Gardening tool set?

[helagumamela]

I am planning to overhaul some parts of our garden to add more flowers and other shrubs. However, the tools that I have with me now are very cheap, and they are broken. I am still able to use them, but it would prove challenging especially if I will work on a large area.

I browsed online for some gardening tools, but I was surprised to find out that they are expensive individually! I found a set (in pink of course), and I was wondering if anyone can tell me if this is good and will last for a long time.

Thanks in advance!

http://www.amazon.com/Apollo-Precis...TF8&qid=1409549623&sr=1-11&keywords=gardening

 

[Carolyn]

I've not bought garden tools online, I do know you have to consider the size of your hands for some of them. If your hands are small (or large) the pruning shears might not work for you etc. I would consider buying tools that you can look at, feel the heft with your hands and make sure they are sturdy. IMO.

 

[gata montes]

To be honest my best advice would be not to buy garden tools online - but to purchase them from somewhere where you can get to know how they feel and find out whether you could work with them - as well as see the quality for yourself.

I myself would never buy any garden tools without first touching, handling them and checking that the weight was right for me - as I - like many other gardeners have found many of the implements we use to garden with - are unique to us.

Which as they are unique to us - we generally get extremely attached to them too - like for instance some of my secateurs and pruning shears that I've had for well over twenty years - which I would now be very sad if anything happen to - as they are just the right weight for me or cut at just the right angle - as well as suit the type of gardening that I do.

 

[helagumamela]

To be honest my best advice would be not to buy garden tools online - but to purchase them from somewhere where you can get to know how they feel and find out whether you could work with them - as well as see the quality for yourself.

I myself would never buy any garden tools without first touching, handling them and checking that the weight was right for me - as I - like many other gardeners have found many of the implements we use to garden with - are unique to us.

Which as they are unique to us - we generally get extremely attached to them too - like for instance some of my secateurs and pruning shears that I've had for well over twenty years - which I would now be very sad if anything happen to - as they are just the right weight for me or cut at just the right angle - as well as suit the type of gardening that I do.

Thank you very much for your suggestions! I still have the gardening set I was considering on hold, so I can cancel it anytime. I may go to the gardening/hardware store this weekend to check if they anything affordable yet durable.

 

[gata montes]

Thank you very much for your suggestions! I still have the gardening set I was considering on hold, so I can cancel it anytime. I may go to the gardening/hardware store this weekend to check if they anything affordable yet durable.

You are welcome and I hope that your trip to the garden/hardware store this weekend proves to be successful and that you find exactly what you are looking for - as well as at a good price too

 

[zigs]

Not familiar with that brand, you have to be careful as there's a lot of cheap Chinese rubbish on the market, like the Chinese lemon squeezer I got. Looked good but dissolved in Citric Acid

 

[helagumamela]

Not familiar with that brand, you have to be careful as there's a lot of cheap Chinese rubbish on the market, like the Chinese lemon squeezer I got. Looked good but dissolved in Citric Acid

Thank you! I didn't purchase this anymore. I found other tools when I visited the hardware yesterday. They weren't in a set, so they were quite expensive. Looking forward to test them out tomorrow.

 

[Marty Weil]

Another option is to buy used tools, especially old tools stamped "Made in USA" at Garage Sales and then refurbish the tools. You can get high-quality tools for pennies on the dollar this way! With a little know-how and elbow grease you'll end up with a set of tools much better than those you find new at the Big Box hardware stores and for a lot less money. This blog post outlines some of the basic ways you refurbish, clean, and maintain tools.

 

[marlingardener]

I've had very good experience with tools purchased at Ace Hardware. We have two rakes (garden and lawn), a digging fork, a four-prong cultivator, and long-handled loppers from Ace which have been in use for between six and two years. Here on the farm tools get used often, and hard. The handles are comfortable, the heads are attached with through-the-handle bolts, and (bless 'em) there is always something red on the tools so when I lay them down and forget where they are, they show up!

 

[ChanellG]

I've purchased "cheap" tools before without any problems, but you have to exercise a bit of "buyer beware." A trowel from the dollar store or a hand cultivator should be fine, but anything that requires force for use and needs to be really strong to get the job done should be purchased at a specialty retailer (hardware or garden center). As the saying goes, you get what you pay for.

 

[Pat]

I think I would try a thrift store to see what they have first, if they do not have what you are looking for I doubt I would purchase online. You would want to hold the tool to make sure it is comfortable in your hands before you spend money on it.

 

[galmal]

Another option is to buy used tools, especially old tools stamped "Made in USA" at Garage Sales and then refurbish the tools. You can get high-quality tools for pennies on the dollar this way! With a little know-how and elbow grease you'll end up with a set of tools much better than those you find new at the Big Box hardware stores and for a lot less money. This blog post outlines some of the basic ways you refurbish, clean, and maintain tools.

This is an excellent idea. While you do want good, sturdy, quality tools, you don't always have to spend big bucks to get them. And the more you can save on things like this, the more you'll have to spend on things like plants and containers.

I've been able to find really good deals at flea markets. Sometimes they are really dirty and look bad, but as long as they are in good condition, who cares what they look like? And if you go to the flea market in the spring, you can sometimes find great deals on plants where someone is thinning out their garden.