Lawn Care Tips: The Must-Have Gardening Tools

 

A bad gardener blames their tools. It might be that the bad gardener isn’t using the right tools. Maybe they don’t own the tools they require. Perhaps this bad gardener can become quite a good gardener if they had the correct apparatuses on hand.

Gardening tools are like kitchen appliances; sure, there are a million different amazing gadgets available, and sure, they can make things easier, but if you’ve got the basics covered – the cutlery, the crockery, the utensils – you can do pretty much everything that the appliances can.

So it is with lawn tools. If you’ve got your garden shed stocked with a few basics, you’ve got access to everything you need to grow and maintain the perfect patch of turf.

Here are just a few of the lawn tools you require for the perfect grass.

Lawnmower

Unless you want to run with the old army punishment of cutting the lawn with nail scissors, a lawn mower is a must. If you’ve not yet got a lawn and are currently choosing a variety, there are certainly some grasses that grow far slower than others (some Australian natives require as little as 2 mows per year). But, whether motorised or push-reel, a mower need to be the first addition to your shed.

String Trimmer

There are some places that mowers can’t get to though, and in those areas a string trimmer will shine. Using rotating nylon string to cut along edging or through the longer grass that a mower might struggle with, they are essential if you’re trying to keep your lawn looking its best.

Edging Shears

Edging your grass neatly makes for a great looking lawn, and nothing is better at this than a pair of purpose-built edging shears. By pushing the soil away at the grass’s edge, you can dig the shears in and use them like scissors, cutting away the excess soil grass and roots. The bottom blade of the shears stays static, providing stability, while the top blade moves to make the cut.

Lawn Turfing Iron

This tool is specifically designed to remove sections of turf from pre-existing lawns. The spade-like iron is built with a sharp, pointed blade to slice through roots, and an angled handle to create both leverage and a flat cut.

Half Moon Cutter

If you need to create crisp, sharp edges and straight cuts in your turf, the half moon cutter is your tool. A rounded triangular blade that is perfectly flat creates an easy and gun-barrel straight cut. To assist in obtaining the perfect cut, use a guide string.

Stiff Bristled Broom

While a broom probably isn’t the first tool to jump into a turf owner’s head, it is a handy thing to have on hand after you aerate your lawn. Use a broom to brush top dressing into fresh aeration holes to maximise its effect. It’s also handy to have an outdoor broom kicking around for yard clean-up. A Besom (often called a witches broom) is a great natural alternative.

Levelling Rake

If you are preparing your soil to sow lawn seed, a levelling rake is essential. It is made with wide, evenly spaced teeth that provide the seed with the perfect soil texture to germinate in. You can also flip the rake over to the other face that is perfectly flat, allowing for levelling of the soil. The rake can be used post-sowing to remove organic matter from the established turf.

Spring Tined Rake

The build-up of dead grass in your lawn, known as thatch, can suffocate your grass if not dealt with in a timely manner. The spring tined rake is built to remove such build-up, with wire teeth that scratch at the turf and expose the thatch, making it easy to collect with a standard rake.

Switch

A switch is a relatively uncommon tool for the household, but has its place in a professional turf manager’s tool shed. It is a simple extendable “whippy” rod, which is swept across the surface of grass in the morning to remove any excess dew and moisture. This is designed to deter the development of diseases and fungi, which thrive in dewy conditions.

A regular maintenance routine that uses the right tools for the right jobs will result in your patch of turf being the best it can be. For any lawn growing or maintenance queries, contact your local McKays’ seed specialist.