I think you need to promote the hand pruners to must have from nice to have. I carry them on me whenever I’m working in the garden. There’s always something that needs to be deadheaded or lightly pruned and they’re much easier to carry as well.
I do appreciate the fact that you never try to sell us things. That's just one of several reasons I love this channel so much. Hope the storm doesn't affect you. We are getting some rain/thunderstorms due to the tropical storm. Its been a really wet summer here in Atlanta. Thank you again for everything you are doing to educate us!
This video is full of good information, impressed that you talk about only what we really need, the rest of the equipment is optional, thankyou Jim. Your planting backdrop looks lovely. Would you consider a follow-up video showing us how to sharpen tools; e.g. Hedge shears/hand pruner blades/, lawn mower blades- I once tried to sharpen my hedge shears with a file and made a complete mess of it (had to throw them out and buy new set), its the 'technique' that throws me off. Regards from Ontario, Canada, zone 5
A suggestion for the "nice to have" pile is a 5 gal bucket filled with sand mixed with used motor oil. I use it to clean my shovels after use, it cleans off the clay and lubricates the surface to keep the rust at bay 😎👍
I was just going to add 5 gal buckets, but I use mine for watering a few outlying areas I can't reach with the hose. Having a few helps, you can let one fill while you are using the other. Also some Dollar Store children's buckets or a watering can to help control the water's velocity when it hits the roots.
My top tools are: Hand held Japanese Weeder, a blade sharpening tool and, just this year, the quick connects for hoses - game changer !!! Also, a good multi-vitamin, a bottle of Tylenol/Advil/Aleve for all those aches & pains after a long day in the garden and a tub of Icy Hot !!
Jim, I have multiples of nearly all the tools you showed us except for the pole saw, Pro-plugger, and a tiller. The tools I use most during spring planting time are my cordless hammer drill, attached to a four-inch auger bit, and my Fiskars Big Grip garden knife, both of these are invaluable to me. Another tool I use a couple of times per year is my shrub rake, this small rake is perfect for cleaning debris out from under shrubs. However, the thing I absolutely can't live without is a bottle of 8 hr. arthritis pain relief acetaminophen! ~Margie
I have a suburban garden so it’s very small, I brought a hori hori knife, used it once 😅but boy does it look cool, I feel like a badass garden grandma 🤣😂😅
I love my half moon edger. It’s easier to use than the flat shovel and gives me a better curve. I hand water, so my watering wand is not only a back saver, it’s better at keeping water off the foliage and I’m also able to easily reach high hanging baskets.
My favorite hand tools are a hori-hori and a “yankee weeder”. I use them every day for everything from getting crepe myrtle shoots (from an old tree - my nemesis) out of my lawn to picking individual weeds out of my flower border.
My favorite is the small Gorilla cart. I use it to move lots of things even though I also have a very small urban lot. Many garden carts are too big and bulky or just. plain poorly designed and I do not like wheelbarrows. I find they are too unstable for me
Thanks for this video on gardening tools. I use augers for planing my plants it really is a great tool. Also, use the good old fashioned spade shove can’t beat it!!!
I've never used that hoe before, will have to see about borrowing one to give it a try before I buy. Also YES to buying quality tools and frustation-free hose! I've been investing in contractor grade hoses and they are fantastic. My mother's day gift was a good heavy mattock and it is both useful for turning over new beds and building muscles. My essentials that weren't mentioned: - wide hat, sunglasses/safety glasses, earplugs, sunscreen - thick hand lotion - sharp limb saw with sheath - watering wand - headlamp (evening watering and checking for pests) - heavyweight tarp (covering mulch/dirt piles, wheelbarrows, dragging leaves, killing grass) - thick bamboo skewer (for checking wetness in large pots and beds)
Great great vid Jim. My favorite most often used tool is my Shuffle Hoe. Also a pair of safety goggles for certain pruning jobs, my retractable tape measure, cheap bamboo stakes and plant support ties. :)
It's probably pretty stupid but a jeweler's loupe for inspecting leaf problems (some of the tiny bugs that park on the back of the leaf are pretty hard to see, even with a cheap magnifying glass.)
Great video. Love the Gorilla cart, was using it this AM. I just ordered (for my bd😉) the Hoselink Stand up weed puller. I hope it works. I can’t bend for long times with this back problem. I think we have nearly everyone of those tools. On half an acre getting ready to build on 2 acres.
I appreciate the thought of being neighborly when doing yardwork. I do my own yardwork and my neighbors mostly have theirs hired out, so we are not on the same schedule. Get it done when I can since they are mostly chilling and do not garden either.
Love this video, and very much appreciate that you're not constantly shilling products. On our 1/3 acre, rocky/clay New England lot with a giant oak tree, we definitely use a lot of these tools but I don't have that pick mattock, and I definitely want a hand held one. I do like my Cobra Head weeder for its ability to dig out deep weeds and easily knock soil off Soper clay-y removed sod from new beds. I also really like my electric dethatcher to thin out dead material in our large lawn,and my neighbors like it too.
I use my retractable rake more than anything! It is probably my favorite tool. The ability to increase and decrease the size and width of the rack makes it very multi-purpose. I also use a tradition style hoe alot as well as a traditional ax, as well as hand weeding tool for broad leaf weed removal. OH! OH! I also use a 5 gallon bucket for tons of things as well as a two gallon watering jug.
My digging bar is probably my favorite tool. It helps me a lot with the clay soil when I am planting things. It is easier for me to use than a mattock. I almost use it more than my shovels.
A tool I use frequently is a soil knife. I clip its matching sheath onto my front pocket where it doesn't get in my way but is easy to grab. I use it to dig up weeds, dig small holes, very easily cut open plastic bags of mulch with the serrated edge, cut down plants by pulling the stems to the ground and slicing over them with the serrated edge. It has become indispensable to me in the short year that I have been using it. Plus nobody messes with even a petite old lady with a big knife hanging at her side.🤣
Hubby and I "wow, we're in good shape, we have every must-have tool that Jim suggests!" We have a large property, so we do have the Gorilla Cart and a larger tiller! Thank you, Jim, for not selling us stuff. I see from the comments that your subscribers do appreciate that. We're here for the education and plant knowledge you so generously share.
I can't imagine not having my battery operated tools. Weedeater, blower, shrub trimmer, small chain saw, even my sprayer. I garden on an acre so these are fabulous. I also love my small, light weight hoe that has a point on one side and a small hoe on the back for weeding and digging small holes. Don't know its proper name.. A really good lopper and hand trimmers. I bought a Honda battery, electric mower that I love.. It charges as I mow.. no more pulling that cord.. I use a Gorilla cart plus a small trailer that goes behind my riding mower all of the time. The right tools make gardening so much easier.
Bought a set of wide steak knives with wood handles at a thrift store years ago - still have been using just 2. If I was gifted at holidays a well made Hori Hori - maybe would retire them. Felco or Corona pruners and 1/2 moon edger are must. On 12 acres, next wud be lopers, weedeater, shovel, electric hedge trimmers, electric chain saw, sprayers, rain barrels/hos4s. The mowers/carts are a given in my world. Have lots more but dont use regularly - however know will certainly require again at some point - Second the need for bucket of oiled sand to keep in tool room when putting them away
Being an older woman (mid-seventies) I recently have appreciated having a long handled tool like the hand held one with hoe/ three pronged end like you showed. Easier to stand and weed rather than kneeling. Also, a kneeling gizmo that comes with side handles which I gave my 90+ year old dad to make gardening easier for him. Plain kneeling pads a must for older knees. We must keep playing in the dirt!
Thank you Jim! Quite timely vid as I have recently been looking at acquiring a scuffle/action hoe. Favorite tools: my Felco #2 pruners, my power planters (as we have heavy clay soil here in the midwest 5B) and all of my battery operated tools! Side note, because of you I took the giant leap of hard pruning my 25 year old boxwoods, and they look stunning. So grateful for your advice.
Thank you so much for the thoughtful review of garden tools and discussing how they are used and the situations in which they are helpful. There were a few I hadn’t seen before. I have a tiny urban plot, so my go to tools are a Felco #2 pruner, pruning saw, bypass lopper, shovel, and several 5 gallon buckets.
Wow.... I am a 200 lb very strong woman who did commercial construction, carrying metal beams for years, but that Pick Mattock in MD Zone 7a hardpack clay..... THAT IS GRUELING! I had no idea it came as a handtool..... going shopping tomorrow.
Great info! Thank you for validating my garden tool purchases! On my must have list is a cordless reciprocating saw. It slices through bamboo like butter and, unlike a chainsaw, the blade can be used in soil to cut roots. I haven't used a pruning saw in decades. Also, before I use my scuttle hoe, I sharpen the edges with a rasp-but that's another video.
A hori-hori is an absolute must have that I would add to the list, particularly in areas plagued with weeds that can have long tap roots like poke weed or dock.
Jim, love your channel! I'm planning landscape around my newly constructed retirement home in Midlothian, VA 7B. I have sodded lawn in front with contractor landscape around front of house. I have a "blank canvas" of contractor clay mix with real sticky clay underneath in the backyard. I'm working making changes to the front foundation plantings and have used your methodology of adding compost and pine bark soil amendments when planting shrubs and raising shrubs an inch or two above ground level. A neighbor who moved out of my old neighborhood gave me his old yard equipment which included a midget Mantis 2 cycle gas tiller. This tiller makes fast work of breaking up and mixing the clay with the added soil amendments in the planting hole.
As always excellent content and super valuable information in your videos. So refresh watching your videos and learn from you experience without having to hear telemarketing! Thank you Tim!
I really appreciate you sharing these with us, thanks so much. I have a hodgepodge collection of sorts but they’re not exactly quality; most will have to be replaced. Gloves and more gloves, good pair(s) of gardening shoes, weeder for in between the cracks and a decent trolley or hand truck would have to be on my must-have list. Nice to have would be something like your chipper/shredder!
Jim, I also have to give you credit for the pick mattock. After watching a different video of yours and hearing you mention how it is good for clay and roots (we have both), I told my husband we need to buy one for all the planting we were gonna do. When he started working a large hole for a plant with the pick mattock, he said “ ‘that guy’ you watch on UA-cam was right about the pick mattock”. 😂 I’m a 115 lb woman and it has helped me conquer Roots I wouldn’t be able to otherwise 😉
Love these tips and my own Gorilla cart! I wonder what you or others think about a 44" handle vs. 51" for a trenching shovel? I'm just 5-9 and am tempted by the shorter, lighter one. But have noticed that I gravitate toward a standard 48" handle shovel. The trenching shovel brand I like seems to fall between these. I guess on the notion that for actual trenching a shorter handle is better. Yours has a shorter looking handle, however.
Jim- your channed is so valuable for southeast gardening- thank you for being real, practical, and straightforward. -for a not so strong woman on an acre of clay soil in virginia, everytime I use: low polycart gorilla cart- doesn't roll down the hill, small enough to easily maneuver, low so doesn't want to tip TARP- to throw cuttings, weeds and then drag to compost pile rubber clogs light weight hose with wand tub trug style flexible bucket root slayer regular and nomad- sharp spring style pruners
my faves are my hori-hori knife, stirrup hoe, quick connects for hoses/water tools, watering wand with thumb trigger, half moon edger, and my gorilla cart. if you like, i can come "borrow" your sunjoe chipper and if i like it i'll buy it from you ;) i'm in Garner. oh --- and for hoses - i like the aqua joe fiber jacket hoses ---- so much easier to handle a hose that collapses and much easier for me to wind and put away after use.
I like a pick but I have lots of trees with superficial roots and nothing bits a reciprocating saw. I use it too when my trees dropped large branches. This saw cuts anything like butter. I too love the auger on a drill. I think for a woman the reciprocating saw is small but powerful. Thank you Jim. I never get tired of learning with you. ♥️🪴♥️
Jim, what kind of hoses do you use, and how do you store them? I have purchased and gone through so many pocket/expandable hose, wasting hundreds and hundreds of dollars; but other hoses are so heavy and cumbersome. What's your solution? Thanks.
Thanks, Jim! Your videos are always helpful. I use most the same tools, but I also found Fiskars grip weeder is a fabulous tool. It helps with long tap roots.. I started gardening on a two acre lot that had been neglected and this weeder has been a game changer. I probably need to add the electruc chopper - I’m cutting up limbs with my loppers.
Drain spade by Nupla is amazing. Has a long blade that makes it perfect for transplanting shrubs or digging in hard clay or rocky soil. Also Felco pruners with carrying sheath is well worth the investment.
I got one of those dandelion removers. Priceless! They definitely save my back! Also a lawn edger - the one that look like a pizza cutter. I had a manual one, but then a neighbor gave me an electric one and it's fantastic!
Gorilla cart, several pairs of hand snips and pruners, hand held mattock, battery leaf blower for multiple uses, and a plant auger (maybe request a pro plugger for birthday- for all the daffodils I want to plant in the fall).
A Nomad root slayer goes with me throughout the yard since I’m move a lot of plants around. It’s perfect for my height & being a senior. I’m soon going to purchase a dead header snipper. I’m not sure the best way to sharpen pruners besides just buying new ones. Great video!
A small tarp or old sheet to tie up prunings and clippings sometimes is better than a cart, for holding dirt from a hole Ive dug so its easier to backfill around a plant, and good for pulling a updug shrub to its new site.. I go for a triangular hoe with a point on the business end for scalping up lawn where I'm putting in shrubs or a new bed. And a weeder that is a single sturdy prong with the end 2 inches bent at a 90 degree angle for getting in tight places and pulling up weed root. And finally trellises, tuteurs, stakes, folding pea supports, strong steel ell shaped supports etc and ties for holding climbers and sprawling plants. cloches and covers to get new plants strong enough to withstand pesky chewers. Not to mention baskets/trugs for holding additives soil or things you're using to plant or to hold haul aways
I have all of the must haves (minus pick mattock) and most of the optional things. The only reason I don't have a pick mattock / axe is I keep trying to find my momma's old one.
I love using our mattocks. We have the pick and the ax versions. They worked wonders getting all of the roots out from trees that were removed. Grinding stumps only does so much. I also love my hori hori knife. Also great to break up roots and clay soil. It was great when we’re were installing sod too and needed to trim edges.
I got a dumping cart like yours last year and love it so much. It feels much more versatile and manageable than a wheelbarrow. And it has a super tight turning radius so I can maneuver it in tight spaces. My lot size is similar to yours, but I would not trade out my cart for anything.
Trenching shovel now on the list for this clay. I feel like I need to get into pottery with all this clay. I will continue to refer to your video for amending clay soil. You know actually you were the first one I saw addressing how to plant in clay soil. You and your videos have this newbie looking like I'm a natural and just know what to do lol.
Great video!! I use bonsai tools ( mini shovel/rake etc ) for planting. I have carpel tunnel in both hands and find thm so much lighter and easier to use and hold
Jim, I have a small handled shovel ( poaching shovel ) that I use a lot for digging holes for larger plants or transplanting. I find it easier to dig from a knelling position , so that short handle is really helpful. Keep the helpful videos coming, please.
I need to have a rubber mallet and a small level to place flag stones, knock off nursery pots or level up containers. The sprayer is so helpful to apply liquid pesticides. I also use the rake to aerate the lawn. 😃
I have a lot of these tools and really use about four of them. I just need to learn how to sharpen the blades and shovels. My felco pruners, gloves, my gorilla cart and a tarp are my treats for me. Thanks for going over all of this!
Mine is a hand weeder (not the Japanese type) mine looks like a big metal finger and it is wonderful for getting under weed roots with minimal soil disturbance.
I'm not sure this qualifies as a "gardening" tool (maybe landscaping tool), but as I work on trying to get a handle on my yard, I couldn't live without a steel tamper for compacting soil after laying drainage tile or pavers. Thank you for all of the inspiration.
I love my Japanese Hori Hori knife. I can use it to dig small holes to plant but the best use is to get smaller weeds out of the lawn. I’m sure there are more uses I have not figured out yet.
My top tool is a Radius shovel its short allows extra leverage and stainless steel for easy clean up. Added the root slayer and their hand tools all great quality.
@@jab3811 no problem; Fiskars Kangaroo garden bags - Amazon should have them along with many other kinds in stock. I’ve used different ones but prefer the Kangaroos. I’d recommend a hard bottom type regardless of which brand you end up choosing. There’s also some flat fold up types similar to a tarpaulin but I’ve not personally used any to judge if they’re effective.
Hi Jim, I just sat down here and literally saw Raleigh on the Weather Channel because of TS Elsa. Some wind damage there and lots of rain. Hope all OK at your place. Take care, Rusty
I couldn't imagine gardening without my Root Slayer shovel. That thing will get through anything without any trouble at all. It's far and away my favorite tool. I also love my garden bed rake. It's really small, and can rake in tight spaces.
My land is all rock, if I didn't have a pick mattock I wouldn't be able to plant hardly anything, I just got a new one last week that I'm very excited about.
Thank you very much on helpful information and not selling any product. I totally enjoy what you've done at your property. Inspirational, Love the variety of plants. Tools information amazingly didn't know what open gap to cut branches on the long handle clipper/trimmers I use on bushes Thanks again God bless
Good Morning from Oklahoma :). Love your videos as I learn a great deal from your channel each episode! Quick question - do you ever run across any snakes in your flowerbeds? The reason I am asking, I sure did this morning......which ended my working in the garden today - ha!
Large silicon tubtrug, 5 gal buckets with lids, sharp folding knife, quality watering can, high quality hose end sprayer/wand, battery powered chemical sprayer (critical for fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides in the deep south)
When I was clearing the privet and other gross plants from my overgrown backyard the Root Slayer was my daily companion. It made that huge job much easier. This was a very informative video. Thanks, Jim!
I think you need to promote the hand pruners to must have from nice to have. I carry them on me whenever I’m working in the garden. There’s always something that needs to be deadheaded or lightly pruned and they’re much easier to carry as well.
I do appreciate the fact that you never try to sell us things. That's just one of several reasons I love this channel so much. Hope the storm doesn't affect you. We are getting some rain/thunderstorms due to the tropical storm. Its been a really wet summer here in Atlanta. Thank you again for everything you are doing to educate us!
It is going to be a wet and windy day here. Should be fine though. Thanks for following along
Appreciate you and your wealth of knowledge.
This video is full of good information, impressed that you talk about only what we really need, the rest of the equipment is optional, thankyou Jim. Your planting backdrop looks lovely. Would you consider a follow-up video showing us how to sharpen tools; e.g. Hedge shears/hand pruner blades/, lawn mower blades- I once tried to sharpen my hedge shears with a file and made a complete mess of it (had to throw them out and buy new set), its the 'technique' that throws me off. Regards from Ontario, Canada, zone 5
A suggestion for the "nice to have" pile is a 5 gal bucket filled with sand mixed with used motor oil. I use it to clean my shovels after use, it cleans off the clay and lubricates the surface to keep the rust at bay 😎👍
Good answer! 👏👏👏👏👏
I was just going to add 5 gal buckets, but I use mine for watering a few outlying areas I can't reach with the hose. Having a few helps, you can let one fill while you are using the other. Also some Dollar Store children's buckets or a watering can to help control the water's velocity when it hits the roots.
My top tools are: Hand held Japanese Weeder, a blade sharpening tool and, just this year, the quick connects for hoses - game changer !!! Also, a good multi-vitamin, a bottle of Tylenol/Advil/Aleve for all those aches & pains after a long day in the garden and a tub of Icy Hot !!
Ha! So true. :)
Jim, I have multiples of nearly all the tools you showed us except for the pole saw, Pro-plugger, and a tiller. The tools I use most during spring planting time are my cordless hammer drill, attached to a four-inch auger bit, and my Fiskars Big Grip garden knife, both of these are invaluable to me. Another tool I use a couple of times per year is my shrub rake, this small rake is perfect for cleaning debris out from under shrubs. However, the thing I absolutely can't live without is a bottle of 8 hr. arthritis pain relief acetaminophen! ~Margie
Hori hori! Hands down every single day.
I use my Felco garden snips almost everyday and a watering can.
I have a suburban garden so it’s very small, I brought a hori hori knife, used it once 😅but boy does it look cool, I feel like a badass garden grandma 🤣😂😅
Hori hori knives are great, it replaces a narrow trowel for almost every task & it works for other things as well.
I continue to learn so much from you. I love your honesty and transparency. Thank you for generously sharing your wisdom and time with us.
I can’t get by without a water wand to use on my hose for hand watering.
Same, it is easier on the back and you can control the force.
You're hilarious. Loved the commentary on your neighbors, very reliatable.
I love my Hoselink retractable hose. I have fibromyalgia and having my hose retract itself away has been a great help to me. And my garden hat!
MS here and my hoselink has been wonderful this year. I plan to buy another.
@@bobbihofacker2706 Me too!
I loooove my Hoselink hose too
I love my half moon edger. It’s easier to use than the flat shovel and gives me a better curve. I hand water, so my watering wand is not only a back saver, it’s better at keeping water off the foliage and I’m also able to easily reach high hanging baskets.
My favorite hand tools are a hori-hori and a “yankee weeder”. I use them every day for everything from getting crepe myrtle shoots (from an old tree - my nemesis) out of my lawn to picking individual weeds out of my flower border.
Nitrile gloves and a debris bag are top of my list, I keep those and my trowel and hand pruners sitting by the door.
My favorite is the small Gorilla cart. I use it to move lots of things even though I also have a very small urban lot. Many garden carts are too big and bulky or just. plain poorly designed and I do not like wheelbarrows. I find they are too unstable for me
I love mine too. So much easier than a wheelbarrow over our unlevel terrain.
I use my gorilla cart for everything. So easy to pull (with my walking difficulties).
I got my Godson the Gorilla Cart for his 9th bday last week, he will be the one pulling it.... 😁
Thanks for this video on gardening tools. I use augers for planing my plants it really is a great tool. Also, use the good old fashioned spade shove can’t beat it!!!
I probably should have brought out my augers. I have used them in videos in the past. Quick work on repetitive things
I've never used that hoe before, will have to see about borrowing one to give it a try before I buy. Also YES to buying quality tools and frustation-free hose! I've been investing in contractor grade hoses and they are fantastic. My mother's day gift was a good heavy mattock and it is both useful for turning over new beds and building muscles.
My essentials that weren't mentioned:
- wide hat, sunglasses/safety glasses, earplugs, sunscreen
- thick hand lotion
- sharp limb saw with sheath
- watering wand
- headlamp (evening watering and checking for pests)
- heavyweight tarp (covering mulch/dirt piles, wheelbarrows, dragging leaves, killing grass)
- thick bamboo skewer (for checking wetness in large pots and beds)
Great great vid Jim. My favorite most often used tool is my Shuffle Hoe. Also a pair of safety goggles for certain pruning jobs, my retractable tape measure, cheap bamboo stakes and plant support ties. :)
Hand clippers are a huge part of my life
It's probably pretty stupid but a jeweler's loupe for inspecting leaf problems (some of the tiny bugs that park on the back of the leaf are pretty hard to see, even with a cheap magnifying glass.)
Great video. Love the Gorilla cart, was using it this AM. I just ordered (for my bd😉) the Hoselink Stand up weed puller. I hope it works. I can’t bend for long times with this back problem.
I think we have nearly everyone of those tools. On half an acre getting ready to build on 2 acres.
Those upright weed pullers work pretty good
I appreciate the thought of being neighborly when doing yardwork. I do my own yardwork and my neighbors mostly have theirs hired out, so we are not on the same schedule. Get it done when I can since they are mostly chilling and do not garden either.
Love this video, and very much appreciate that you're not constantly shilling products. On our 1/3 acre, rocky/clay New England lot with a giant oak tree, we definitely use a lot of these tools but I don't have that pick mattock, and I definitely want a hand held one. I do like my Cobra Head weeder for its ability to dig out deep weeds and easily knock soil off Soper clay-y removed sod from new beds. I also really like my electric dethatcher to thin out dead material in our large lawn,and my neighbors like it too.
My favorite line: “You can be the guy who loans the post hole digger”. 😁
My favorite tool is a pick axe⛏️ it is a must have for clay and makes quick work of digging holes and cutting roots.
I use my retractable rake more than anything! It is probably my favorite tool. The ability to increase and decrease the size and width of the rack makes it very multi-purpose. I also use a tradition style hoe alot as well as a traditional ax, as well as hand weeding tool for broad leaf weed removal. OH! OH! I also use a 5 gallon bucket for tons of things as well as a two gallon watering jug.
Battery powered reciprocating saw with pruning blade is great
A “digging bar” has been invaluable for me when removing old shrubs, roots, etc.!
My digging bar is probably my favorite tool. It helps me a lot with the clay soil when I am planting things. It is easier for me to use than a mattock. I almost use it more than my shovels.
💭...Sale the tools that your not using so you can buy more seeds/plants. 😉
A tool I use frequently is a soil knife. I clip its matching sheath onto my front pocket where it doesn't get in my way but is easy to grab. I use it to dig up weeds, dig small holes, very easily cut open plastic bags of mulch with the serrated edge, cut down plants by pulling the stems to the ground and slicing over them with the serrated edge. It has become indispensable to me in the short year that I have been using it. Plus nobody messes with even a petite old lady with a big knife hanging at her side.🤣
😂
Hubby and I "wow, we're in good shape, we have every must-have tool that Jim suggests!" We have a large property, so we do have the Gorilla Cart and a larger tiller! Thank you, Jim, for not selling us stuff. I see from the comments that your subscribers do appreciate that. We're here for the education and plant knowledge you so generously share.
I can't imagine not having my battery operated tools. Weedeater, blower, shrub trimmer, small chain saw, even my sprayer. I garden on an acre so these are fabulous. I also love my small, light weight hoe that has a point on one side and a small hoe on the back for weeding and digging small holes. Don't know its proper name.. A really good lopper and hand trimmers. I bought a Honda battery, electric mower that I love.. It charges as I mow.. no more pulling that cord.. I use a Gorilla cart plus a small trailer that goes behind my riding mower all of the time. The right tools make gardening so much easier.
Bought a set of wide steak knives with wood handles at a thrift store years ago - still have been using just 2. If I was gifted at holidays a well made Hori Hori - maybe would retire them. Felco or Corona pruners and 1/2 moon edger are must. On 12 acres, next wud be lopers, weedeater, shovel, electric hedge trimmers, electric chain saw, sprayers, rain barrels/hos4s. The mowers/carts are a given in my world. Have lots more but dont use regularly - however know will certainly require again at some point - Second the need for bucket of oiled sand to keep in tool room when putting them away
Being an older woman (mid-seventies) I recently have appreciated having a long handled tool like the hand held one with hoe/ three pronged end like you showed. Easier to stand and weed rather than kneeling. Also, a kneeling gizmo that comes with side handles which I gave my 90+ year old dad to make gardening easier for him. Plain kneeling pads a must for older knees. We must keep playing in the dirt!
I received a tractor scoot for Christmas. Seat is adjustable, I sometimes just keep in the area I'm working to sit and rest my back
Thank you Jim! Quite timely vid as I have recently been looking at acquiring a scuffle/action hoe. Favorite tools: my Felco #2 pruners, my power planters (as we have heavy clay soil here in the midwest 5B) and all of my battery operated tools! Side note, because of you I took the giant leap of hard pruning my 25 year old boxwoods, and they look stunning. So grateful for your advice.
Thank you so much for the thoughtful review of garden tools and discussing how they are used and the situations in which they are helpful. There were a few I hadn’t seen before. I have a tiny urban plot, so my go to tools are a Felco #2 pruner, pruning saw, bypass lopper, shovel, and several 5 gallon buckets.
Hori-Hori and my Felco pruners, my favorite!
Wow.... I am a 200 lb very strong woman who did commercial construction, carrying metal beams for years, but that Pick Mattock in MD Zone 7a hardpack clay..... THAT IS GRUELING! I had no idea it came as a handtool..... going shopping tomorrow.
Great info! Thank you for validating my garden tool purchases! On my must have list is a cordless reciprocating saw. It slices through bamboo like butter and, unlike a chainsaw, the blade can be used in soil to cut roots. I haven't used a pruning saw in decades.
Also, before I use my scuttle hoe, I sharpen the edges with a rasp-but that's another video.
A hori-hori is an absolute must have that I would add to the list, particularly in areas plagued with weeds that can have long tap roots like poke weed or dock.
A hori-hori knife and a refuse hook rake are my favs! Must have my Felco pruner!!
Jim, love your channel! I'm planning landscape around my newly constructed retirement home in Midlothian, VA 7B. I have sodded lawn in front with contractor landscape around front of house. I have a "blank canvas" of contractor clay mix with real sticky clay underneath in the backyard. I'm working making changes to the front foundation plantings and have used your methodology of adding compost and pine bark soil amendments when planting shrubs and raising shrubs an inch or two above ground level. A neighbor who moved out of my old neighborhood gave me his old yard equipment which included a midget Mantis 2 cycle gas tiller. This tiller makes fast work of breaking up and mixing the clay with the added soil amendments in the planting hole.
As always excellent content and super valuable information in your videos. So refresh watching your videos and learn from you experience without having to hear telemarketing!
Thank you Tim!
I really appreciate you sharing these with us, thanks so much. I have a hodgepodge collection of sorts but they’re not exactly quality; most will have to be replaced. Gloves and more gloves, good pair(s) of gardening shoes, weeder for in between the cracks and a decent trolley or hand truck would have to be on my must-have list. Nice to have would be something like your chipper/shredder!
Jim, I also have to give you credit for the pick mattock. After watching a different video of yours and hearing you mention how it is good for clay and roots (we have both), I told my husband we need to buy one for all the planting we were gonna do. When he started working a large hole for a plant with the pick mattock, he said “ ‘that guy’ you watch on UA-cam was right about the pick mattock”. 😂 I’m a 115 lb woman and it has helped me conquer Roots I wouldn’t be able to otherwise 😉
Love these tips and my own Gorilla cart! I wonder what you or others think about a 44" handle vs. 51" for a trenching shovel? I'm just 5-9 and am tempted by the shorter, lighter one. But have noticed that I gravitate toward a standard 48" handle shovel. The trenching shovel brand I like seems to fall between these. I guess on the notion that for actual trenching a shorter handle is better. Yours has a shorter looking handle, however.
Jim- your channed is so valuable for southeast gardening- thank you for being real, practical, and straightforward.
-for a not so strong woman on an acre of clay soil in virginia, everytime I use:
low polycart gorilla cart- doesn't roll down the hill, small enough to easily maneuver, low so doesn't want to tip
TARP- to throw cuttings, weeds and then drag to compost pile
rubber clogs
light weight hose with wand
tub trug style flexible bucket
root slayer regular and nomad-
sharp spring style pruners
my faves are my hori-hori knife, stirrup hoe, quick connects for hoses/water tools, watering wand with thumb trigger, half moon edger, and my gorilla cart. if you like, i can come "borrow" your sunjoe chipper and if i like it i'll buy it from you ;) i'm in Garner. oh --- and for hoses - i like the aqua joe fiber jacket hoses ---- so much easier to handle a hose that collapses and much easier for me to wind and put away after use.
I like a pick but I have lots of trees with superficial roots and nothing bits a reciprocating saw. I use it too when my trees dropped large branches. This saw cuts anything like butter. I too love the auger on a drill. I think for a woman the reciprocating saw is small but powerful. Thank you Jim. I never get tired of learning with you. ♥️🪴♥️
Jim, what kind of hoses do you use, and how do you store them? I have purchased and gone through so many pocket/expandable hose, wasting hundreds and hundreds of dollars; but other hoses are so heavy and cumbersome. What's your solution? Thanks.
The never ending song of gas blowers and mowers. Hope you enjoyed Charleston.
Thanks, Jim! Your videos are always helpful. I use most the same tools, but I also found Fiskars grip weeder is a fabulous tool. It helps with long tap roots.. I started gardening on a two acre lot that had been neglected and this weeder has been a game changer. I probably need to add the electruc chopper - I’m cutting up limbs with my loppers.
Drain spade by Nupla is amazing. Has a long blade that makes it perfect for transplanting shrubs or digging in hard clay or rocky soil. Also Felco pruners with carrying sheath is well worth the investment.
In my area an auger is a must to plant anything, my soil is rocky, root filled clay
I've always wanted one but I'm afraid I'll break my wrist because our soil is rocky clay too. Maybe I should reconsider?
@@eaton3000 You do need to be careful I twisted my wrist once and that was enough to teach me to be more careful.
I got one of those dandelion removers. Priceless! They definitely save my back! Also a lawn edger - the one that look like a pizza cutter. I had a manual one, but then a neighbor gave me an electric one and it's fantastic!
Definitely use the heavy leather gloves. After a copperhead bite in July in Western North Carolina, I never garden without them.
Something I use all the time is my box cutters to open bags of fertilizers and mulch. They aren't tools but I keep some bamboo and wood stakes around.
Gorilla cart, several pairs of hand snips and pruners, hand held mattock, battery leaf blower for multiple uses, and a plant auger (maybe request a pro plugger for birthday- for all the daffodils I want to plant in the fall).
A Nomad root slayer goes with me throughout the yard since I’m move a lot of plants around. It’s perfect for my height & being a senior. I’m soon going to purchase a dead header snipper. I’m not sure the best way to sharpen pruners besides just buying new ones. Great video!
A small tarp or old sheet to tie up prunings and clippings sometimes is better than a cart, for holding dirt from a hole Ive dug so its easier to backfill around a plant, and good for pulling a updug shrub to its new site.. I go for a triangular hoe with a point on the business end for scalping up lawn where I'm putting in shrubs or a new bed. And a weeder that is a single sturdy prong with the end 2 inches bent at a 90 degree angle for getting in tight places and pulling up weed root. And finally trellises, tuteurs, stakes, folding pea supports, strong steel ell shaped supports etc and ties for holding climbers and sprawling plants. cloches and covers to get new plants strong enough to withstand pesky chewers. Not to mention baskets/trugs for holding additives soil or things you're using to plant or to hold haul aways
I have all of the must haves (minus pick mattock) and most of the optional things. The only reason I don't have a pick mattock / axe is I keep trying to find my momma's old one.
Enjoy the videos but honestly any number of gardeners on YT completely contradict each other. Who to believe?
I love using our mattocks. We have the pick and the ax versions. They worked wonders getting all of the roots out from trees that were removed. Grinding stumps only does so much. I also love my hori hori knife. Also great to break up roots and clay soil. It was great when we’re were installing sod too and needed to trim edges.
I got a dumping cart like yours last year and love it so much. It feels much more versatile and manageable than a wheelbarrow. And it has a super tight turning radius so I can maneuver it in tight spaces. My lot size is similar to yours, but I would not trade out my cart for anything.
Thank you Jim some great information on tools! My gloves can’t do anything without my gloves.
Trenching shovel now on the list for this clay. I feel like I need to get into pottery with all this clay. I will continue to refer to your video for amending clay soil. You know actually you were the first one I saw addressing how to plant in clay soil. You and your videos have this newbie looking like I'm a natural and just know what to do lol.
Great video!! I use bonsai tools ( mini shovel/rake etc ) for planting. I have carpel tunnel in both hands and find thm so much lighter and easier to use and hold
Jim,
I have a small handled shovel ( poaching shovel ) that I use a lot for digging holes for larger plants or transplanting. I find it easier to dig from a knelling position , so that short handle is really helpful.
Keep the helpful videos coming, please.
I need to have a rubber mallet and a small level to place flag stones, knock off nursery pots or level up containers. The sprayer is so helpful to apply liquid pesticides. I also use the rake to aerate the lawn. 😃
i just bought a chainsaw and a gas weedeater. I just bought some land and i'm currently clean it up.
Bought a hori hori knife this year. Why didn't I buy one years ago! Wow, It is awesome. I wear it on a belt. Have it with me all the time now.
I have a lot of these tools and really use about four of them. I just need to learn how to sharpen the blades and shovels. My felco pruners, gloves, my gorilla cart and a tarp are my treats for me. Thanks for going over all of this!
I have a black thumb so I’ve been binging you for months. I went to dearness gardens and they are also fans of yours !! Thanks for teaching me !!
Mine is a hand weeder (not the Japanese type) mine looks like a big metal finger and it is wonderful for getting under weed roots with minimal soil disturbance.
I'm not sure this qualifies as a "gardening" tool (maybe landscaping tool), but as I work on trying to get a handle on my yard, I couldn't live without a steel tamper for compacting soil after laying drainage tile or pavers. Thank you for all of the inspiration.
I am one of the leaf blowers😂. My neighbors can deal with it since I have to listen to their roosters and peacocks all year.
Brilliantly done Jim, love your no nonsense approach and examples in use. 🌺
A nice pruner sharpener is also handy for us because our pruners get dull so fast!
Good call. Ways to clean and sharpen is a must!
I love my Japanese Hori Hori knife. I can use it to dig small holes to plant but the best use is to get smaller weeds out of the lawn. I’m sure there are more uses I have not figured out yet.
My top tool is a Radius shovel its short allows extra leverage and stainless steel for easy clean up. Added the root slayer and their hand tools all great quality.
👍🏽🌳👍🏽GREAT VIDEO ‼️👍🏽🌳👍🏽
Thanks for watching!!
Question, what type of sharping stone do u use to keep tool edges sharp? Also, I need a flexible bag to dump trash. Excellent video.
Look at the Kangaroo (hard bottom) pop up garden bags - they’re handy to collect debris and drag around the garden.
@@missbiggs9437 Thanks. I'll google it!
@@jab3811 no problem; Fiskars Kangaroo garden bags - Amazon should have them along with many other kinds in stock. I’ve used different ones but prefer the Kangaroos. I’d recommend a hard bottom type regardless of which brand you end up choosing. There’s also some flat fold up types similar to a tarpaulin but I’ve not personally used any to judge if they’re effective.
You didn’t mention a flame weeder. Great for creme brûlée.
Hi Jim, I just sat down here and literally saw Raleigh on the Weather Channel because of TS Elsa. Some wind damage there and lots of rain. Hope all OK at your place. Take care, Rusty
Thanks. It was mainly just a rain event here. No significant damage. Thanks for watching
I couldn't imagine gardening without my Root Slayer shovel. That thing will get through anything without any trouble at all. It's far and away my favorite tool. I also love my garden bed rake. It's really small, and can rake in tight spaces.
I bought one 2 yrs ago and give it a perfect score. Its been a beast for me with VERY heavy use in those 2 yrs
I need this video sometimes people are looking to buy you😊
My land is all rock, if I didn't have a pick mattock I wouldn't be able to plant hardly anything, I just got a new one last week that I'm very excited about.
I also have a hori hori knife that is probably my favorite tool of all time
Let us know when ur having a Toolshed Sale!
I gotta use a rock bar frequently ... lots of boulders
Thank you for not peddling product to us!
Perfect video. I love your sensibility
I despise loud back pack blowers, too.
Thank you very much on helpful information and not selling any product. I totally enjoy what you've done at your property. Inspirational, Love the variety of plants. Tools information amazingly didn't know what open gap to cut branches on the long handle clipper/trimmers I use on bushes Thanks again God bless
Good Morning from Oklahoma :). Love your videos as I learn a great deal from your channel each episode! Quick question - do you ever run across any snakes in your flowerbeds? The reason I am asking, I sure did this morning......which ended my working in the garden today - ha!
Large silicon tubtrug, 5 gal buckets with lids, sharp folding knife, quality watering can, high quality hose end sprayer/wand, battery powered chemical sprayer (critical for fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides in the deep south)
When I was clearing the privet and other gross plants from my overgrown backyard the Root Slayer was my daily companion. It made that huge job much easier. This was a very informative video. Thanks, Jim!
I love my hori hori and my sharpener
Good morning. It's very helpful tool video. It's lightly raining here west of Raleigh. Thank you.