tools on Ebay. Basics might be a cheap pair of secateurs and a small hand trowel for digging.

ra38697riaH3OeC

pansyface said:

You say you live in a flat. Where will you be storing these tools? In the flat? How much space do you have? 🤔

Hi,

Yeah I live in a flat. I would want equipment that fits in a small storage area or, ideally, within my kitchen pantry. I'm only thinking of gardening small pots in my balcony for the time being until circumstances change. 

Thanks,

ra38697riaH3OeC

JennyJ said:

It depends what kind of garden space you have and what you'll be growing. My basics that I use most frequently are secateurs, trowel, border fork and border spade (smaller than full-size fork and spade so easier for my puny self to manage), a long weeding knife for digging out deep-rooted weeds, a hook-shaped weeding knife for between paving slabs, and a short onion hoe for annual weed seedlings.

If you have large shrubs to tend, you might want long-handled loppers and maybe a pruning saw. If you have a lawn, you'll want a mower and maybe edging shears. Dibber for pricking out seedlings, knife for trimming cuttings and cutting string etc. String, clips etc and canes for supporting plants. Hedgetrimmer or hedge shears if you have a hedge. A hoe if you're going to have a traditional veg patch with bare soil between the rows.

The list is almost endless.

Hi,

I probably should have mentioned that I live in a flat and so I am planning on gardening small pots in my balcony. No shrubs or trees. Nothing too big. I'd ideally like equipment that is easy to store.

Thanks.

ra38697riaH3OeC

Fire said:

I would start with nothing - start your project and figure out, as you go, what kind of tasks that you like to do. You will find yourself wondering if there is a tool for that. There may well be and you can ask for that and go and find it.

There's no point in gathering what you don't need. If you have a balcony or some pots on a step, you might want certain tools. If you have a large plot with trees, you might want something else.

You can easily find second hand tools on Ebay. Basics might be a cheap pair of secateurs and a small hand trowel for digging.

Hi,

Do you think it would be good to invest in premium secteaurs like Fiskars or Gardena? Why or why not.

Thanks.

pansyface

For a balcony? Are you kidding?

didyw

For pots on a balcony I would suggest a hand trowel, gardening gloves, a potting tray (that can be stored on its side on the balcony when not in use), some kind of closable bin where you can store compost and some plant labels. 

JennyJ

ra38697riaH3OeC said:

JennyJ said:

It depends what kind of garden space you have and what you'll be growing. My basics that I use most frequently are secateurs, trowel, border fork and border spade (smaller than full-size fork and spade so easier for my puny self to manage), a long weeding knife for digging out deep-rooted weeds, a hook-shaped weeding knife for between paving slabs, and a short onion hoe for annual weed seedlings.

If you have large shrubs to tend, you might want long-handled loppers and maybe a pruning saw. If you have a lawn, you'll want a mower and maybe edging shears. Dibber for pricking out seedlings, knife for trimming cuttings and cutting string etc. String, clips etc and canes for supporting plants. Hedgetrimmer or hedge shears if you have a hedge. A hoe if you're going to have a traditional veg patch with bare soil between the rows.

The list is almost endless.

Hi,

I probably should have mentioned that I live in a flat and so I am planning on gardening small pots in my balcony. No shrubs or trees. Nothing too big. I'd ideally like equipment that is easy to store.

Thanks.

In that case, a trowel for planting in pots and a watering can, and maybe a plastic sheet or wipeable tablecloth if you're going to be potting things up inside the flat. Secateurs or snips or even sharp scissors for deadheading if you grow flowers, and for harvesting things like tomatoes, chillies etc if you decide to grow those.

You did say you lived in a flat, but some flats have gardens so I wasn't sure. If you find that weeds grow in your pots, small implements like old cutlery (knife and fork) can be useful for winkling them out.

JennyJ

ra38697riaH3OeC said:

Fire said:

I would start with nothing - start your project and figure out, as you go, what kind of tasks that you like to do. You will find yourself wondering if there is a tool for that. There may well be and you can ask for that and go and find it.

There's no point in gathering what you don't need. If you have a balcony or some pots on a step, you might want certain tools. If you have a large plot with trees, you might want something else.

You can easily find second hand tools on Ebay. Basics might be a cheap pair of secateurs and a small hand trowel for digging.

Hi,

Do you think it would be good to invest in premium secteaurs like Fiskars or Gardena? Why or why not.

Thanks.

The more expensive secateurs could be overkill if all you need them for is a bit of deadheading and harvesting. The most important thing is that they fit your hand size/shape, and even that might not matter much if you're not going to be using them for hours at a stretch. Left-handed secateurs might be harder to find at lower price points though, if you need them.

In my mind Gardena and Fiskars are mid-range brands, along with Wilkinson Sword, Burgon and Ball etc. Cheaper ones can be just as good, particularly for light use. The gold-standard would be Felco which can be completely dismantled, spare parts are available, and they can be sent in for servicing.