21 Best Gardening Tools, According to Plant Experts

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Plant, weed, and prune the way master gardeners do.

From novice home gardeners to experienced landscape designers, everyone who works with plants needs effective, safe, and comfortable gardening tools. After all, proper weeding and pruning is crucial for any garden to bear fruit. Use the right gear regularly, and you can have a flourishing indoor houseplant collection, vibrant front door plants that make your house the star of the block, or a beautiful backyard garden.

There's lots to consider when finding the right tools for your garden to bloom. For starters, cost. You've already invested in your plants, so it makes sense to invest in well-made gardening tools to maintain them. Some definitely are pricier than others, but ecological landscape designer Kim Eierman cautions against always going the budget route. "If you can find a really good quality tool and make an investment, it's much better than buying junk every few years that doesn't hold up," Eierman says.

While beautiful tools are tempting, comfort is key. Long days in the garden can take a toll on your hands, knees, and back, so save yourself the trouble and look for materials that can stand up to the elements. Stainless steel and wooden handles are your friends, says Kurt Morrell, associate vice president for horticulture operations at New York Botanical Garden. Stainless steel is less likely to rust, and ash or hickory wood handles will help you avoid callouses on your hands. "If it's a tool that you have to lift, [make sure] that you're comfortable with the weight of it and the ergonomics of it,” Eierman adds. "A tool that you're not comfortable with is a useless investment."

Buying the right tools can be a lot to parse, from watering cans to leveling rakes. To help simplify the process, we consulted experts including Eierman and Morrell and rounded up the best gardening tools to help your next project sprout. Go ahead, stock that garden shed.

Whether you've got a large area to cover or you just don't want to make constant trips with the watering can, a hose is an essential gardening tool. SanSone recommends this hose as an investment for its durability and easy maneuvering. "This brand is lightweight, so you're not dragging a dead weight behind you when watering halfway across the patio," SanSone says.

Working in tall grass and other plants can leave you susceptible to insects and irritants like poison ivy, so having good, tall boots can help you avoid bringing unwanted pests into the house. Eierman's favorite boots go all the way up to the back of her knee, easing any worries about ticks.

A tall pair of muck boots is helpful for keeping out debris, but when you need to be running in and out of the house, you might have to prioritize being able to take them on and off easily. For that, SanSone recommends these boots.

If you're not ready to drop quite so much on pruning shears, longtime House Beautiful gardening contributor Arricca Elin SanSone recommends these durable and sturdy pruners as a budget buy. One of her pairs has lasted her about 10 years of gardening. "I have two pairs, and I don't worry about losing them like I do the more expensive Felco pruners," she says. "It's easy to set your pruners down when working and lose track of them." This Fiscars pair is less expensive to replace.

This Japanese garden knife is a secret weapon for getting stubborn weeds out of a garden. Its serrated edge cuts through the tough ground, and the one-inch markings on the back show you how deep into the soil you're digging. Wiggins uses it like a tiny version of a pickaxe to pop out rocks in her garden. She recommends oiling it at least once a year to keep it in great condition.

The ash wood handle of this trowel is durable and fits comfortably in your hand. Plus, the forged steel makes it a sturdy go-to pick for planting. "I know people like plastic handles because they're cushy," Morrell says. "But remember, you sweat. With grime, the tools slip. And sometimes you're more apt to get calluses. I think a good wood handle will last a lot longer."

Both Eierman and Morrell recommend this pruning saw for smaller jobs in the garden. It folds to be put away safely and has large teeth for cutting through undergrowth smoothly, saving you and your elbow a lot of work.

A pot or planter with poor drainage will end your garden before it starts. This planter has a drainage hole and an extra dish to catch excess water, giving your plant's roots plenty of room to breathe.

Eierman describes these bypass loppers as lightweight but sizable enough to get a hold of whatever she needs to trim. With a good bite to match, these are helpful for trimming dead or diseased branches.

Anyone who has gardened in extreme heat knows that the sun bearing down on you with no protection will quickly become uncomfortable. Eierman's go-to hat for sun coverage has a wide brim and comes in an even wider variety of colors. No need to sacrifice style.

In addition to its pruning shears, Felco's snips have earned a place in the pro's arsenal. Eierman says they come in handy for smaller, more careful cuts."They're like harvesting scissors that are really nice if you're doing your tomatoes or cucumbers," Morrell says. "They're very nice even for deadheading flowers."

Pruning shears are an essential gardening tool for trimming and giving your plants room to breathe as needed. "I carry prune shears everywhere I go," says plant stylist and designer Weslie Etienne Pierre, owner of Wesleaf Designs and Decor. "I always have one in my bag. You never know when you need to snip something, cut something, pull something." It's important to keep shears sharp and clean. Pierre recommends dipping them in alcohol when going from one plant to the next to avoid transferring diseases or pests across your garden. Eierman and Morrell agree Felco is the brand to buy when it comes to a good pair of pruning shears. Eierman always has a couple of pairs of Felco pruners on hand.

Level up your fertilizer game with Mother Nature's Miracle-Gro: worm castings. Keeping your plants' soil healthy is essential to a flourishing garden, and master gardener emeritus Charlotte Wiggins says these castings are a powerful addition. "If I have a sick plant, I will give it a couple of teaspoons of worm castings, and I swear to you the plant recovers," Wiggins says. "So it's kind of like my medicine for my plants."

Keeping your plants hydrated is one of the basics of home gardening, and there's nothing wrong with a little aesthetic while doing so. Wiggins chose this watering can from France not only for its capacity but also for its gorgeous blue color. "I love it so much that I keep it on my front porch as decoration," Wiggins says.

Ideal for gathering your harvest, this basket has colander sections to drain water so you can rinse your fruits, vegetables, and herbs the moment you bring them inside. "It also holds a bountiful amount of produce, so you can really load it up," SanSone says. "The handles fold back out of the way too. I have several harvest baskets, but this is the one I always reach for."

A cultivator is another crucial weeding tool, and this multipurpose one is also helpful for transplants. Reviewers praise the strength of its curved head for breaking up rough, compact soil.

Many grow lights look too cold and industrial to add to your indoor garden's aesthetic, but the elegant design of this one combines effectiveness and style. "It's one I don’t mind showing off because it's actually handsome," SanSone says.

Pierre recommends using knee pads to alleviate the strain of long periods of gardening on the ground. This cushy, padded protector can save you a lot of aches down the road.

For another trowel option, consider SanSone's pick. The pointed shape of the trowel makes it extra easy to dig out weeds or plant bulbs. It also comes in several different lengths so you can pick the one that's most comfortable for you. "It's pretty much indestructible and has lasted five seasons in my garden with heavy use," SanSone says.

Eierman prefers these gloves because they have a good grip and are still protective. Pierre says when selecting gardening gloves, look for a pair with rubber palms (to avoid mucky and wet hands) and a back made of breathable material. "When you're picking things like cucumbers that have those prickly vines, it's really important that you're protecting your fingers," Pierre says.

Janae McKenzie covers all things shopping for House Beautiful. As an associate shopping editor, she’s constantly scoping out the best finds for every part of your home. Janae holds an MA in journalism from the University of Missouri and has been published in Glamour, Food Network and Vox Magazine.

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