Essential Hand Tools for the Desert Gardener

In our area you need specialized implements that are built for tough conditions

Some people are especial about thegarden toolsthey apply . Others take it less seriously and are content with the cheapest things they can encounter . I ’m somewhere in the middle . I ’m not one to waste money on overpriced brands , but I do wantdurable toolsthat last a good while . Just as authoritative , they need to do the job and be up for the conditions under which I ’ll be using them .

It ’s common noesis that gardening in the desert Southwest is different , but it ’s not just the climate . The territory and garden styles are dissimilar as well . Hard , jumpy ground is not uncommon , and pockets ofcalichecan be found almost anywhere if you dig late enough . Some areas are sandlike or full of crushed rock with little constitutive subject . Garden mulch materials are usually inorganic hunky-dory crushed rock , breeze , or beat rock . Many of our Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree are legumes producing an annual harvest of “ beans ” that litter the ground . An teemingness of pointy plants command particular manipulation as well . All these challenges stand for a “ regular ” version of a popular garden tool might not be the best choice for us .

Mostcommon toolsneed slight origination . I always have a sharp couplet of handwriting pruners at the quick , and always the bypass type , not the anvil character that can vanquish stems before it cuts . A good dyad of nitrile gloves is stock for me . But other pecker selection may not be as obvious . Here are some of my top tools that are well - adjust and especially utilitarian as I operate to enhance my little firearm of the desert :

Hori hori

This is the furrowed deal turn over dick that forge best in my rock - laden soil . It pry small stone out of the direction , is narrow-minded enough to jab deep apace , and does not deform like cheaper aluminium trowels .

crack shot shovel

A narrow blade will often find its fashion between obstacle more easily than a wider stock nigga , so this shovel is ideal for bouldered conditions . It digs thick planting holes for deep - rooted plants and is easier to position as you dig . This shovel can also pry rocks light along the way .

human knee pads

kneel on rocks and gravel hurts , not to mention the episodic irritant or spine ! I opt the loggerheaded type of genu pad with a exclusive broad shoulder strap for the best consolation . I avoid the ones with thin foam , and those with a rigid formative surface that is more likely to compact the soil .

Adjustable metallic element blood

This is indispensable no matter what climate I garden in . Flexible tines are easier on garden flora than harder plastic roue . With the right accommodation , a flexible rake can be used to train grasses , take out light debris , or rake coarse crushed rock back to where it belong .

Cultivator

Hard soil surfaces stimulate our worthful rains to run off quickly , reducing any welfare to our gardens . sporadically cultivating the soil airfoil encourage H2O to soak in , and a light aerofoil really helps retain deep wet . It ’s also a great proficiency when sowing wild flower seeds . Good grower can usually be found as 3- or 4 - pronged versions .

paw pitch

A little hand rake is great for pick up around superfluous - pointy plant or tight distance . This tool is an effective way to keep leaves and mesquite bonce from accumulating around the base of works .

expectant tweezers or ice tongs

This is also a gravid instrument for detailed garden cleaning . They ’re rightfully a must - have when transplanting cactus or dealing with other spiny plants .

Pickaxe

In my garden on the side of a small volcanic mountain , nearly every hole I travail involve the extraction of at least one rock’n’roll , from lawn tennis ball to football size . Sometimes the quickest method is a lilt or two of the pickaxe , which easy pries the rocks aside and quash the blunt impact of a dull shovel against stone .

alloy garden hose

Dragging a hose through a desert garden has its hazards . I use hose usher where I demand them , but an episodic skirmish with cactus glochid or agave spines is inevitable . Metal - clad garden hoses have stood up well against these perils , and ( as advertised ) they do n’t curl or wear through during workaday use . There are many versions of these out there , but the cheapest ones have not contain up . Look for the style with couplings that can be repaired if want .

Rocky soils and inorganic mulch are just a few reasons that Southwest gardeners need particular tools to get the job done right.

I hope adding some of these to your garden toolkit will make your Southwest gardening experience more productiveandmore enjoyable .

For moreexpert recommended gardening tool gohere .

Dan Johnson inhabit and gardens in Denver and in Tucson , Arizona . He is an associate film director of gardening for the Denver Botanic Gardens .

hori hori

exposure : Dan Johnson

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knee pads for gardening

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