Resilience
from the ground up
Grow. Gather. Enjoy.
Tools
Quality Tools
While you don't need to go crazy with tools, if you are starting from scratch, you will need to acquire a few tools to create your garden. The following is our list of basic tools that have multiple uses and will serve you well in your garden endeavors.
Find used tools - there are plenty of people out there who sell their tools for very cheap if not nearly pay you to take them off their hands. The old tools are great - sturdy & made with quality materials. Check garage sales, Craigslist and even ask friends & family.
Pruners
Again, you don’t have to go out and buy a Felco pruner right away, but if you have the money to invest in good tools, we recommend doing that. The better quality you buy (and take care of them, of course) the longer they will last. A.M. Leonard also has great options for affordable pruners.
Garden Hoe
Use the garden hoe to create your planting rows, or furrows, without having to bend over. This is a huge back saver.
Garden Hod or Harvest Basket
We love this Original Maine Garden Hod from Johnny’s, as it’s a sturdy option when you have loads of heavy cucumbers and tomatoes coming out of the garden. Feel free to use whatever container fits your needs, but have something on hand to bring out to the garden with you that is durable and that you don’t mind getting dirty.
Hori Hori or Trowel
The hori hori is a great multipurpose tool to have in the garden at all times. It can dig holes, cut twine, pound stakes, measure depth and even open bottles. Since it is quite sharp on the edges it’s not great for kids – opt for a regular trowel instead.
We all need the living green or we'll shrivel up inside. To make the modern city livable is the task our times.
Jens Jensen
Hose & Wand
Your garden will need water, so to make it easier on yourself you’ll want a hose & wand as close as possible.
Rake - Soft & Hard
Rakes are useful for many different tasks. The soft rake is better for raking leaves and the like, where the hard rake is useful for smoothing compost out on your garden beds.
Shovel
A shovel, simple and useful. You can usually pick up a great old shovel with a wooden handle at a garage sale, so check those out in spring and see what you can find. You’ll use this to scoop compost, dig bigger holes like if you are planting a fruit tree and more,
Wheelbarrow
A wheelbarrow will be your best friend when it comes time to move compost and woodchips. We also love 2-wheeled garden carts but they are not very good for small spaces where you need to navigate paths & beds, so we use a wheelbarrow for all heavy lifting in the garden.
Watering Can
For any areas not reached by the hose, use a watering can. Or if you don’t have access to a hose, the watering can will be your best friend. That being said, if you have a large garden, you will be making a lot of trips back and forth to get enough water to your plants.
