What set of tools is needed for gardening

Garden tools

The list of garden tools is very diverse, which is determined by the specifics of the work performed.

Tillage tools: shovels, hoes, pitchforks, rakes and hoes of different sizes, shovels, root removers. They are designed for the most time-consuming jobs, so when choosing them, it is better to give preference to those made of stainless steel.

Irrigation equipment: watering cans, hoses, sprinklers, sprayers, pumps.

Tools for mowing grass and lawns: braids, sickles, garden shears, secateurs.

Pruning aids: garden knife, lopper, pruner, garden saw, chisel (for cleaning wounds). A long-handled hacksaw and secateurs are used to trim thick branches. The latter come with two cutting blades, like scissors, and with one (the second blade creates an emphasis). They can cut branches up to 5 cm in diameter.

A hacksaw is a small one-handed saw with sharply sharpened and slightly curved teeth. It is used if large branches do not lend themselves to the delimber. Thanks to the curved blade, it allows you to work in tight spaces.

Archery saws of various sizes are used for cutting the thickest branches and for cutting small trees.

Gardening also requires larger tools and mechanisms. For example, a garden wheelbarrow designed to transport soil, stones, compost, debris and harvested crops. It is better to get a strong and large size, since low cars with small wheels are not suitable for carrying heavy loads. You will need ladders, greenhouses, arches, bush holders and trellises.

When choosing forks, it is better to give preference to models with four tines: they are convenient for digging up the soil and breaking clods of earth. They are also used for loosening the soil, collecting root crops, transporting compost. The forks must be strong.

So, for the works listed above, forks with faceted teeth are suitable, for transferring manure - large and frequent. Small curb forks are a handy tool for tilling the soil between plantings. And when digging up potatoes, a pitchfork with flat wide teeth can help.

The shovel used to dig up and carry small debris should be strong and lightweight. It must be selected individually for the height and diameter of the cutting. A shovel with an average panel is convenient for digging up the beds. Its extended version is suitable for digging holes and other earthworks, but not for tillage. You should also take care of the quality of the cuttings. For example, plastic ones are very smooth, which is why they slide in the hands. Better to choose wooden ones.

The rake is used to prepare the soil for sowing. There are classic options made from steel and wood. The last to remove the fallen leaves, dry cut grass; steel is used to cultivate the soil. But there are also special models designed only for raking up plant debris - fan, so named for their shape. They are equipped with metal and plastic attachments and have flat and flexible teeth.

The watering can is intended for watering plantings in small areas: for example, seedlings in greenhouses, flowers in flower beds. In this regard, hoses are the most convenient. It is preferable to use plastic, since they have a longer service life compared to rubber. You just need to know the simple rules of their operation. The main thing is to avoid confusion, as in this case they become stubborn. And to make it easy to connect adapters and nozzles to such a hose, it is recommended to pre-soften it in hot water.

The hoe is an indispensable tool for loosening the soil, hilling plantings and killing weeds. It can be rectangular or semicircular. For the formation of furrows and combing out weeds, there is a special hoe - a furrow. The Dutch hoe is convenient for weeding. Its blade is in the same plane as the handle. There are models of hoes that allow you to combine the performance of two operations - to select weeds between plants in a row, while leaving them on the surface. A type of hoe is a hoe, designed to work near plants without fear of damaging them.

The hand cultivator is a tine tool for loosening the soil and plowing weeds. The cultivators have a metal nozzle with 3-5 teeth, which are attached to a long handle. He, in turn, can be removable.

The pruner is a tool for pruning branches and non-lignified shoots. There are three types of it: beak-shaped, bypass and persistent. The first two work on the principle of scissors, and the last one has a sharp, straight blade that cuts a branch. For plants with a soft stem, light pruners are chosen, for tree branches and shrubs, more massive ones.

Loppers - secateurs with elongated handles made of wood, plastic or steel. They are used for cutting thin branches located in hard-to-reach places. Stubborn loppers - wide opening, convenient for cutting thick branches.

Loppers remove shoots that cannot be cut with pruners.

Recently, the range of garden tools and accessories for them is constantly expanding due to the latest technologies. Mini-tractors, walk-behind tractors, lawn and lawn mowers, trimmers, blowers, seeders, snow throwers, various mechanized devices for collecting fruits and berries appeared.

The need for motorized equipment arises in large garden areas.

Lawn mowers are presented in two types: drum and rotary. Drum scissors are a modernized model of fixed blade scissors. They are equipped with spiral adjustable knives that rotate horizontally in relation to the blade. Rotary lawn mowers are used to cut rough grass. The principle of their action is based on the impact, due to which the cut is made. Rotary lawnmower engines can be powered by electricity or gasoline.

Trimmers are designed for cutting grass on small garden lawns located on uneven ground. There are electric and gasoline models. The latter are more convenient to use, since they do not have an electrical cable.

Motorized cultivators are designed for loosening the soil, hilling and cutting the beds. They are small and suitable for small areas. Thanks to the rotating cutters, they not only loosen, but also turn the soil, allowing you to adjust its depth, and also mix it with the applied fertilizer.

Mini tractors with built-in collectors are suitable for mowing grass in small areas. In addition, they can be used for mulching the ground and removing snow from an area, as well as for crushing stumps.

Brush cutters are used to trim and shape shrubs.

Vacuum cleaner-like branch shredders suck in and then grind the branches into sawdust, forming small heaps.

Motoblocks, thanks to rotating cutters, loosen the soil and mix it with fertilizers.

Any tools and mechanisms will last longer with proper care. This requires:

- clean them of damp earth and store in a dry place;

- wipe the blades with an oiled rag;

- sharpen the blades of hoes and shovels several times per season.

For sharpening and dressing the tool, you need to have a bar, a belt for dressing knives, a file for divorcing and sharpening files. Before sharpening the secateurs, it must be disassembled.

Plane cutter "Mower", a water tower made of concrete rings, a fruit collector and a miracle shovel - inventions of our members of the forum turn hard work into pleasure!

Working on the ground can really be easy and enjoyable with the right tools, and we'll show you how to make your own garden tools! Take a look at the inventions and tool improvements made by FORUMHOUSE users, and may they serve you faithfully.

Flat cutter "Mowing machine"

User www.site Antol13 invented and designed the plane cutter "Mower" (from the word "scythe"). Previously, a forum member used a Fokin flat cutter to process potato rows, but then decided to make his job easier: “it seems good, but not that, and the quality of the metal, its thickness is poor, and the prices are biting”.

For a new device that would penetrate the soil more strongly, the forum member decided to use a scythe that was lying around unnecessarily, and a stalk bought in a store for 30 rubles. He spent 40 minutes making a plane cutter. The work does not require serious technical skills:

1. Cut off the stiffening bead with a grinder so that during operation the plane cutter does not experience resistance and does not cling to the ground. The optimal length of the flat cutter blade is 17 cm.
2. Increase the angle of attack by bending in a vice using a gas wrench. The angle of attack of the blade is 30-40 degrees.
3. For better fixation in the hands on the handle of the plane cutter, make grooves on both sides with an electric plane.
4. A stainless steel clamp at the top of the spike will strengthen the fasteners and prevent loosening.

The flat cutter proved to be excellent in work. It also performs the functions of a scythe: it can mow old burdocks, tartar, and other "grassy vermin".

Antol13

The manufactured plane cutter surpassed all expectations, I have never experienced such pleasure in work. Two working edges allow, without bending, to do the job quickly and with good quality.

Seeder for beet

viktor50 planted beets by hand. The soil was slightly moist, and little beets rose, there were even passes of 1-2 meters, although in the state farm, where the seeds were taken, the shoots were friendly. “Then it came to light that a seeder was sowing there, it sows seeds and rolls them in. Seeds without rolling seem to hang in the soil, have poor contact with moisture, and if the soil is a little dry, you can not wait for seedlings. " The next year, in just half a day, the forum member made a semblance of an industrial seeder in just half a day. The seeds have sprouted close to 100%.

By design, the handle is in front of the drill (the drill is pulled by one person). On the state farm yard, gears were collected with a diameter of about 200 mm and a width of 20-30 mm. They were welded together to form a roller with a diameter like gears, 15 cm wide and weighing 5-7 kg. A piece of pipe approximately 3/4 in diameter at the bottom is slightly bent along the direction of the seeder, along the back wall it is cut by 5 cm and the pipe is unfolded (it turned out to be like a hollow cultivator spout). This pipe is attached to the handle first, then there is a device that rakes the furrow. Behind this tiller there is a welded gear wheel, it compresses the planting. A two-liter plastic bottle with a cut-off bottom is inserted into the top of the pipe: the person following the planter throws beet seeds into it.

viktor50

That's the whole device, as simple as three kopecks. There are no chiseled details, everything is done on the knee. If there is welding, then there are no assembly problems at all. We have been using this seeder for about 20 seasons.

zayka2 makes these manual seeders, copied from "Vinnitsa" with a brush seeding device. He slightly improved the design: installed removable drive sprockets and modernized the marker - installed a handle for control so as not to bend over to transfer to the other side. Almost any seed can be sown with such seeders: carrots, black onions, beets, beans, peas, corn.

Universal garden wheelbarrow

Forumchanin unkas this year I had to start filling holes on my site. There were two-wheeled carts, the track of which was too wide in some places. The neighbors didn’t like the garden wheelbarrows unkasу for different reasons.

A member of the forum bought a polyurethane wheel that does not need to be inflated (a similar wheel, but not made of polyurethane, but made of rubber, is cheaper), 2 corners, an axle made of a bolt with a nut and a bar of 40 * 40 * 3 m.Plywood and the rest he had.

unkas

Wheelbarrow building is an exact science. If you do everything by eye, it turns out crooked.

Home water tower

Jakomo venciano builds a water tower for garden irrigation.

It looks like this: a small round foundation, on it there are three concrete rings of two meters in diameter, set on a mortar. Above is a concrete cover with a hatch. The expert calculated the strength of the tower rings (weight of the rings plus water pressure). It turned out that there is a threefold reserve even for the weakest concrete, but on condition that the concrete is not saturated with water. That is, waterproofing is important both inside and outside (from rain). For external waterproofing, the member of the forum decided to make a conical roof with an overhang.

Stairs are installed inside and outside the tower. The seams between the rings are carefully puttyed, the transport holes are closed. Outside, everything is painted with green paint, inside there is waterproofing on the walls and foundations and a layer of plastic such as acrylic.

At the bottom there is a drain and watering fitting. At the top there is a filling nozzle. A transparent hose-level gauge is hung from the drain connection through the tee on the outer wall.

Jakomo venciano

I will connect the float valve from the toilet cistern with a preliminary coarse filter to the filling nipple inside. I will pour from a summer water supply with a pressure of 1 atm. huts

In winter, the tower will be empty, and in summer, the water in it will warm up to the average daily temperature, up to 15 degrees. In the tower it will be possible to dilute fertilizers for feeding the garden, mixing them with a drainage pump.

A member of the forum will not deepen the container: the only plus of a buried container is that water does not freeze in it in winter. But why irrigation water in winter?

Apple picker

Akordik made a simple but functional garden device that can be used to pick apples and plums. Prior to that, she tried several options for fruit collectors from the store in her country house, but then they all turned out to be abandoned and gathering dust idle. It turned out that there is nothing better from a three-meter aluminum pole and a plastic bottle. This device is often used by a forum member because of its lightness and convenience.

Akordik

And we can’t live without him. It is convenient with it, and the stairs are not needed.

Screw planting of seeds

Denforever came up with a device for planting seeds, which allows you not to make holes and subsequently thin out the seedlings. The device is made in several versions: 3 cm, 5 cm and 2 cm long. In the future, a handle will be adapted to the device. In the photo we see that the screws are not screwed in - this is for easy transportation to the country. Then they will need to be screwed in.

Miracle shovel

Serdsvetlana completely delighted with the "miracle shovel", which is easy to make yourself. The ease with which the garden is dug up, the soil is loosened and potatoes are dug up, is surprising.

The peculiarity of soil cultivation with a miracle shovel: the garden does not dig across, but along. We take the miracle shovel by the edges of the upper bar with two outstretched hands, step on the platform (step) and it easily enters the ground. With a light movement (it is possible in combination with a light shaking), stepping back two steps, we transfer the shovel from a vertical position to an almost horizontal position. After that, we take a step forward, pull the shovel back 30 cm, give it a vertical position, drive it into the ground and repeat the cycles until the row ends. Then we start processing the next row.

Materials: half-inch pipe, round timber (or hexagon) with a diameter of 15 mm.

For ease of transportation, a collapsible structure can be made.

Read on FORUMHOUSE about other home-made tools - wood splitter, concrete mixer and what tools should be in the arsenal. And watch our video for an overview of the latest gardening products.

To work in the country and in the garden always requires a lot of different tools. The quality of the cultivated land, the amount of the future harvest and the energy expended depend on the correctly selected tool.

Tools used in land cultivation

In order to use the tool for working in the country correctly, you need to know what it is intended for, because it will be difficult to dig up the ground, for example, with a shovel.

Shovels

The most necessary tool in the country, of course, is a shovel.

Most often they use sapper, shovel and bayonet, and the latter can be with a rounded and rectangular bayonet.

Shovels are usually used when you need to collect something (for example, garbage or snow), load, mix or transfer. They look exactly like a scoop, only of a larger size and with a long handle.

With a rounded bayonet shovel, they dig up hard earth, dig out the crop, and it can also cut small roots, due to the sharpened end.

A rectangular bayonet shovel is used in the country for digging loose soil.

All types of bayonet shovels are flat and completely vertical, only on the upper part of the bayonet there are edges bent to one side - for supporting the legs during digging.

Shovels are usually made of steel, stainless steel and titanium. The latter are the best in quality, have a light weight and dirt practically does not stick to the surface, but they are not cheap.

Advice ! Do not buy shovels made of aluminum, as they are fragile and will last very little time.

The shank of a shovel is most often made of wood. A Y-shaped handle can be added at the end so that more effort can be made to dig up hard soil. The main thing is that the stalk is well processed, without protruding knots and splinters. It is not recommended to buy shovels with lacquer or paint cuttings, as they will slide in your hands.

Another type of shovel is a drainage shovel. Already from the name it becomes clear that it is used to create trenches and clean up debris. Its bayonet has an elongated shape with rounded edges and a rounded end.

Important ! When choosing a shovel, try it on yourself, it should be 10 cm lower than your shoulder.

A sapper shovel is used for digging holes or transplanting small plants.

Forks, hoes, flat cutters

The pitchfork is another essential tool for giving. With straight-toothed forks, you can dig up hard soil, fold hay with bent and long ones, and work with compost with short and bent ones.

Vegetables are often dug out with a pitchfork, as there is less chance of chopping them, and loose debris is also removed.

Attention ! Buy all metal villas and preferably carbon steel. The distance between the teeth must be the same, just like their length.

An important tool for a summer cottage and a garden includes a hoe (hoe). It is used for removing weeds, hilling plants, loosening, breaking up clumps and creating furrows. The construction of the hoe consists of a shank, on which the tip is set at a right angle.

When buying a hoe, pay attention to the blade, it should be at least 2-3 mm thick.

A flat cutter is a tool for an amateur, someone other than him does not use any other tool for giving, and someone did not like it at all, especially the owners of very hard land. It looks like a metal bracket attached to a handle.

It is very important to buy the original of this instrument, and not a fake, which absolutely nothing can be done.

Rake

With a rake in the country and in the garden, they level the earth after digging, break earth lumps, and collect garbage.

The metal rake is produced with straight and twisted teeth, as well as in various working widths. It will be more convenient to collect garbage with a straight-toothed rake, and to loosen the earth with a twisted one.

The rake is only used for cleaning, for example, grass and foliage.

Pruners, loppers, garden shears

What these tools for home and garden have in common is a sharp blade. All of them should leave behind a neat cut that does not harm the plant.

Loppers - a tool for cutting thick branches. Both blades are sharpened on it.

There are bypass and persistent secateurs. In the bypass one blade with a recess, and the second is convex. With this pruner, young branches are cut. The thrust secateurs have one blade, and the lower part is made in the form of a stop. It is used to cut dry twigs.

Garden shears are a tool for pruning shrubs. They create masterpieces from the bushes in the form of various balls, pyramids or other shapes.

When choosing pruning shears, pay attention to the manufacturer, as it is better to buy Finnish, Swedish or German instruments.

Advice ! Try on the scissors on your hand to feel the hands, if they are pressed into the palm.

Saws, hacksaws, knives

A garden saw and a hacksaw can help clean up an old bush or tree. For any saw, a smooth cut is essential. After cutting, there should be no bark or chips sticking out in different directions.

The cut is strongly influenced by the size of the teeth, the smaller they are, the smoother the cut will be.

The garden saw and hacksaw have a rounded end so as not to damage the tree when cutting the branch, and also taper towards the end.

Important ! Constantly watch and sharpen the saw teeth in time, otherwise the plant may be damaged.

You always need to keep a knife in your country house and always be very sharp. They can, for example, harvest crops or clean up a wound on a tree before healing.

Cultivators

You can loosen the soil not only with a shovel, but also with a cultivator.

A hand cultivator consists of several rotating discs (usually made in the form of stars), fixed to the handle, and a special knife for pruning roots. There are different working widths.

A gas or electric cultivator can be purchased. They are available in various sizes and capacities. Lighter ones are used in small areas with soft soil, while heavy ones can be used on hard soils, and many different attachments are attached to them.

Small and other tools

It is imperative to have sets of small tools in the country. They will always be needed to work with seedlings and transplanting small plants.

You will also need the following tools:

Non-standard tools

Unusual tools for cultivating the land in the country include an easy-digger and a potato digger "Farmer".

The easy-digger is called a miracle tool for giving, since they can dig up the ground several times faster, spending much less effort, and without straining your back.

Outwardly, it looks like a wide pitchfork, but with a curved handle in order to support it with two hands at once. The handle is made of a hollow tube to lighten the weight of the instrument.

There is also a special step (clamping bar) on which you will need to rest your foot.

The width of the light-box is 60 cm, and the height is 135 cm.

The entire structure is powder coated to resist corrosion.

The "Farmer" tool for a garden and a summer cottage replaces several types of equipment at once (pitchfork, shovel, rake), and also facilitates work, since you can dig without using your hands.

The instrument has special adjustments to change the purpose of the assignment.

Storing garden tools

Any garden tool for home and summer cottages must be properly stored, then it can serve for many years.

Preparation of the instrument for storage consists of several stages:

• cleaning from dirt, grass or other debris;
• drying (every part of the tool must be thoroughly dried, so the wooden parts will not rot, and the metal parts will not corrode);
• lubrication of metal tools with oil.

Hacksaws, secateurs, saws are best kept in covers. If there are petrol saws or cultivators, it is advisable to drain the fuel.

An important role is played by the way the tool is stored. It is desirable that each instrument be suspended.

The storage area must be completely dry and dark.

Garden organizers

In order not to waste time looking for the right tool, you need to make or buy special organizers and storage shelves.

The organizer board has been used for a long time in the kitchen, in the office and is also perfect for storing gardening tools. It has many slots in which you can put small tools. Thanks to its small design, it can be hung anywhere.

Wall mounted garden organizers can have not only cells, but also shelves. There are also box organizers with lots of drawers.

Basically, most organizers can be made by hand.

For example, wooden pallets can be used to store large and long tools (shovels, pitchforks). To prevent the pallet from falling, it is better to fix it to the wall.

Types of garden tools

Currently, the range of garden tools and equipment is huge. Almost everything you need to work in the garden and on the site can be bought at any specialty store or garden center. However, many gardeners (especially beginners) sometimes cannot make a choice among a large number of different tools, because they do not know which one they need: with a wooden or metal handle, with a wide or narrow cutting edge, etc. Among other things, industry many new products are released, the purpose of which is sometimes very difficult to guess, not only in appearance, but also in name.

There are also hygienic and technical requirements for tools - they must be light, comfortable and safe.

All known garden tools and implements can be conditionally divided into several groups, depending on what kind of work they are used for. So, for example, highlight the tools necessary when planning a garden plot; digging and leveling the soil; breakdown of beds and flower beds; sowing seeds; picking and planting seedlings; watering; hilling; grafting and pruning of branches of trees and shrubs, formation of the crown; harvesting; mowing lawns and mowing grass; pest and disease control.

Tools needed when planning a garden plot

Before starting work on the site, you need to draw up a detailed plan, where you should note the location of the main groups of plants that will be planted on the site, household and other buildings, fences and reservoirs. A properly developed plan will allow you to achieve good results when growing horticultural crops and will be indispensable in the device and design of a garden plot.

For site planning, you will need special measuring tools.

Roulette and ruler

A tape measure is an instrument with a flexible dash scale for measuring linear objects. The scale length can be up to 100 m.

Roulette

Using a tape measure, you can measure the total area of ​​the site, the area allotted for planting certain crops, the distance between individual beds, flower beds and other parts of the site. It is recommended to choose the length of the tape measure based on the size of the area: for a small area, a standard 10 m tape will be sufficient, and for large areas, a longer tape will be needed.

The ruler is a necessary tool for drawing straight lines on various planes and spatial measurements.

The ruler is useful for measuring short distances, such as between separately growing shrubs and flowers, hedge posts, flower beds, etc.

Ruler

Level

This tool, used to measure the slope, is useful when laying on a water supply and sewer site, as well as when installing a drainage system. The level is a wooden or metal bar, in the middle of which is a glass tube filled with water and hermetically sealed. There is a bubble inside the tube, which, in the absence of a slope, is located in the middle. The displacement of the bubble in one direction or another indicates the direction of the slope, and its value is determined using a ruler in millimeters per 1 meter of the length of the pipe or surface.

Grafting, pruning and crown shaping tools

Many gardeners, having planted fruit trees and shrubs, believe that it is enough to water and feed crops in order for them to grow and bear fruit well. Of course, watering, fertilizing and spraying is very important for plants, but pruning and grafting play a significant role for normal development. In addition, various operations for the formation of the crown allow you to regulate the growth of plants, to give them a certain shape, which has a positive effect on the appearance of the site.

Timely pruning of horticultural crops is essential to ensure that the plants are not depleted ahead of time, it promotes optimal distribution of minerals, abundant annual flowering and fruiting.

Without pruning, the plants grow very quickly in the first years and begin to bear fruit relatively early. However, the crown of a tree, developing independently, often grows in width or height over time. In trees and shrubs that have not been pruned, the central part of the crown is bare, and on the periphery the branches are very densely located.

In such a situation, most of the fruits in horticultural crops are tied along the edges of the crown and the fruiting zone with a larger crown diameter decreases sharply. In addition, because of the sharp forks, splitting off of large branches is possible during the fruiting period. These trees become more difficult to care for, and pest and disease control and harvesting become difficult.

There are the following types of trimming:

- forming, giving the crown of a young plant a certain shape;

- regulating (supporting), in which good lighting is achieved in all parts of the crown, ensuring an optimal ratio between growth and fruiting;

- anti-aging, aimed at stimulating the growth and flowering of horticultural crops;

- thinning, in which small and weak branches are shortened or removed;

- grafting, necessary to create sap flow in the branches of a plant;

- restorative, restoring the ability to growth and fruiting of frozen and old branches.

In the process of forming the crown and stimulating the development of plants, various pruning methods are used, which are used both for thin shoots, the thickness of which does not exceed 3-5 mm, and for dead thick branches, the diameter of which can be 80-100 mm.

In addition to pruning branches, many plants require bud pruning and grafting.

Various tools are used for grafting, pruning trees and shrubs and forming hedges: pruning shears, garden shears, hacksaws and others.

Secateurs

The pruner is a garden shears designed for pruning tree branches, thin shoots, forming and thinning the crown of horticultural crops.

When choosing a pruner, preference should be given to a tool with rubberized handles to protect hands from calluses. The pruner should fit comfortably in the hand, and when folded, there should be no gap between the blades, otherwise the tool will crumple the branches without cutting them.

Formation of the apple tree crown: on the left - before pruning; on the right - after trimming

By pressing firmly and firmly on the pruning shears, a clean, smooth cut is achieved without scuffing the bark on the part of the branch left. In this case, the working blade of the tool must firmly abut against the cut off part of the plant stem.

There are two types of pruning shears design: in the first version, the movable straight blade in the process of operation comes into contact with the fixed one, which is made of a softer material, and in the second, both the blade and the counter plate have a curved shape.

For cutting flowers, herbaceous perennials, it is better to use a small pruner with thin blades.

In 1815, in France, a tool called "pruning shears" was used for the first time for pruning vines. The name comes from the Latin seco, which means "cut", "cut".

For cutting thick branches, it is best to use pruning shears equipped with a two-piece handle, connected by a gear. These pruners are larger than conventional pruners and therefore more convenient to use.

A long-handled pruner, sometimes called a bush pruner, is useful for cutting branches that are inaccessible to conventional pruners, such as those in the middle of a bush, or when working with thorny shrubs.

Shrub pruning shears can be double-sided and single-sided cutting. In the first case, the support blade has a crescent shape, which allows you to fix and cut a branch with a diameter of up to 50 mm. The groove required for the drainage of the flowing sap of the plant reduces the contact area of ​​the cutting edges.

Single-sided shrub pruning shears are used primarily when pruning hard old branches. The surface area of ​​the support blade eliminates the displacement and rotation of the cut plant branch relative to the cutting edge of the working blade, which allows you to cut branches with a diameter of up to 30 mm.

Secateurs

Quite unusual is the air, or, as it is often called, the bar pruner, with which gardeners cut the high branches of trees. Particularly handy is the pruning shears with a telescopic handle, with which you can adjust the length of the tool.

Despite the fact that the range of use of various secateurs is quite wide, in some cases they have to be replaced with other tools.

Hedge cutter

For cutting very thick branches and stems, it is preferable to use a tool specially designed for such work - a brush cutter.

Shrubs such as gooseberries, raspberries, currants have rather thick branches, which are recommended to be cut not with pruning shears, but with scissors with elongated handles, otherwise called a brush cutter. This tool has long, well-sharpened blades and is very handy for trimming small shoots. Brush cutters can be double-sided and single-sided cutting.

The single-sided hedge trimmer is equipped with a support blade that reliably holds the cut stems and branches moving along the sharp cutting edge of the working blade. This tool works well for trimming hops or ivy.

When working with a hedge trimmer with a wavy cutting edge, keep in mind that short bends reduce the chance of branch slipping when pruning, but at the same time makes it difficult to cut thicker plant branches.

If you use double-sided hedge trimmers when cutting these plants, they will crumple the leaves.

The cutting edges of the double-sided hedgecutter are straight and wavy. Straight-edged tools are used primarily for trimming plant branches that are less than 15 mm thick. In addition, such a brush cutter is used for curly cutting of dense bushes.

Currently, there are models of hedgecutters that have a special notch near the hinge, which reduces the risk of slipping of thick rods and dry branches along the cutting edge.

A hedge trimmer with wavy edges is necessary when cutting branches of horticultural crops, the thickness of which does not exceed 10 mm. With this tool, trimming is carried out more accurately than with a tool with straight edges, since the branches do not slide along the cutting edges of the blades. The undulating brushcutter is useful for cutting hedges and short conifers.

Lopper

Instead of pruning shears with elongated handles, it is advisable to use a delimber for cutting high-lying branches. The tool is attached to a long pole with a diameter of at least 25 mm and is powered by twine. The lopper can be used to cut thick branches of plants without much effort, since it is equipped with a hinge-lever mechanism. The thickness of the branches that they can cut depends on the complexity of the mechanism.

Power-driven loppers are in great demand among gardeners. The power mechanism of this tool increases its cutting ability. In specialized stores and garden centers, you can buy contact and planar loppers, the blades of which are made of stainless steel and treated with a Teflon compound, which reduces friction during operation. The handles of these loppers are most often made of fiberglass-reinforced polyamide. These tools are lightweight and very easy to use.

The small planer lopper has a curved bottom blade for better grip.

Lopper

The medium-sized power lopper is designed for cutting thick tree branches and seedlings. Its blade is slightly curved, which ensures optimal grip of the knot.

A large power lopper is required for cutting thick branches of trees and shrubs. The lower blade of the delimber is curved for optimal grip on the branch. The medium-sized power-driven contact delimber is very easy to use and avoids stress when working. The tool is quite lightweight, which is why it is popular among both amateur and experienced gardeners.

Garden hacksaw

Garden hacksaw - a saw with one handle designed for cutting off the branches of horticultural crops.

Experienced gardeners usually have several different sized hacksaws, which are needed to cut different sized branches. For beginner gardeners, we recommend one small folding hacksaw and one large one.

Gardeners often have to deal with situations when they need to cut off branches that are more than 3 cm thick.This should not be done with a pruner, as the tool can be damaged. In such cases, a garden hacksaw, sometimes called a pruning saw, is the best option. The garden variety of the hacksaw differs from the carpentry's curved blade and inclined teeth, thanks to which the process of pruning the branches of trees and shrubs is facilitated, and the likelihood of bending and breaking of the blade is reduced.

By observing the correct sequence of pruning a plant branch, you can avoid breaking it off, exclude damage to the tree bark, which contributes to the formation of an even cut, which overgrows quite quickly.

The sizes of the hacksaws may vary. With large tools, it is easy to cut thick branches of garden crops. Small hacksaws allow you to make an even and neat cut.

Manual folding file

When pruning branches with a diameter exceeding 80 mm, it is recommended to use not a garden, but an ordinary carpenter's hacksaw with a tooth pitch of no more than 3 mm. Such a cut is rougher, the bark of the tree has scuffs along its edges, so it takes longer to overgrow.

Knives

Often, gardeners use various knives to trim tree branches, shrubs and cut flowers, which must be well sharpened. Garden knives are suitable for cutting live and damaged branches, but not dry ones.

With this tool, shoots can be cut and cut after cutting thick branches with a hacksaw.

Using grafting knives, lilacs, roses, various fruit trees and shrubs can be grafted. There are three types of such knives: for grafting with a handle (copulating) with a straight blade, for grafting rootstocks of garden plants with a bud or eye (budding) with a slightly curved blade and combined for performing both operations.

On the back of the handles of all grafting knives there is an opener, otherwise called a bone, which is a protrusion designed to push the bark apart after an incision.

The rounding knives consist of a steel blade and a smooth handle. The blade must be made of high quality steel. Such knives should be sharpened on a fine-grained block, after which the blade should be sharpened on a leather belt.

Every gardener should have at least one garden knife, regardless of whether pruning shears and hedge trimmers are used when pruning branches. With a garden knife, it is easy to smooth out scuffs at the cut, especially if the branch is thick.

Combination knives with two different blades are in greatest demand among gardeners, as they function not only as budding knives, but also as copulating knives.

The trim knife is one of the most common gardening tools. It does not have a special purpose and is used for various jobs: pruning branches of trees and shrubs, preparing cuttings, cutting the bark of a tree for grafting, cutting flowers.

Cutting scissors

Scissors

In the formation of horticultural crops, scissors play a huge role, which are used for shearing, trimming non-lignified thin shoots and other work. In gardening, various scissors are used, the main features of which are convenience and good sharpening.

When trimming your garden hedge, it is recommended to use a special hedge trimmer with a sharp blade. With this tool, you can cut off hard-to-reach branches, since the design of the scissors provides for the possibility of installing the cutting blades in three different positions, thereby facilitating the formation of a garden fence.

In addition, the blades are positioned in such a way that they constantly self-sharpen in any of the three positions.

The power-operated, lever-operated shears are lightweight and are used for cutting hedges. The handles of the tool are made of glass fiber reinforced polyamide, the ends of the handles are made of plastic, which prevents slipping in the hands, ensuring safety when working with this tool. The cutting ability of such scissors is increased by stainless steel blades and a power mechanism - a lever.

Gardening scissors

Grass, hedge and shrub shears are lever-operated handles made of fiberglass-reinforced polyamide. The cutting ability of the tool is increased by leverage. At the same time, the light weight and compactness of the scissors are of no small importance, allowing you to cut off the branches of plants in the most inaccessible places. For more convenience in work, the angle of installation of the cutting part can be adjusted within 270 °.

To trim the edges of the lawn, you need special long-handled curb shears, which can also be used to level the grass in height.

Lightweight small scissors are recommended for cutting cuttings, pruning shoots of fruit trees, cutting stems, the thickness of which does not exceed 10 mm. Notches located on the support blade of the scissors prevent smooth or wet branches from slipping on it.

Saws

Often, when pruning horticultural crops, it becomes necessary to use a saw. It is not recommended to use it when cutting small branches of trees and shrubs, since the cut edge is often uneven and this negatively affects the growth and fruiting of the crop.

However, for the removal of large hardened branches, the bifurcation of the trunk, the saw is the best tool. To ensure that the sawing does not do much harm to horticultural crops, only special saws should be used.

The bow saw has a double-sided sharpening, it cuts well in two directions. The tool is equipped with “planing” teeth that increase the saw's cutting ability regardless of the composition and condition of the wood (wet, dry).

The size of the tool is of great importance when carrying out garden work. Small devices are much more convenient to use than large ones. Weight is not so important, as it usually does not exceed 1 kg, although individual instruments may weigh more.

The bow saw has a protector to protect the gardener's fingers during work, a magnetic cover for safe transport and a replaceable blade.

When working with a bow saw, you can cut small trunks and thick branches of plants in hard-to-reach places.

Often gardeners use a lightweight folding saw that is equipped with a safety locking latch, finger guard system. The handle of the product is usually made of durable, fiberglass-reinforced polyamide. The blade of such a saw is made of hardened steel and is usually about 160 mm long.

In addition, the folding saw is equipped with a clip made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic for attaching the tool to a belt.

Saw

Equipment for digging and leveling the soil

In specialized stores, you can buy a variety of garden tools designed for soil cultivation. It is best to opt for tools that are designed to be as easy as possible for the grower and can reduce the strain on the back and shoulders. Shafts of shovels and other tools should be comfortable, suitable in length and thickness.

Tool handles are most often made of varnished wood, less often of durable plastic or steel pipes.

Shovel

The most commonly used tool for gardeners is the spade, made of sturdy stainless steel with a thin blade. Shovels are designed for digging up soil, digging depressions, etc. With their help, you can also perform other work, such as removing garbage. There are several types of shovels used in the garden.

Digging with a garden shovel

The lightweight general-purpose shovel consists of a sturdy handle and a sharpened metal blade. The handle is most often made of rubber coated aluminum and the blade is made of hardened aluminum.

Folding shovels made of hardened boron steel, aluminum and plastic are very convenient and practical. Such shovels are indispensable for various works at the summer cottage and, due to their compactness, do not cause much trouble during transportation.

Telescopic garden shovels are convenient in that you can vary the length of their shank, and due to their low weight, they do not create inconvenience during transportation. The blades of these shovels are usually made of durable boron steel, and the angle of the handle is 13 °. With this tool, you can cut the roots of plants, form lawns.

Shovel

Large bayonet shovels are best for digging up the soil. Thanks to the sharpened shape of the blade, these shovels easily penetrate to great depths and turn over layers of soil.

Bayonet shovel

Heavy soil attachment

The shovel is good for preparing soil mixtures, applying organic fertilizers or other work related to bulk solids.

Rake

The rake is a metal nozzle with teeth located at right angles, fixed on a handle. The tool is used when cutting garden beds, removing leaves and debris, evenly distributing fertilizers over the soil surface and other work. A wide variety of rakes can be found in specialist shops and garden centers.

Leveling the soil with a rake

A rake with interchangeable attachments of various shapes is very practical. Usually the handle of such a rake is made of lightweight aluminum, and the attachments are made of durable plastic. The advantage of this tool is that plastic nozzles are not susceptible to rust when in contact with wet grass or soil, and the main disadvantage is that they are less durable compared to metal rakes.

Rake

Depending on the design, the purpose of the rake is different. The most common rake with 11 short and strong tines is used for working with soil and raking grass and leaves.

The leaf rake has 25 long, often spaced springy tines for efficient harvesting.

The small leaf rake has 7 long, springy tines. This tool is handy for shoveling leaves in tight spaces, between tall plants and under bushes.

The large leaf rake has 25 curved tines to prevent branches from getting caught in the rake. They are very handy for large areas.

Pitchfork

The pitchfork is a steel nozzle with long, straight, sharp teeth attached to a handle. This tool is used to loosen the soil after digging. In addition, the forks are also used for other types of work, such as folding hay or straw.

Recently, a sharp and sturdy 4-prong telescopic garden fork has been introduced, perfect for working in hard, rocky soil. The cutting angle is 13 °.

Pitchfork

Scoops

A useful auxiliary tool when working in the garden is the scoop, which is a small shovel with a shortened handle and curved sides.

Trowel

A variety of scoops made of fiberglass reinforced polyamide are currently available in garden centers and can withstand temperatures of 40-150 ° C. This tool is robust, can be easily cleaned of dirt, and the blade edges are rounded, which reduces the likelihood of damage to plant roots. The blade can be sharpened if necessary.

Skating rinks

A roller is a tool consisting of a roller of various widths and shapes and a handle attached to it. This device is used to treat the soil surface. Rolling helps to increase moisture permeability, accelerates the decomposition of organic fertilizers. For compaction and leveling of too loose soil, smooth rollers are used, and for easy mixing of the upper layers of the soil and improvement of its structure before sowing, annular and ribbed rollers are used.

Harrows

Harrows - tools used for pre-sowing soil cultivation are of several types. Conventional harrows, with the help of which harrowing is carried out, that is, loosening and mixing of the upper layers of the soil, have two varieties - tooth and disc. In the most common tine harrows, sharp tines are the loosening elements of the soil, and in disc harrows they are replaced by discs with a diameter of 4–5 cm.

For trailing - leveling the soil surface and crushing lumps - scraps of various designs and trails are used. These attachments spray less soil than harrows and provide the best preparation for planting.

Cultivators

Mechanical means occupy a special place among gardening tools. Mechanisms for tillage, depending on the power of the motor and the number of functions performed, are divided into three classes: light, medium and heavy. An important characteristic of these mechanisms is also the size of the covered area and the depth of tillage.

Motorized cultivators can run on gasoline or electricity. The former are safer, they can be used at a considerable distance from the garden house. Electric cultivators are more environmentally friendly, but their main inconvenience is that the length of the wire limits the possibilities of using the devices.

Lightweight motor cultivators are relatively inexpensive, but they have a short engine resource and are often equipped with a small number of attachments. To the same class belong motorized tillers - units for hilling, weeding and loosening of row spacings - and motorized cutters suitable for surface tillage (to a depth of 10–15 cm).

Light machines include cultivators with a capacity of 2–4 liters. with. and a small engine size. They are suitable for processing small areas of soil (6-10 acres). The working width is 30–80 cm, the working depth is 20–25 cm. The weight of such cultivators is on average 10–25 kg, therefore, their use does not require the application of great physical force.

Units of the middle class have an engine with a capacity of 4.5-8 liters. with., the width of the treated surface - 50-80 cm, weigh 70-80 kg. They have a higher productivity and are designed to handle large enough areas - from 10 to 30 acres. Such machines are often equipped with various devices for soil cultivation: a plow, a hiller, a mower, a snow blower, etc. Additional equipment can be purchased separately, depending on the need for the farm. Heavy equipment is designed for professional use on large farms. It can be used for almost all types of gardening work, as well as for the transportation of goods, chopping grass and household waste, snow removal and much more. The engine power of heavy motoblocks is on average 14-16 liters. with.

Cultivators weighing 9 kg cultivate a surface 23 cm wide. These units operate on a mixture of AI-95 gasoline and oil. Serpentine cutters are handy for working hard soil.

Motor cultivator

Such mechanisms are equipped with several attachments that allow you to perform various operations: plowing, cultivation, weeding, hilling, aeration, pruning plants, cleaning paths, cutting shrubs, etc.

Cultivators weighing 14.5 kg cultivate a surface 30 cm wide. The engine power is 2.5 liters. with. AI-92 gasoline is used as fuel. These units are equipped with prefabricated cutters and a folding handlebar. They are mainly used for loosening, weeding, aeration of the soil.

Cultivators weighing 35 kg cultivate a surface 52 cm wide. The engine power is 2.4 liters. with. These cultivators are equipped with a front wheel for easy transport. The steering wheel is equipped with a mechanism that allows you to adjust its height. Attachments help to carry out a variety of agricultural work.

Cultivators weighing 43 kg cultivate a surface 65 cm wide. The engine power is 4 liters. with. These models are equipped with attachments and a convenient steering wheel adjustable vertically and horizontally.

The 75 mm mini hand cultivator can be used on any plot of land. This tool is very durable, does not bend when digging up excessively dry soil and is convenient in that it does not require gasoline or other energy source when using it.

Motoblocks

The use of walk-behind tractors greatly facilitates the work of the gardener, especially if it is necessary to cultivate land plots of a large area. They can be used for a variety of gardening jobs: digging, loosening, hilling, weeding, fertilizing, etc. Currently, there are models on the market that perform more than 30 operations thanks to the various attachments included in the kit.

When choosing motoblocks and motor-cultivators, first of all, you need to determine the amount and types of work that you intend to carry out on your site. Lightweight walk-behind tractors are well suited for processing row spacings, but they have low productivity. Motoblocks of medium and heavy class have a higher resource and a large working width. For example, a 64 kg walk-behind tractor is equipped with a 5.5 liter engine. with. This machine is multifunctional, equipped with a power take-off shaft and a hitch for attaching a mower, snow blower, etc.

Motoblock

Imported motor-cultivators and motor-blocks run on AI-92 or AI-95 gasoline; for domestic ones, you can use the cheaper AI-76.

Small tractors allow you to easily work the soil in large areas. Modern models have high maneuverability and small size, which allows them to be used for work in the garden, in the garden, on the farm.

When buying motoblocks and other equipment, it should be borne in mind that the higher the engine power, the more expensive the unit. Domestic agricultural machinery is cheaper, it is easier to find spare parts for them, however, imported motoblocks from well-known companies are more convenient to use and often are of higher quality.

Choppers

A chopper is a tool consisting of a metal toothed attachment attached to a long handle. This tool is indispensable when working in the garden and vegetable garden. There are several types of hoes. Their length can vary from 25 to 40 cm; teeth can be 2 or 3. The shape of the nozzle is rectangular or triangular.

Inventory for laying out beds and flower beds

The breakdown of flower beds and the creation of beds on the site should be started only after large plants have been planted - fruit and berry and ornamental trees and shrubs. This will require a rake, pitchfork, hoes, rippers and other tools.

Garden bed marker

Ripper

The ripper, or, as it is often called by gardeners, the rake-scratch, is used when loosening row spacing in beds with vegetable or flower crops. The tool consists of a high-strength steel tip with long, sharp teeth and a shortened wooden handle.

Ripper

Inventory required for sowing seeds

For sowing seeds, you will need special containers in which seedlings, pegs, garden cords, planting hoes and seeders of various designs are grown.

Seedling containers

Not all seeds can be sown into the soil at once. Many thermophilic crops cannot stand the cold spring, and some plants take a long time to germinate, so it is recommended to sow the seeds of such crops in boxes, pots and containers in advance, at a time suitable for each plant.

Seeds are sown first in wide low boxes, and some time after the shoots appear, the shoots are transplanted into separate containers or more capacious containers. Seedlings are usually transplanted into open ground in late spring - early summer, depending on the characteristics of each plant.

The most suitable for growing seedlings are considered to be pots up to 10 cm in height, no more than 98 mm in diameter, with a capacity of about 0.35 liters.

Seedling pots

Pegs and garden cord

For shallow planting of seeds when sowing them directly into the soil, usually no tools are required, and if the seeds need to be planted at a considerable depth, gardeners use a peg with marks at different levels.

With the help of such a peg, a depression is made in the ground, into which the seeds are planted.

The cord is used during seeding in order to create even rows of equal length. The cord is tied to two pegs dug into the ground, fixed 1–2 cm above the soil level, and along the resulting line, seeds are sown or seedlings are planted.

Fork and hoe

When planting plants, you can use a special fork, which looks like a ripper. The fork is approximately 8 cm wide. The tool has four tines that level the soil well.

Hand fork

The planting hoe is used to create seedling recesses. The tool looks like an ordinary hoe.

For planting bulbs, many gardeners use a special device that makes work easier and ensures an even distribution of the planting bulbs in the garden.

Device for transplanting bulbs and seedlings

Bulb planting tool

Flat cutter

Flat cutter - a tool with a metal hook-shaped attachment attached to a short handle. The most common plane cutter Fokin, used for loosening and weeding the soil at the same time.

Flat cutter

Aerator

The aerator is a device for artificially saturating the soil with air in order to quickly oxidize the organic matter contained in it. This tool can be used to both oxygenate plant roots and remove small weeds before sowing seeds. The aerator is an indispensable tool for lawn care, as it prevents grass from tangling and hardening of the topsoil.

For large areas, a gasoline powered aerator can be used.

Soil aeration device

Hilling equipment

Hilling is the process of rolling loose, moist earth to the bottom of the plant with the necessary gardening tools. Hilling improves root development and protects plants from frost.

For hilling you need a hoe, a hoe, a hiller.

Hoe

The hoe is a hand-held gardening tool designed to loosen the soil and consists of a long handle and a tip attached to it, most often made of high-strength steel.

Hoe

The tool can be used for inter-row cultivation, loosening the soil, pruning weeds, selecting seedlings and hilling potatoes and celery. The large hoe is equipped with a special 16.5 x 10 cm attachment for easy handling and a 1.5 m long handle.

The gardener is assisted in his work by a 1.3 m long double-sided hoe, a semicircular hoe and a hoe with a wooden handle, equipped with a 16 x 9 cm attachment and a 1.2 m long handle.

Combined hoes with straight and sharp nozzles, equipped with a weeder, are often used on garden plots.

The onion hoe is equipped with a 7–8 cm wide blade and is intended for inter-row cultivation during the germination period.

A cat-hoe with three or five teeth is used for inter-row loosening and weed removal.

Hiller and pololnik

For laying furrows and hilling, a hiller is used. It should be adjustable to the width of the furrow and self-depth when working. The latter property allows you to reduce physical efforts during soil cultivation. Depending on the number of furrows processed, the hillers are divided into single and double.

A cultivator and a weeder are used for weeding the row spacings. The latter device allows weeds to be removed without damaging crops. Additionally, you can purchase the following accessories: lug weeders and hillers, weeders for processing row spacings, protective discs.

Seeders

Seeders are used to simplify sowing work in case you have to sow large areas. There are several types of seeders.

The manual lawn seeder is a hopper equipped with a handle. It is suitable for work in flat areas of the garden, it is very useful for sowing medium-sized lawns. By turning the knob, the seeds can be evenly distributed. The seeder can also be used for fertilizing the soil.

The Wheeled Lawn Seeder is designed for sowing large lawns. The seed hopper for such a seeder can be up to 12 liters. The hopper is equipped with two wheels and a handle. A special key allows you to adjust the seed density. The lawn seeder can also be used for fertilizing.

Scoop

For planting seedlings in open ground, as well as for transplanting perennials to a new place, you can use a scoop with a short handle, which, if necessary, can be easily sharpened. The scoop allows you to transfer plants along with a clod of earth and plant them in a prepared place without damaging the roots and stems.

Watering methods for garden plots

Gardeners use various irrigation methods on their plots. Surface irrigation is used to flush saline soils. Thanks to this method of irrigation, a reserve of moisture is created in the soil, which is most important for regions with a hot climate.

In order to carry out surface watering, a metal pipeline should be laid in the garden area. The main pipe with the largest diameter must be placed across the slope of the site.

Pipes with a smaller diameter should be laid in the middle of the row spacing, and the branches should be laid in bowls, holes, checks.

The pipes must be connected by autogenous welding. To regulate the flow of water, taps should be installed farther from the pipe connection.

Watering in rings and bowls

Hole and bowl irrigation is used in gardens located on horizontal ledges and slopes. This type of irrigation involves watering each tree. In addition, it is recommended to carry out it in areas where horticultural crops are planted in no particular order.

Preparing the garden for irrigation in the ring holes and bowls is done using a hoe and a shovel. In this case, the size of the holes and bowls should correspond to the crown of the tree.

For watering in bowls, it is necessary to dig a hole with a diameter of 2–4 m around each tree, and then distribute the loose earth around the circumference of the resulting depression.

Watering in bowls has a number of disadvantages, since the structure of the soil is disturbed and its strong compaction occurs, the supply of air to the roots of plants deteriorates, and high costs of manual labor are required.

To irrigate the ring holes, it is necessary to dig a circular ditch around each tree, 0.3–0.4 m deep and up to 2 m wide, and then fill it with water in several steps.

Watering by checks

Check watering involves watering each tree. In this case, you need to dig square holes with a depth of 30–35 cm from four sides and fill them with water in several stages.

The disadvantage of watering according to checks is the uneven watering of the garden area.

Furrow irrigation

Furrow irrigation is the most advanced and common of all irrigation methods, as it irrigates the garden evenly and uses water sparingly.

For such irrigation, parallel furrows should be laid along the site with a slight slope, and then filled with water in several stages.

In order not to damage the roots of plants in the garden, it is recommended to cut 15 cm deep furrows at a distance of 70–80 cm from each other.

Garden irrigation accessories

Timely watering is necessary for all plants, without exception, so the site must be equipped with a water supply system.

Watering can

The simplest and most common tool for watering plants is a watering can. Specialty store watering cans are available in stainless steel or durable injection molded plastic. Watering cans made of plastic are much more comfortable than metal ones, since they weigh much less, and therefore, when using them, significant physical effort is not required. Watering cans are often supplied with various nozzles, with which you can adjust the thickness of the water jet and choose the spray method.

The nozzles must be tightly attached to the spout of the watering can, as if they are not firmly fixed, they can break off during watering and damage the plants.

With the help of a watering can, you can not only water, but also apply liquid fertilizers and herbicides. For this purpose, it is best to use a special nozzle in the form of a rod with fine holes.

The disadvantage of this device is that its use is quite laborious, and it is advisable to use a watering can only on small areas.

Watering from a watering can

Hose

For watering plants in large and medium-sized areas, hoses of various lengths and diameters are indispensable. An ordinary hose is a flexible tube made of several layers of rubberized fabric and covered with a layer of rubber inside and out. In addition to rubber, there are plastic hoses.

There are hoses:

- depending on the material from which they are made (rubber, elastomer, thermoplastic, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, etc.);

- depending on technical characteristics (low-pressure and high-pressure);

- depending on the diameter of the section.

When choosing a garden hose, first of all, you need to pay attention to the following points:

1. Service life. It can range from 1 to 15 years and depends on the material.

2. Convenience to use. The hose must be flexible and resilient, easy to wind up and not kinked. It should be accompanied by fittings for connecting to the water supply and a variety of irrigation nozzles.

3. Wear resistance. The hose must have high strength, resistance to mechanical damage, and maintain elasticity in bends.

Recently, hoses made of polymer materials have been popular with gardeners. They are more durable than rubber ones. Reinforced hoses are also available that retain their shape and are resistant to water pressure drops and mechanical stress.

garden hose

For spraying water during irrigation, you can use special hoses, inside which there are three semi-cylindrical channels, reinforced on a plastic base. They allow you to use water more economically.

It is not recommended to use corrugated hoses for irrigation, since mineral and organic deposits quickly accumulate in them, especially when using water from natural reservoirs. In addition, damage quickly appears in their walls, through which water flows out.

Porous hoses are used for watering plants with shallow root systems. They are laid next to the beds and flower borders. Water enters the soil gradually, which not only saves it, but also prevents soil erosion.

If the garden area is large, long hoses will be needed. For ease of use, they are supplied with reels with a handle that allows you to easily fold the hose if necessary. The drums can be equipped with a trolley and equipped with a through-flow system, which allows the use of the hose in a folded state.

In a large garden area, it is convenient to lay several stationary pipes with taps, to which you can attach a piece of hose. Pipes can be either metal or plastic. The latter are preferable, since they do not require welding to connect to each other. They are made of modern high-tech materials that can withstand temperature extremes and can be used outdoors for a long time. Instead of plastic pipes, you can also use durable plastic hoses of a suitable diameter.

Hoses are also used for the installation of drainage systems in garden areas. Usually, corrugated hoses with a smooth inner surface and holes in the walls are used for this purpose. Drainage hoses for sandy soils are equipped with a textile cover, and hoses for clay soil are equipped with a coconut fiber surface filter.

Water pumps and sprinklers

Pumps are necessary at the suburban area to take water from open reservoirs and ensure the operation of sprinklers and sprinklers. The pumps can be of various modifications. Their main technical characteristics are:

- power;

- suction height;

- productivity.

Pumps are submersible and suction.

Suction pumps are used to draw water from wells or boreholes up to 7 m deep. They can be installed in a suitable place by placing a suction hose in the water. Water supply starts automatically when you open the tap.

Submersible pumps are used for wells more than 8 m deep. They consist of a diaphragm pressure tank, a pressure pipe, a valve, a pressure gauge to maintain a constant water pressure, a shut-off valve, a motor and a control device. A membrane tank allows you to maintain a water supply. The pump starts automatically when the tank is empty. Since frequent switching on and off of the pump leads to rapid wear of the pump, it is recommended to use large tanks.

For small garden plots, it is better to purchase a low-power pump, it consumes less electricity and is cheaper. More powerful pumps are relatively expensive, but they cannot be done without them with significant water consumption.

The pump capacity affects the water pressure in the pipes and should not be less than 600 l / h.

It is recommended to settle the water used for the automatic irrigation system, for which it is necessary to purchase special containers. If there is a small reservoir or pond in the garden area from which water can be taken, then it is not necessary to defend it. If funds allow, you can purchase special filters that purify water not only from large mechanical particles, but also from metal salts dissolved in it.

Large pumps are designed to be multifunctional and are sold at garden centers complete with a set of accessories. The power of the pumps varies between 450-7000 l / h.

These pumps are equipped with a filter for water purification, which avoids the additional costs of purchasing separate filters. Purified water has a beneficial effect on the growth and flowering of horticultural crops.

Pump motors, thanks to computer simulation of the magnetic circuit, have a long service life, and the quality of these units is one of the highest.

There are pumps with special fuses that prevent damage in the event of an unexpected pump blockage.

Longest life for pumps with ceramic shaft and heavy duty metal bearings. For installations on uneven ground surfaces, pumps with a low center of gravity are best suited.

The pumps can be used not only for the irrigation system, but also for the decoration of the site. Low-power pumps are used to create streams, waterfalls, cascades, etc.

Water gun and sprayer

Water guns and sprayers are indispensable in small garden areas as they provide even watering of all garden crops.

The water gun has a lever and a device that regulates the flow of water in a flat or cone-shaped stream.

Sprayers are equipped with tanks of various capacities and allow for small-drop irrigation of plants and their spraying.

Plastic bottle sprayer

Spray gun

Automatic irrigation systems

In order to facilitate the work of gardeners, modern manufacturers of garden tools have developed a variety of automatic irrigation systems that allow economical use of water and constantly maintain the desired level of soil moisture. The system is turned on and off using timers, which can be programmed for different times, intensity and duration of watering.

Automatic irrigation systems can be conditionally divided into 3 groups: drip irrigation hoses, rotary and sector irrigation heads.

For root irrigation of horticultural crops, it is recommended to use drip irrigation hoses, which do not require complex installation and provide economical directional irrigation of horticultural crops.

The radius of action of the sector sprinkler heads is small (up to 1.5 m), but they are quite decorative, especially in combination with illumination, and give the irrigated area an interesting look.

Pulsating sprinklers and sprinklers are popular with experienced and novice gardeners.

Some models are equipped with a choice of standard or shallow water spray and continuous motors. The spray rod has 10-15 holes. The covered area is approximately 180 m2.

A distinctive feature of the sprinkler heads is that they are invisible when not in use. During watering, these devices emerge from the ground and work for a given time.

More advanced models are equipped with a spray rod with more holes. These sprinklers can be installed in areas larger than 200 m2.

Spreader

For example, the Queen sprinkler model is equipped with 20 brass nozzles and provides improved jet direction and a large coverage area (260 m2). Combined pulsator-sprinklers differ from conventional pulsators in that, in addition to spraying water, they can provide a different irrigation rhythm.

The design of the sprinkler includes a plastic cylinder and a pulsator with holes. It is recommended to install sprinklers of this type in areas with an area of ​​at least 230 square meters. m2.

The more powerful combination pulsator-sprinklers, which cover an area of ​​more than 320 m2, have more holes for more precise irrigation. Five small holes on the back of the cylinder allow you to select the irrigation rate.

The Thorn Sprayer provides fine spray all-round watering and is ideal for small areas.

The rotating sprinkler is designed for gardening with low water pressure.

The rotary sprinkler irrigates with the rotary sprayer. Large splashes cover fairly large areas. A static sprinkler sprinkles specific areas of the garden with fine jets of water.

The scaled sprinkler is multifunctional. It is a non-rotating sled sprinkler that covers square, rectangular, circular and semi-circular areas of the garden, which watering mode can be selected using the graduated scale located on the front of the sprayer.

The Adjustable Rotary Sprinkler is a skid version equipped with three nozzles, each of which is adjustable according to the type of jet and the garden area to be covered. The nozzles can be set to spray with medium to coarse sprays. The sprinkler is recommended for large garden areas. A distinctive feature of this device is a rotating head that concentrates the jet. The sprayer evenly covers a large circular area of ​​the garden with fine spray.

Thorn and tee pulsating sprinklers have an additional thorn stuck into the ground, or a three-legged tee base. For stability during operation, it is recommended to fill the tee with water.

The spike pulsator is equipped with a circular plastic sprinkler on a spike base.

The adjustable spike pulsator is made of plastic and is equipped with a circular and semi-circular sprinkler on a spike base.

The adjustable tee pulsator is equipped with circular and semi-circular spray arms for precise direction of the jet. The pulsator is installed on a plastic base.

The rotating tripod sprinkler is mounted on a tripod and is equipped with a sprinkler with a rotating rod nozzle, on which are located adjustable nozzles, providing a circular coverage of the garden area with small, medium and large sprays.

The adjustable tripod pulsator is equipped with a metal tripod and is ideal for watering tall plants. The metal spray head of the pulsator is adjustable for circular and semi-circular garden coverage.

The adjustable metal tripod with integrated male tube has a wide base for maximum stability when operating on uneven ground.

Sprinklers

The sprinkler is an installation designed for drip irrigation of large garden areas. There are various models of sprinklers.

Rectangular sprinklers are equipped with a programmable device to set the range and width of the irrigated area. The sprinkler has 21 nozzles, 10 of which can be switched off by choice.

The irrigation area of ​​this device varies between 45-325 m2. The maximum width of the irrigated area is 17 m.

The impulse sprinkler is a programmable device equipped with folding stabilizers, and its range of action varies within 5-13 m.

Circular sprinklers have adjustable nozzles. The devices are suitable for irrigation of an area of ​​up to 130 m2. The diameter of the irrigated circle is 13 m.

The small sprinkler is mainly used in small garden areas. Its use saves time and makes the work of the gardener easier. The sprinkler is installed on a piece of iron pipe dug into the ground, the length of which does not exceed 1 m, and connected to a water supply hose at the soil surface.

The Segner Wheel sprinkler consists of a horizontal tube with two spray heads at the ends and a short vertical tube connecting the horizontal one with a hose supplying water.

During operation of the sprinkler, water is sprayed from the rotating tube for several meters.

The "Snail" sprinkler is equipped with a hose, with the help of which water is supplied to the nozzle through the branch pipe tangentially. Water jets, taking the shape of an umbrella, irrigate the area within a radius of 1–2 m.

After watering one piece of land, the sprinkler is transferred to another. In addition, fine aerosol spraying can be used. It is used in unfavorable climatic conditions for plants, for example, during droughts and dry winds.

Harvesting equipment

One of the final stages of work on the garden plot is harvesting. There are various devices that make it easier for the gardener to pick ripe vegetables, berries and fruits.

In many specialty stores, a cotton picker basket is sold in addition to a delimber. It attaches quickly and easily to the delimber. With the help of such a basket, fruit collection is simplified, and the fruits are not damaged. The compact shape of the basket allows you to work in hard-to-reach places, among densely overgrown branches of trees and bushes.

To dig up root crops, you can use a plow or potato digger, which is more preferable, since it does not damage the tubers.

Many gardeners harvest in buckets, collectors and special boxes and buckets designed for picking berries.

Bucket

Lawn and grass mowing equipment

Currently, many owners of garden and summer cottages strive to create lawns on their site that delight the eye with fresh green grass. Keeping your lawn tidy is easy if your farm has a good lawn mower. There are many firms that offer a variety of lawn mowers to choose from for both experienced and novice gardeners.

Many foreign firms that produce agricultural equipment present on the Russian market a huge number of models of electric and gasoline lawn mowers, as well as electric and gasoline trimmers.

Lawn mowers

A lawn mower is a machine designed for cutting grass on lawns, providing a uniform cut of grass and its equal length. There are many different models of lawn mowers, from which every gardener can choose the right one.

Electric lawn mowers are the most popular among Russian gardeners. Most often, these models have an 800 W motor. The volume of the collection container can be 25 liters. After working with such a lawnmower, you just need to shake out the cut grass.

Lawn mower

The body of this electric lawn mower is made of high-strength plastic and ensures a long service life. A metal knife in one pass can mow a path up to 35 cm wide. In addition, when working with such a lawn mower, there is a choice of one of several cutting height options. Lawn mowers are equipped with double protection against electric current and an accidental start blocker, which eliminates the occurrence of any troubles during operation.

For mowing lawns up to 800 m2, you can use more powerful lawn mowers with working widths of 43 and 47 cm.These machines are equipped with a steel body.

The multifunctional lawnmower with automatic transmission achieves perfect cutting and harvesting results. The automatic transmission selects the travel speed of the mower regardless of the engine speed.

In addition, these lawn mowers can be equipped with an electric start system and a mulching system, which allows you to simultaneously mow and fertilize the lawn.

Solid aluminum lawn mowers are extremely robust. It is best to choose models with knives made of solid spring steel and a multi-stage handle adjustment system.

The built-in bag full indicator is able to notify the gardener in time about the necessary cleaning.

Gasoline-powered lawn mowers are indispensable in garden areas far from the city, where there is no electricity, as well as in large areas. The average engine power of these mowers is 3.5 liters. with., thanks to which they can be used for mowing lawns, the area of ​​which is more than 800 m2.

Gasoline lawn mowers have a metal body, a four-stroke engine and grass collectors with a capacity of up to 70 liters, and their working widths vary from 47 to 53 cm.

In recent years, mini tractor lawn mowers have become more and more popular, on which you can move in any direction while mowing the grass.

Braids

The scythe is the most common tool for cutting grass. Along with the traditional scythe, equipped with sharp cutting blades attached to a long handle, there are more advanced models of this tool.

Convenient electric motorized scythes that have recently appeared on the Russian market are in increasing demand among gardeners.

Scythe

The scythes are primarily used for finishing garden work and for mowing overgrown grass out of the reach of lawnmowers. With the help of motorized braids, it is possible to finalize lawns along the edges of walls, paths, houses, fences, shrubs and around flower beds.

The motorized scythe can be adjusted in height according to the height of the user. In addition, the scythe handle rotates 180 ° and the head rotates 45 °, allowing you to cut vertically at the edge of your lawn.

A cordless motorized scythe has an advantage over an electric one in that it can be operated away from the power source. In addition, the electric cable does not interfere when mowing grass with the battery scythe.

The handle of such a braid is adjustable in height and length, turning 180 °. The 45 ° scythe head allows you to work in hard-to-reach areas. It is possible to extend the scythe working time with an additional replaceable battery.

The high power electric scythe is lightweight and suitable for mowing small areas. Such a braid is indispensable when decorating lawn edges, edging paths. With a high power electric scythe, you can cut grass near fences, house walls and other obstacles without extra effort.

A distinctive feature of such a braid is that it does not create strong noise during operation and does not require additional maintenance.

High power electric streamers are equipped with a cable length limiter, which prevents cable disconnection from the device, and a motor protection device, which ensures safety during operation at high loads. In addition, with such braids, you can adjust the position of the handle in accordance with the height of the user and the characteristics of the mowing process. In most cases, the braids have a protective visor that complies with safety standards. The shape of the scythe allows you to take a stable position on the ground. Made of synthetic fiber, the braids cut the grass smoothly and smoothly.

When working in narrow, hard-to-reach areas, it is recommended to use a petrol cutter that is carried on your back. This device is quite economical and convenient to use.

As an accessory, the brushcutters are supplied with grease for felt seals, a 4-tooth metal knife with a diameter of 230 mm, a reel with a semi-automatic line, a line with a diameter of 2.4 m, 15 m long.

Mini lawn tractor

A specially designed mini-tractor will help the gardener to mow the lawns of a large area as much as possible, providing fast and even mowing of the grass.

The most common model of a mini-tractor for lawn weighing 185 kg in one pass works on a surface 72 cm wide. Engine power is 10.5 liters. with. The model is equipped with counter blades, with which the grass is mowed, and a 170 l grass catcher, emptied by means of a hydraulic device. The mini-tractor is designed to care for large lawns.

Chopper

The garden shredder is designed to chop leaves and branches when cutting trees and shrubs and grass when mowing a lawn. This device produces compost and mulch from unnecessary scraps.

The shredder is equipped with a multi-function gear wheel, a swiveling chip knife, a blade blade and an aluminum counter plate. These devices cut branches into chips and shreds foliage and grass.

To obtain compost, you need to mix 2/3 of nitrogen-containing green waste and 1/3 of carbonaceous wood waste. It is recommended to keep the mixture in a place protected from excessive moisture and drying out. To obtain high-quality fertilization, the mass needs contact with the soil. This turns organic waste into nutrient-rich compost.

The shredder is equipped with a funnel, which makes it possible to work with a reduced noise level. The simple design of the rotating knives and reliable protection against incorrect installation allow for 100% shredding of garden material.

The long service life of the garden shredder and the reliability of its operation is ensured by the materials used in its manufacture, which are resistant to corrosion and resistant to weathering. In addition, the units are equipped with an electromechanical safety interlock, a phase switch, which complies with the basic safety rules when working with a shredder.

Large wheels make the unit easier to transport and provide a stable working position.

Trimmers

If the garden area is small, it is not necessary to purchase a lawn mower. It can be replaced by a trimmer. This device consists of a rod with a cutting head fixed at the end, inside which there is a reel with a cord wound on it (special fishing line). Before work, one or two pieces of fishing line of the required length (depending on the trimmer model) are pulled from the reel, which are fixed with clamps. The motor of the device sets the cord in motion, as a result of which a kind of sharp knife is formed, rotating at a speed of 25 m / s.

The trimmer easily cuts grass, green shoots of garden plants and fruit bushes. The width of the cultivated surface is 23–40 cm, which allows mowing the grass between rows and hard-to-reach areas of the garden.

The cutter head can be rotated 90 °, making the trimmer suitable for cutting slopes and leveling curbs. In some trimmer models, instead of fishing line, additional attachments made of durable plastic or metal are used. It is convenient to cut off thick shoots and stems with such knives, as well as branches up to 0.5 cm in diameter.

Trimmers weigh from 3 to 8 kg and are equipped with a comfortable telescopic handle and shoulder straps.

Electric overhead trimmers can be used when cutting wet grass. The trimmer power is 1000 W, the cutting head makes 8500 revolutions per minute. Capture width - 37 cm.

Distinctive qualities of electric trimmers are vibration protection and protection of the engine from overheating.

It should be noted that the trimmers are safe to use. In case of accidental contact with solid obstacles (stones, hemp, metal pipes), the cord simply breaks off.

Trimmer motors can be powered by electricity or gasoline. Electric motors have a power from 0.22 to 1.1 kW. They are located in the cutter head above the reel (in compact light models) or on the handle of the instrument. Please note that low-motor trimmers should not be used on wet grass.

Trimmer petrol engines can have a volume of 20-50 cm3 and a capacity of 0.7-2.6 liters. with. The fuel for them is a mixture of gasoline and engine oil. Special additives and catalysts reduce the level of emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere.

In addition to all of the above, knife or rotary mowers can be attached to the walk-behind tractor to care for the lawn and mow the aboveground part of the plants. They must be equipped with a device to regulate the cutting height of the grass. Rotary mowers are suitable for working on large areas with an even surface, while the knife mowers can be used on slopes.

Cleaning accessories

After the fall of leaves, cutting trees, pruning shrubs, mowing grass and other work, there is often a lot of garbage and unnecessary waste on the site, which clutters up the garden and spoil its appearance. With the help of various devices, you can facilitate and speed up the cleaning of the area from debris.

A garden vacuum cleaner can be of great help in cleaning your garden. This device is powerful, lightweight and virtually silent.

With the help of a garden vacuum cleaner, you can remove leaves, remaining cut grass, crumbling needles, light debris and even snow. The device is equipped with a large, sturdy garbage bag, which usually has a zipper to make emptying out of the garbage easier.

When removing large waste from the site (sawn branches, scraps of boards, etc.), it is recommended to use a wooden or steel wheelbarrow. To transport loads weighing 300-500 kg, you can use a trolley attached to the walk-behind tractor.

Garden wheelbarrow

Pest control methods

There are 4 main methods of pest control: agrotechnical, mechanical, chemical and biological.

Agrotechnical method

The agrotechnical way to control pests and diseases is mainly to prevent their appearance. With the help of various measures, the resistance of plants to unfavorable environmental factors is increased.

The choice of soil plays a significant role in plant cultivation. It should be remembered that in each region the composition of the soil is different, in addition, the quality of the soil on the site is determined by many factors: nutritional value, duration of use, location of groundwater. All these indicators should be taken into account when laying a garden, then the plants will be healthy and give a good harvest.

Before you start planting plants, you need to determine the level of occurrence of groundwater. If the groundwater is located near the soil surface, it is not recommended to grow plants with a deep, powerful root system in the area, as they will freeze slightly.

Experts recommend alternating garden crops on the site, as this prevents the occurrence of many plant diseases. In addition, the timing of planting in open ground plays an important role in the resistance of plants. Plants planted ahead of time are usually weaker and more likely to be affected by pests.

The increased resistance of plants to pests largely depends on correct and timely care, the introduction of the necessary fertilizers and loosening the soil.

Some pests move to cultivated plants from weeds, so it is necessary to weed the area in a timely manner, remove fallen leaves, cut grass and other plant waste.

If, despite the conducted agrotechnical measures, garden crops are nevertheless damaged by insects, then in this case it is recommended to use a mechanical, chemical or biological method of pest control.

Mechanical method

The mechanical method of pest control is the direct destruction of eggs, larvae and adult insects.

At the same time, various activities are carried out: they remove insects from the branches and leaves of garden crops, destroy winter clutches and spider nests, use trapping belts.

Many gardeners set up special traps in the garden to prevent rodents and rats from entering the garden.

The most effective mechanical method of pest control in combination with the use of other methods.

Chemical method

The chemical method of pest and disease control is used when other means have not brought the desired result or if the pests have spread throughout the site.

The following chemicals are used:

- insecticides - preparations intended for the destruction of insects;

- fungicides - drugs necessary to fight viral and fungal infections;

- acaricides - drugs that prevent ticks from appearing on the garden plot;

- nematicides - preparations intended for the destruction of nematodes;

- molluscicides - drugs that prevent slugs from appearing on the territory of the garden;

- zoocides - preparations intended for the destruction of rodents;

- herbicides - preparations used in weed control.

In addition, drugs are subdivided according to the degree of exposure to pests on intestinal, contributing to their poisoning and death, and contact, causing paralysis of the nervous system and cessation of respiration in rodents and insects.

With the chemical method of pest control, it is necessary to accurately calculate the amount of the drug used and ensure that the applied agent is evenly distributed on the branches and leaves of the plants.

Do not use an excessive amount of chemicals when processing plants, as this causes damage to the leaves and a deterioration in the palatability of the fruit.

In addition, the uneven treatment of plants with chemical preparations leads to the fact that not all pests are destroyed, conditions are created for them to get used to this tool and the formation of insecticide-resistant species.

Biological way

The use of a biological method of pest control contributes to the preservation of the natural balance in the personal plot.

Many pests have natural enemies, such as insectivorous birds, bats, hedgehogs, frogs, and lizards, which prevent their spread and regulate their numbers.

Pest & Disease Control Equipment

Caring for a garden or summer cottage must necessarily include preventive measures against pests, and if they appear, control measures. Timely spraying with drugs will reduce the risk of plant infection and preserve fruit and ornamental crops.

To control pests, gardeners use a variety of sprayers, with the help of which the preparations are evenly distributed over the plants. At the same time, one should not forget about the use of protective equipment (respirators, masks, etc.), which protect against the harmful effects of insecticidal preparations.

Sprayers

Special sprayers are designed to facilitate the treatment of large areas. They provide even droplet spray of liquid, which helps to get rid of pests faster.

Small hand and pneumatic constant pressure sprayers are used to treat horticultural crops with insecticidal products.

Many gardeners use ordinary plastic bottles as a sprayer, in the cork of which small holes are made.

The mechanisms have built-in special pumps that provide optimal pressure and spray tips.

In small areas, small portable sprayers weighing from 0.9 to 6 kg can be used. The device of such devices includes a piston pneumatic pump, which creates pressure in the reservoir. The disadvantages of sprayers are their small capacity and low corrosion resistance.

Portable sprayer

Knapsack sprayers are divided into pneumatic sprayers, the principle of which is that the liquid is displaced using compressed air, and diaphragm sprayers, which work by compressing the liquid with elastic plates.

Significant disadvantages of these devices are their heavy weight, low corrosion resistance and significant expenditure of physical forces during use.

Particularly noteworthy are sprayers of the OPR-12 and OPP-8 series, in the manufacture of which plastic and non-ferrous metal are used.

The mechanism of these sprayers is equipped with a device for regulating the spray of the sprayed liquid. In addition, the device has a long hose, a safety valve, soft back and shoulder pads to make spraying easier for the gardener.

Knapsack sprayer

General rules for the use of chemical protective equipment

When using chemicals for pest control, the following rules must be observed:

2. Do not use chemical agents during the flowering period of the plant, as this leads to the death of flowers and beneficial insects pollinating them. Treatment with the drug should be carried out in calm weather in the evening or in the morning.

3. It is necessary to start the processing of horticultural crops from the upper tiers, gradually moving to the lower ones. In addition, you need to protect the vegetables below from getting a chemical solution on them by covering them with a film.

4. When treating plants with chemicals, the characteristics of each crop should be taken into account. For example, cabbage processing is recommended after the final formation of the head of cabbage. In addition, the gardener needs to know that the use of chemicals for pest control of radish, dill, lettuce is prohibited.

For work in the garden and vegetable garden, a variety of implements are used, designed to facilitate the process of soil cultivation and plant care as much as possible. By choosing suitable, easy-to-use tools and devices for working on the site, you can largely save your strength, as well as your health. Careful care of gardening tools and proper storage will ensure a long service life.

Varieties of gardening tools

For a long time, garden tools have traditionally been used to care for plants, many devices are well known to us. In recent decades, according to modern requests, its range has expanded significantly, a significant number of new tools and useful devices have appeared. With their help, you can simplify as much as possible daily work in the garden and vegetable garden. The use of correctly selected tools will significantly reduce labor costs on the site, avoid physical overstrain, scratched hands and other inconveniences.

There are the following types of garden tools:

• for cultivation and manual processing of soil - loosening light soil and digging up heavy soil, as well as breaking beds and flower beds, planting plants, hilling, digging up root crops, unloading various bulk materials (sand, fertilizers, coal, earth). This type includes shovels, rippers, rakes, cultivators, pitchforks, as well as hoes, hoes, etc.;
• auxiliary tools - for garden work in the form of grafting, pruning branches, forming a crown and hedges (pruning shears, loppers, brush cutters, garden hacksaws);
• accompanying equipment in the form of wheelbarrows, buckets, planters, containers and scoops for seedlings, fruit collectors, a folding chair, a ladder;
• mechanized - electric and gasoline (chain saws, seeders, mowers, cultivators, pumps);
• equipment for watering plants - watering cans, sprayers and sprayers, garden hoses.

How to choose garden tools

In specialized stores, you can buy a variety of garden tools for working on the site. From the offered assortment, it is required to choose high-quality tools that allow you to optimize certain types of gardening work and at the same time minimize the associated load on the back, legs and shoulders. After reviewing the proposed assortment, consider how often and for what purposes you will use this type of inventory, carefully read the characteristics of the product, as well as the manufacturer's instructions for its use.

When choosing inventory for a garden and a vegetable garden, it is necessary to take into account its compliance with the following requirements:

• ergonomic design, which subsequently manifests itself in ease of use. The selection criterion, first of all, will be the individual sensations when using the equipment - take it in your hands, try to assess how convenient and easy it will be for you to use it, check the quality of the fasteners. Make sure the handles of the tools are comfortable, of suitable length and thickness;
• reliability and durability - properly selected gardening tools made of materials resistant to wear will last for years. Pay attention to the quality of the metal of the cutting parts of the tool - ease of use and pressure during work, obtaining even cuts, and the likelihood of rusting over time depend on it. Tool shafts made of dense, high-quality processed wood practically do not break, they will not cause splinters on the hands. It is convenient to use tools with PP coated handles, as these handles are non-slip and easy to clean. Lacquered wood cuttings, as well as plastic ones, can slip in the hands, significantly slowing down the work on the site;
• safety of use - check the reliability of fastening the handles with screws and rivets, the serviceability of the mechanisms;
• ratio of quality and price - cheap equipment that breaks at the first significant load should be preferred to better quality tools that will last more than one season.

The choice of material from which the functional parts of hand tools are made, which are in direct contact with the cultivated soil and plants, depends on its purpose.

How to choose shovels

Several types of shovels are made (heavy, bayonet, universal garden, as well as shovels).

Depending on the purpose, the following types of shovels can be purchased:

• a shovel with a blade made of high-quality steel is perfect for digging a garden - such a tool is notable for its low cost, while it will last several years, is not subject to corrosion, and lends itself well to sharpening;
• the strongest and lightest, as well as the most expensive are tools with titanium blades;
• for snow removal on the site, shovels made of aluminum, plywood or plastic are used - these materials are much softer than steel. This type of inventory is not suitable for use when carrying out earthworks.

A shovel handle is considered optimal to the level of the chest, however, the wooden handle can be subsequently adjusted in length by sawing off the excess.

How to choose a rake

On a garden plot, this tool is used for the following purposes:

• for loosening the soil - a metal rake of small width is suitable, with rigid almost straight teeth, with a total length of the gardener's chest. When choosing a suitable rake in the store, check whether their comb bends up or down when pressed by hand - in this case, you should look for another model;
• for collecting large debris and weeds after weeding - in this case, it is worth giving preference to a rake with long teeth and a comb with reinforced fastening. It is recommended to choose a model with a height of human height;
• for collecting small debris and leaves - a fan rake made of steel or plastic with soft teeth is suitable. The height of this product may exceed the height of the gardener. Such products are used, among other things, for raking mowed grass and cleaning lawns from small debris.

How to choose hoes and hoes

These types of gardening tools are used for loosening the soil, removing weeds, and also hilling plants. At the same time, hoes are convenient to use for loosening the soil between rows. As with shovels, titanium and alloy products are the most durable.

The optimum thickness of the hoe blade is 2-3 mm. For hilling and loosening, it is recommended to choose products that are as long as the gardener's chest.

How to choose scythes and pitchforks

When choosing a scythe, pay attention to the quality of its blade - when struck with a hand, high-quality metal will make a clear sonorous sound. Modern models with an ergonomic handle are conveniently curved and also feature a length-adjustable stop handle.

A pitchfork is used to cultivate the soil, reload hay and compost materials, and dig up root crops. The following varieties are made:

• for loosening the soil and removing weeds - models with sufficiently powerful teeth are used. These pitchforks are equipped with a strong, thick shank of short length;
• for the transfer of grass, hay or compost, products with long teeth and a handle are used.

When buying, make sure that the teeth of the product are of the same length and thickness, and are spaced at equal intervals. There should be no defects in the form of chips and cracks in the places where the teeth are welded.

How to choose buckets and watering cans

It is convenient to carry out manual watering on the site from a watering can with different nozzles. Buckets are used to transfer fertilizers, harvested crops, as well as for other household needs. Usually, several varieties of similar products from various materials are used in the garden.

It should be borne in mind that plastic buckets and watering cans are not recommended to be stored in direct sunlight. Galvanized products should not be left in contact with water and moist soil for a long time, as moisture deteriorates the zinc coating and rust appears.

How to choose secateurs and loppers

When choosing a secateurs, pay special attention to the quality of the metal from which the cutting parts of the tool are made. The best quality is considered to be hardened steel garden shears from well-known manufacturers of garden tools (for example, German, Finnish and Swedish). Models with short handles and toothed blades are suitable for removing dry branches on shrubs. Pruning thick branches is convenient with long-handled pruning shears.

The lopper is a large scissor with long handles. This type of gardening equipment is used for trimming small dry branches, as well as for decorating the crown of trees and shrubs. When choosing the right model, consider the quality of the material of manufacture, as well as the diameter of the branches and knots to be cut.

How to choose garden knives and branch saws

They make saws for branches of various shapes and sizes, including small compact models. Lopper saws with telescopic handles are useful for removing unnecessary branches in hard-to-reach places.

A garden knife is useful for grafting (it is convenient for them to make long and even cuts), pruning branches and shoots, and harvesting cuttings. The ease of use of this tool, first of all, depends on the blade - it must be strong and sharp, made of high quality metal.

Inventory care

In order for garden tools to serve for many years, they must be carefully looked after. Do not forget about proper storage, because the tools need care - periodic cleaning, sharpening and lubrication. After each use, make it a rule to thoroughly clean your gardening tools from clods of soil and plant debris (bark, grass, manure and weeds) and dry and then place in a dry, shaded place. Otherwise, the tool will quickly deteriorate from adhering dirt, plant sap and soil moisture and will not last long.

A light coating of rust that appears should be removed from the tool with a wire brush; the more resistant layer will need to be treated with a special rust remover. The cutting parts of garden scissors, knives and saws should be wiped with a cloth dampened with a disinfectant (eg alcohol) after each use, blotted with a clean cloth and dried thoroughly. Tool blades can be sharpened with stones or a grindstone.

To prevent corrosion from eating through the metal parts of the inventory, it must be periodically lubricated (using grease, lithol, vegetable or machine oil, as well as special lubricants that can be purchased in stores). Linseed oil is suitable for treating the non-varnished metal parts of the handles.

How to store garden tools

Do not leave tools outdoors after work. To place gardening and horticultural equipment on the site, it is required to create certain conditions. It is necessary to provide a dry and ventilated place for everyday storage of garden tools. Thus, it will be possible to protect it from the appearance of fungus and corrosion under the influence of moisture, as well as from overdrying of parts made of wood under the influence of sunlight and high air temperatures. Proper storage of garden tools helps to maintain its working condition for many years.

Often shovels, hoes and rakes, as well as other equipment are placed in a shed or garage, where a little free space is allocated for these purposes. It should be noted that this is not enough for efficient storage. After cleaning and lubricating the inventory, it must be placed in a compartment specially equipped for this purpose (container, wooden box), where the above conditions can be observed.

Storage of inventory in winter

At the end of the gardening season, you need to take care of where and how the appropriate inventory will be stored until it is needed again next year.

How to prepare gardening tools for winter storage:

• all equipment used on the site must be thoroughly cleaned of the soil layer and plant residues, and then wiped or washed and dried. Leave it for several hours in the sun or in a well-ventilated place until it dries completely - it is necessary to get rid of moisture in a variety of crevices and joints of the inventory;
• wood handles and cuttings must be cleaned and sanded. To increase durability, it is recommended to varnish them;
• then you need to apply grease to the metal parts. Select a suitable, well-ventilated and dry place for storing the inventory, the tools must be placed there vertically, or hung on the wall on a special rack above the floor level - so as to protect them from moisture and subsequent corrosion. Do not place the tools vertically on the point, otherwise it will quickly become dull;
• sharp objects - various pruners, garden shears, saws and hacksaws are placed in covers, wrapped in newspapers or parchment paper and kept closed. In the absence of a special cover, the saw teeth can be covered by putting on a piece of garden hose with a pre-made longitudinal slot, and stored by wrapping them in rags or in the sleeve of an old jacket. It is recommended to keep the pruning shears open to keep the spring tight for longer.

Garden equipment (electrical, gasoline and battery equipment - cultivators, seeders, chain saws, etc.) should be stored, after carefully studying the manufacturer's instructions, in a dry, ventilated and securely closed room.

Inventory maintenance in spring

With the onset of a new gardening season, it remains only to get out of the barn the inventory prepared in the fall. During the winter, the wooden parts of the tools may dry out a little, from this fastening at the joints with the wood weaken, and the tools may loosen during operation.

To achieve a tight fixation of the cuttings of gardening equipment, you can as follows - place the tools for a day or two in water. Under the influence of moisture, the wooden parts will swell a little, as a result of which the backlash will go away. The same procedure can be done with carpentry tools flying off the handles.