Please be sure to read the product label of any insecticide you choose to use to get information on the personal protective safety gear you will need. In most situations, it is recommended that you wear long pants, a long sleeved shirt, closed toe shoes with socks, chemical resistant gloves, and goggles. In areas where ventilation is poor, a manufacturer may recommend you wear a mask or a respirator. We have put together two different safety kits that will make selecting the correct safety gear easier for you.
Gardening is a hobby beloved by people of all ages and skill levels. Some garden to grow vegetables and feed their families while others want to enjoy the beauty of flowers around their homes.
If you are thinking of starting a garden of your own, be sure you have the following tools in your arsenal.
1. Gardening Gloves
Protect your hands from soil, blisters, and the pricks of thorns with gardening gloves. Wearing gloves will also help keep your home clean once you re-enter after planting new seeds or trimming off fresh vegetables.
Snipping flowers for a bouquet, vegetables for your salad, or trimming back overgrowth is simple with pruning shears and snips. Pruners are specifically designed to be used in a garden, giving a much cleaner cut than scissors. And many pruners and snips are coated for rust protection.
Planting seeds or flowers can be dirty work, but trowels help streamline the process. Smaller than shovels with the same dirt-extracting power, trowels are handy tools for gardeners of every level. Trowels are also often rust-proof and come with ergonomic handles.
Cultivators are small tools that can spread and level soil quickly, similar to a rake. Like trowels, they are specially designed for the comfort of gardeners.
Keep your plants hydrated with a garden hose (or watering can if your garden is small). There are many sprayer wands, nozzles, and attachments available including wand attachments, that will make watering and reaching tall plants like tomatoes easier. Remember to water in the morning to avoid burning flower and vegetable leaves in the hot sun, and to allow time for the plants to absorb the water.
Cold weather, especially frost, can destroy gardens overnight. Plant covers help protect ornamentals and edibles from the cool weather and snow. Plant tents and wraps are a smart investment in cold climates and for those that intend to use their gardens in the fall and winter months. Covers are also helpful if deer and other animals are known to eat plants in your lawn.
6. Expert Help
Beginning to garden can be difficult, even when you purchase the right tools. Luckily, DoMyOwn has an entire video series to walk you through the steps of how to start your garden. Watch our DoMyOwn Gardening series here.