Pool skimmers and masking tape? There are some surprising entries in this list of our community’s 11 favorite tools for gardens and homesteads.
11 of Our Favorite Gardening and Homesteading Tools
“What are your favorite tools that you use around your homestead or garden that you can’t live without?” Our community came together to answer this question and come up with some great ideas (and some tips) for making Your life is easier!
Hula hoe (aka stirrup hoe)
Jack Martin say a hula hoo (or stirrup hoe) is the best tool for weeding/farming.He added that the second need is plastic manure fork Used to pick up garden debris easily and quickly.
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Bulb Planter
Claire Marie 183 say her Bulb Planter Great for growing seedlings and more!
How to solve the mystery
Edward A rusted tool head thrown away by a neighbor was found.He hasn’t been able to identify it exactly yet, but he thinks it might be a copy of a local blacksmith swish swish. It breaks soil, mows weeds and small roots, and chops down large roots like an axe. It tapers at the wide end and on one side, allowing access to a smaller area when he turns it at an angle. With its practicality and strength, Edward Expect it to even be an impromptu self-defense weapon if he gets attacked by a hungry tiger or a zombie.
garden fork
Garden forks come in several varieties, from one-handed models to large two-handed models. Either way, they help turn over and break down compacted soil.
- snow lotus use her garden fork Break tough clay.
- Scott Sexton Start with a small garden fork, but upgrade to one Meadow Creature Wide Fork. He says it’s super durable and uses your weight to make it easier and faster to use than other forks.
garden knife
Gardening Knives (also known as yellow knife) is a multipurpose tool that can dig and cut, and often has measurement marks for planting depth.
- Scott Sexton love him Sensei Tools Hori Digger. As a multi-purpose tool, it keeps him unobstructed as he traverses the garden. He says it’s also a great tool for digging up smaller roots when foraging.
- As a landscape professional, Jane Murray Say “tools are everything”.she recommends Fiskars Large Grip Garden Knife.
half inch tape
I bet you didn’t expect to be on the list.but Edward Here’s a clever idea to turn this unlikely item into a must-have aid for all your gardening tools.He finds the horizontal balance point of each tool and uses half inch masking tapemaking long-distance carrying easier.
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Does the chicken count?
Ruth Reyes When she suggested chickens as tools, it was only half-joking. Ruth’s chickens are great “tools” for everything from mulching the garden to “fertilizing” fruit trees to controlling pest populations.
Heavy Duty Polyethylene Dump Truck
Merlinport Love her Extra heavy duty polyethylene dump Cart by gorilla. “This thing is a beast, and we use it all the time.” Merin uses it to carry lumber, hay, fodder, mulch, dirt, tools, and even the occasional child. “It’s very useful and the dump feature is great.”
Compact Utility Tractor (aka CUT Tractor)
maverick A bigger tool for you. He prepares his garden with a 4-foot PTO tiller for composting in the soil. This saves you time and possibly the back injury or hip vibration that a walk-behind cultivator can cause. He says Kobuta, Yanmar, John Deere and MF are all acceptable brands and you need about 20-40 horsepower.
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maverick Also note that you can use attachments like a rear mower or straight blades to level and/or snow the driveway. He also saw regular lawn mowers that needed a pull-back ATV tiller to do the same thing.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Image Source Manfred Richter From focus on
Essential oils are a different tool. But in the hands of our community members, they are as useful as anything else. You could even say they are “essential”.
- Pogmothoin.imirish use Peppermint Essential Oil In the yard, to keep insects away, at home for muscle pain, headaches, to wake her family to school and work. It’s also good for boosting her spirits when she’s feeling blue, she says.phosphorusogmothinon.imirish Says she uses peppermint oil to treat breathing problems, shampoo to stimulate hair growth, and spray to keep cool in hot weather.
- maverick Put a drop or two of peppermint oil on his tongue to stop the runny nose and open up breathing almost immediately.
Pool skimmer on adjustable pole
maverick Probably gave us the most unexpected tool on this list. But this out-of-the-box idea is saving his tomatoes. No, tomatoes did not grow in the pool.he uses pool skimmer Catches flying pests that lay their eggs on his plants. He said it made his life “much easier!”
do what you think?
Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts! You really have some great ones! If you have a tool that isn’t on this list, be sure to share it with us in the comments. We would love to hear from you.
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The Grow Network is a global network of people who produce their own food and medicines. We are the coolest bunch of backyard researchers on the planet! We are constantly sharing, discovering and collaborating to test new ways of living sustainably – while reconnecting with the “old ways” that are disappearing in the modern world. We value soil, water, sunlight, simplicity, sustainability, practicality and freedom. We work hard to produce, prepare and preserve our own food and medicines, and we want you to do the same!
