What are the essential farm tools? Seven tools cover most farm and garden work: a spade, a trowel, a fork, pruning shears, a pruning saw, a sprayer and gloves. The rest depends on what you grow and how much land you have.
Digging and soil tools
- Spade: for digging, turning soil and opening furrows.
- Hand trowel: for planting seedlings and filling pots.
- Fork: for loosening soil around roots without cutting them.
- Rake: for levelling and collecting stones and leaves.
- Small axe: for cutting old roots.
Cutting and pruning tools
| Tool | What it cuts |
|---|---|
| Hand pruning shears | Branches up to about finger thickness |
| Long-handled loppers | Thicker, higher branches |
| Pruning saw | Thick limbs |
| Hedge shears | Shaping hedges and shrubs |
| Battery pruning shears | Heavy work on a farm or palms |
Disinfect the blade between trees so you do not carry disease.
Watering and spraying tools
- Watering can for seedlings and pots.
- Hose with a spray gun for the garden.
- Sprayer for pesticides and foliar feed, manual or electric by area.
Keep one sprayer for herbicides only and never use it for anything else.
Protective gear
- Gloves for thorns, soil and fertilizer.
- Mask and goggles when spraying pesticides.
- Closed boots and long sleeves.
What you need by place
| Place | Essentials |
|---|---|
| Balcony and pots | Hand trowel, small shears, watering can, gloves |
| Home garden | Spade, rake, pruning shears, hose, 5 to 8 L sprayer |
| Small farm | All of the above plus a saw, loppers and a 16 to 20 L backpack sprayer |
Choosing a tool that lasts
- Hardened steel blade, which holds an edge longer.
- Comfortable handle that does not slip with sweat.
- A weight that suits you. A heavy tool tires you in the first hour.
- Spare parts available for shears and sprayers.
Tool care
- Clean off the mud after every use.
- Dry them before storing.
- Oil joints and blades from time to time.
- Sharpen shears and spade at the start of the season.
- Hang them in a dry place, not on the floor.
Products from Orkida
- Bellota small square spade, Spain
- Bellota fibre-handle trowel
- Bellota fibre-handle fork
- ARS pruning shears, Japan
- KAMIKAZE pruning saw 39 cm, Spain
- BELLOTA gardening gloves
- Italian watering can 7 L
- Eco Spray 8 L electric sprayer
Farm tool FAQs
Which tool should I buy first?
A hand trowel and pruning shears. You will use them every week.
Will ordinary scissors do for pruning?
No. They crush the branch instead of cutting it, and a crushed wound lets disease in.
How often should I sharpen shears?
At the start of every season, or when they pull the branch instead of cutting clean.
Manual or electric?
Manual is enough for a garden. Electric pays off when the work repeats daily.