Most gardeners don’t set foot in the garden without their trusty handheld trowel, favorite pruning shears, and perhaps a nice pair of gardening gloves. That being said, there are a whole host of other gardening tools! Here’s the ultimate list of garden tools for the avid gardener.
Complete list of gardening tools
Here is the ultimate list of garden tools for homeowners. This gardening tools list includes all the basics, plus ideas for more uncommon and specialized tools. The list is separated into sections for digging tools, weeding tools, sweeping tools, cutting tools, watering tools, and even more gardening gear.
1. Digging tools for the garden
Here are the garden tools that many homeowners use for various tasks around the yard that require digging:
Garden shovels and spades
- Garden Trowel: small handheld shovel for digging and moving soil
- Pointed Shovel: standard D-grip garden shovel, scoops soil
- Garden Spade: traditional D-grip spade, slices soil, not for scooping
- Transplanting Spade: narrow spade for digging small, deep holes
- Mini Pointed Shovel: pointed digging shovel for space-restricted areas
- Mini Square Shovel: straight-edged shovel for small areas
- Spear-Head Spade: digs and scoops soil, available in purple and other colors
- Root Assassin Shovel: rounded slicing tip, large teeth on sides
- Root Slayer Shovel: V-shaped slicing tip, serrated ripsaw sides
- Metal Scoop Shovel: heavy-duty scoop for mulch, stones, compost
- Trenching Spade: tall, narrow shovel for digging trenches
- Drain Spade: tall, narrow shovel for cleaning out drainage ditches
More digging tools for the garden
- Claws Garden Gloves: digging gloves with integrated claws
- Spading Fork: loosen, lift, and cultivate soil (digging fork)
- Bedding Fork: lift and carry compost or animal bedding
- Manure Fork: lift, carry, and pitch manure and heavier materials
- Dibber/Dibbler: poke small holes in the soil for plant seeds
- Bulb Planter: cut and remove small soil cores to place bulbs
- Long-Handled Bulb Planter: remove soil cores without bending over
- Widger: traditional thin, trowel-like transplanting tool
- Auger Drill Bit: auger for handheld drill for bulbs and bedding plants
- Post Hole Digger: dual blade digging tool for deep narrow holes
- Lawn Tine Aerator: remove cores of soil to introduce air pockets
- Power Core Aerator: self-propelled walk-behind aerator machine
- Digging Bar: sturdy pointed stick for in-ground prying
These digging tools have each been designed with a particular application in mind. Buy, borrow, or rent the right garden tool for the job. It’s generally worth it to invest in high-quality gardening equipment. If you use some of your different garden tools only once or twice a season, consider sharing and trading tools with a friend.
2. Weeding tools for home gardeners
Here is a list of the weeding tools used by many gardeners to keep their lawns and garden beds from becoming overrun with unwanted plants.
Small weeding tools
- Hand Weeder: handheld mini weed puller with a notched tip
- Trowel Weeder: handheld trowel-like weeder with serrated edges
- Cobrahead Weeder: handheld weeding tool with curved head
- Loop Weeder: metal loop to slice weed roots below the soil line
- Wrotter: pointy handheld tool for pulling taproot weeds
- Weeding Fork: handheld weeder with long prong tines
- Grampa’s Weeder: classic stand-up weeder with step lever
- Claw Weeder: stand-up stick weeder with serrated coring blades
- Weasel WeedPopper: “step-and-twist” stand-up stick weeder
- Cape Cod Weeder: traditional handheld weeder with sickle blade
- Japanese Weeding Sickle: handheld weeder with sickle blade
- Long-Handled Blade Weeder: stand-up stick weeder for cracks
- Dandelion Digger: compact hand weeder sized for dandelions
- Korean Homi: curved hand plow for weeding and digging
- Handy Handheld Hoe: handheld weed rood slicing hoe
- Oscillating Scuffle Cultivator Hoe: handheld weeding hoe
- Cultivator Hoe: handheld blade hoe and cultivating fork
- Crack Weeder: handheld weeder with L-shaped blade for cracks
Larger weeding tools
- Flame Weeder: handheld torch for burning weeds
- Steam Weeder: thermal weed-destroying machines
- Diamond Hoe: long-handled weeding hoe with four blades
- Dutch Hoe: long-handled hoe with scuffle blade
- Mattock: axe-like heavy-duty cultivator and pick
- Weed Trimmer: electric string trimmer for clearing weeds
- Robot Weeder: solar-powered roving weed digger
These weeding tools are designed to slice, pry, pull, or even use heat to discourage weeds from growing where you don’t want them to. Hand-held garden tools are good for small jobs and tight spaces, but larger areas are generally much more efficient to weed with a long-handled or electrical tool.
3. Cutting tools for gardeners
There are quite a few cutting-type tools to use in the garden. Here is a list of gardening tools with blades for cutting and slicing plant matter and gardening supplies.
Pruners, scissors, and other garden trimmers
- Garden Scissors: utility scissors for gardening supplies
- Garden Snips: precision scissors for trimming small plants
- Pruning Shears/Secateurs: bypass pruners for cutting stems
- Floral Shears: compact scissors for cutting flower stems
- Thorn Remover: steel thorn removal trimmers for roses
- Loppers: long-handled anvil compound pruner
- Hedge Trimmer: cordless electric dual-blade hedge trimmer
- Hedge Shears: long-handled shears with long trimming blades
- Grass Shears: grass trimmers for manicuring edges
Garden knives and other horticultural blades
- Hori Hori Garden Knife: traditional dual-blade steel knife
- Box Cutter: retractable snap-off utility knife for supply boxes
- Reel Mower: walk-behind lawn mower with steel blades
- Electric Mower: cordless lawn mower with mulching capability
- Edger: manual lawn edger with half-moon blade
- Power Edger: wheel edger with motor
- Pruning Saw: razor-tooth hand saw with folding blade
- Harvest Sickle: handheld tool with curved serrated blade
- Billhook: handheld brush axe with hooked blade and saw
- Hatchet: handheld axe for chopping and splitting wood
- Splitting Axe: full-sized axe designed for splitting wood
- Bow Saw: handheld manual saw for cutting through wood
- Pole Pruner: extendable stick pruner for high branches
These garden scissors, pruners, and other cutting and slicing tools have been designed to help you keep your landscape tidy.
4. Sweeping tools for gardeners
Gardeners use sweeping tools like outdoor brooms and rakes to keep the landscape looking nicely manicured.
- Corn Broom: traditional straw barn broom with wooden handle
- Outdoor Push Broom: street-style wide broom for pavement
- Hand Whisk Broom: outdoor handheld corn broom
- Leaf Rake: lightweight metal rake for leaves
- Groundskeeper Rake: multi-purpose rake with stiff, round tines
- Bow Rake: heavy-duty steel rake for mulch and rocks
- Landscaping Rake: commercial rake for grading and grooming
- Thatch Rake: heavy-duty for removing thatch and moss from the lawn
- Power Dethatcher: walk-behind power rake dethatching machine
- Shrub Rake: small rake for landscape grooming
- Hand Rake: handheld mini garden rake
- Leaf Blower/Vacuum/Mulcher: electric leaf blower with mulching vac
These tools will help you keep your landscape spick and span!
5. Tools for watering the garden
Watering tools are one of the keys to a thriving garden. Here is a list of the best gardening tools for watering your lawn and garden beds:
- Watering Can: classic metal watering can for outdoor use
- Indoor Watering Can: small copper watering can
- Garden Hose: flex-resistant, drinking water safe water hose
- Spray Nozzle: all-metal handheld spray nozzle
- Water Breaker: full-flow yet gentle nozzle
- Watering Wand: long-handled watering stick with breaker head
- Hose Washers: heavy-duty rubber washers for hose nozzles
- Hose Timer: timer for hose faucet for automatic watering
- Drip Irrigation: DIY system of drip water emitter hoses
- Sprinkler: oscillating adjustable area water sprinkler
These handy watering tools will help you water your garden quickly and efficiently!
6. More gear for the gardener
Here are even more gardening tools to add to the list:
- Gardening Gloves: protective fabric gloves with rubberized palm
- Kneeling Stool: garden bench stool and kneeling board combo
- Kneeling Pad: foam pad to cushion knees while kneeling
- Knee Pads: padded knee cushions with heavy-duty shield
- Tool Belt: canvas tool pouch with waist belt
- Wheelbarrow: for push transport of soil and other bulk materials
- Garden Cart: wagon-style cart for pulling heavy loads
- Carbide File: sharpening tool for straight-bladed gardening tools
- Mallet: hammer with rubber head for softened blows on garden stakes
- Lumber Pencil: heavy-duty broad carpenter’s pencil
- Level: outdoor water-resistant manual level for landscaping
- Power Drill: cordless electric drill for hardscaping applications
- Multi-Tool: pocket-sized toolkit handy for small jobs
- Drum Roller: large compaction roller for soil, seed, and sod
- Stripe Roller: mini lawn roller for striped lawn mowing patterns