I’m a big fan of anything that makes gardening more enjoyable and my OCD tendencies love any tool that simplifies and makes organisation a reality. The obverse is tearing my hair out when clutter and disarray rear their ugly heads. So, it’s no surprise that a garden tool belt would suit my lifestyle completely.
Yet tool belts that builders use aren’t practical for a gardener. Firstly, they sit in front of your stomach and bore into your flesh every time you squat down. Plus, they hardly have enough room to hold any of the tools that gardeners require.
Contents
Gardeners require a different styled tool belt which is why I love these ones. They are designed to hang at your side rather than around your middle enabling freedom of movement and bigger pockets for all your tools.
But, what’s the point of having a mobile storage unit such as this if it too becomes just another source of clutter? Plant labels, leaf litter, bits of old plastic tie and possibly a few pre-loved tissues always find their way into our once neat and orderly tool bag. Maybe it’s time to reassess and restock?
Here’s a list of garden tools that I find most useful and would love to have on hand;
Hand pruners
Which hand pruners? Your choice, but it should go without saying that these are incredibly important in your gardening arsenal. Most garden tool belts have a separate pouch that keeps your pruners close at hand and easy to slip into.
Wire-cutters
A very important tool if you grow veggies. Often we trellis our beans, peas and perhaps some of our fruit trees so it’s handy to have a pair of wire-cutters on hand for any makeshift repairs or installations.
String
A ball of twine or lengths of nylon pantyhose come in very helpful when you’re wanting to stake plants.
Gloves
For those who choose to use them, having a pair of gloves is a great option. Even for those who are reticent to use them, having a pair available can make life a little easier if you ever come across a situation where your bare skin just shouldn’t go.
Planting Labels
Plant labels are almost one of the most essential items when out in the garden. They certainly help out when you’re trying to keep a record of what’s going in your flower beds.
Felt-tip pen
…and if you’re going to have plant labels on hand, then you might as well have something to write on them, right? Your felt-tip pen is also handy for marking pots and recording info on seed packets, if needed.
Trowel
What gardener could exist without a garden trowel? One of the most versatile tools you’ll keep in your belt, the trowel is essential.
Patio Knife
Great for scraping the weeds from between bricks and pavers this versatile tool can also aid in opening bags of potting mix, fertiliser and manures. Plus, it’s a handy tool for forming drills for your vegetable seeds.
Hand Fork
Reliably a great tool when you’re trying to dig up bulbs or other small plants. It helps lift them without removing all the soil.
Hand Rake
The rake, as useful as the fork, is also fantastic for scarifying the soil around your plants and removing any surface weeds. Due to its compact size it makes cleaning around plants less intrusive and therefore much safer for your plants.
Weeding Prong
These are great for getting weeds out of lawns or lifting those weeds that have deep roots.
Dibber
The final tool you’ll need in your garden belt is the dibber. A must-have for planting seedlings and bulbs this tool will make your gardening experience much easier and it will fit in compactly.
Pack your garden tool belt with all these goodies and you should be set to head off into your little piece of horticultural frontier.