Gathering Your Gardening Gear

You can find deep and abiding pleasure in a good tool, in finding and using the right equipment for the job at hand. This statement is as true for gardening as it is for, say, cooking or woodworking. In this chapter, I survey the tools you probably need (and want) to aid you with your gardening, and I advise you on their selection and care. Here’s where you get to roll up your sleeves at last and get into the really satisfying work that’s the heart and soul of successful gardening. Quality, well-chosen tools allow you to put your plans into action! This chapter covers the most common and general tools you likely need for successful gardening, and it includes pointers on how to pick the best ones. (I also list some suppliers in the Appendix, in case you need a starting point.) The difference between the right tool and the wrong tool is the difference between back-breaking labor and joyful efficiency.