9 Popular Landscape Tools Every Homeowner Should Have

Springtime is a great season to take inventory of the tools in your shed and fill in any gaps that may exist with the essentials. The truth is that it doesn’t take dozens of landscape tools to keep your yard looking its best—it just takes the right ones. Purchasing outdoor tools may seem like a daunting task, but a basic understanding of the yard tools every homeowner should own makes things easy. This edition of Sod University compiles a list of nine landscape tools every homeowner should have.

1. Standard Rake

A standard rake is a must have landscape tool that can accomplish so many different tasks. From raking leaves in the fall, debris after a storm or cleaning up the beds in your yard, a standard rake is a tool you’ll reach for year-round. We love this rake because it is lightweight and has an adjustable handle. With a reach of 66 inches, this rake is perfect for getting in tough spots like under bushes or between flowers without having to lean over.

2. Grading Rake

When it comes to breaking up hard soil and grading a landscape the right way, a proper grading rake makes things much easier. This heavy-duty rake helps move soil with ease. This aluminum grading rake features extra thick teeth that can break into really tough, compact soils. With a strong wrap around bracing and heavy-duty double-ribbed construction for stability, this grading rake offers long-lasting performance under the heaviest professional use. It is 66 inches in length and has a coated handle with permanent 5 inch vinyl comfort grip. Lastly, it comes with an aggressive chisel-sharp beveled teeth and forward grading edge.

3. Trowel

Digging is made easier and more precise with a good trowel; if you are planning on planting flowers, vegetables, shrubs or plants, you’ll want a good trowel shovel. This particular model is guaranteed not to bend under a lifetime warranty and is considered the most heavy duty garden trowel on the market. Its durability makes it an excellent option for heavy clay soils or rocky soils. It also features an ergonomic rubber grip with contoured finger grips and palm rest for comfort.

4. Weeder

Weeding is no gardener’s favorite task, but alas, it must be done. A handy weeder is just the thing to make the job a little easier and more efficient. This handheld tool is designed to remove weeds like dandelions, thistles and other invasive plants by hand. This weeder comes with a steel head that won’t snap off or loosen when digging in tough soils. It also comes with a lightweight, ergonomically shaped handle for comfort. The sharpened forked tip helps you remove weeds from the root.

5. Handheld Cultivator

For cultivating and maintaining soil posture in your yard and garden, a simple handheld cultivator is handy. This durable cultivator has features we find especially useful like a comfort grip and extension capabilities. This lightweight tool comes with long-lasting coating that resists chipping and rust. Cultivating will serve to reduce weeds while simultaneously aerating the soil. Plants will benefit from the loose soil and have more access to nutrients, oxygen and water.

6. Thatch Rake

Are you thinking about dethatching soon? This is the time of year (end of winter/early spring) when dethatching your lawn might be necessary, and to do the job you’ll need a thatch rake. Thatch is a layer of grass and other dead material that has accumulated underneath the surface of your grass. It prevents nutrients, water and oxygen from reaching the root zone of your lawn and is a perfect environment for harmful insects. When it comes to choosing a thatch rake, a good thatch rake should be sturdy and sharp enough to really break up the layer of thatch below your sod. We recommend this heavy-duty lacquered model as it is Truper’s best-selling signature tool line.

7. Handheld Spreader  

When it comes to properly and thoroughly applying granular fertilizers, seed, ice melt and pest control products to your lawn, a handheld granular spreader is an essential, nifty tool that you will use for the application of many different products in smaller areas. Designed for those with smaller hands, this rust-proof spreader features a built-in scoop to reduce skin contact with the product that’s being spread. It also comes with an adjustable rate control and a high-speed hand crank gearbox.

EarthWay Handheld Spreader

8. Folding Utility Blade

A folding utility blade is sort of like the gardener’s Swiss army knife in that it performs multiple functions and is always good to have on hand. This weighted outdoor knife comes with five blades and is helpful for cutting and slicing everything from branches to shrubs and everything in between. Its stainless steel handle is weighted material that ensures comfortable operations and two independent safe-lock release buttons.

9. Cultivator

For more heavy-duty cultivation jobs where a hand-held cultivator just won’t cut it, we recommend this model. This cultivator from GardenTrax can weed, cultivate and till among other things. Don’t let its compact stature fool you—this cultivator’s powerful 43 cc 2 cycle engine is sure to get the job done right.

These nine landscape tools will help out with just about any sort of outdoor project you might consider. Having them in your inventory will surely benefit you when you need tools in a pinch or if you’re simply someone who loves to perform outdoor projects. Be sure to check out our other Sod University blog on Five Great Lawn Care Books to Add to Your Library.

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