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Tree and Shrub Tools and Equipment
Basic and Advanced Tools
Proper tools and equipment make gardening projects with trees and shrubs easy work. Start with the basics: a good shovel, a rake, a hand trowel, garden gloves, and a watering can.
Depending on how big an area your landscape covers and its terrain, choose a wheelbarrow or garden cart for hauling heavy items. A wheelbarrow or garden cart should have sturdy wheels, good maneuverability, and a body large and strong enough to hold items you’ll haul.
Add a mattock for breaking hard-packed soils and a hoe for weeding, breaking up soil clods, and leveling. Later, when it comes time to prune, you’ll also find hand pruners, lopping shears, and a pruning saw useful [See: Pruning Tools and Equipment].
As you select gardening tools, choose those that fit you. Try each tool on for size in the store. Long-handled shovels work well for large people, but short-handled tools sometimes are a better choice.
Hand tools should feel comfortable to hold and have a pleasant heft. Hand shears and trowels come in different sizes, and many have contoured or padded handles designed for extra comfort.
Always opt for quality tools that will serve you well in the garden. With proper care they will last for many years.
Choose a shovel with a steel-tempered blade that’s solidly fastened to a smooth, rounded handle with an optional top grip, either in a D- or a Y-fork. The top of the blade should have a rolled edge; it will be comfortable to step down on while you are digging.
Shears and loppers with cutting edges must be solidly constructed, sharp, and well aligned. Hand pruners with a locking mechanism are easy to operate, while long-handled pruning shears with cam-levers provide extra cutting power with less effort than simple cutters.
Specialized tools rarely used—such as power augers, electric jackhammers, saws, and tillers—often are available for rent by home stores and rental centers.
Materials for Tree and Shrub Care
Soil amendments, fertilizers, garden hoses, irrigation supplies, tree stakes and guy wires are helpful items for tree and shrub planting and care. All are available at nurseries or retail garden centers.
Here’s a quick list of the most helpful materials for tree and shrub care:
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- Drip irrigation 5/8‑in. (15-mm) supply tubing and 1/4-in. (6‑mm) emitter tubing
- Tree and shrub support stakes and ties
- Organic or synthetic low-nitrogen (2‑5‑5) fertilizer
- Organic mulch
- Compost
- Foliar fertilizer