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gardening tool names

Names of Gardening Tools – Picture List from A-Z

Garden Tool Names and Nicknames – A Guide

Do you know the name of your favorite garden tool? What was that garden implement called?

Garden and farm tools have been around since the dawn of mankind, and garden tool names can be strange and in some cases not readily apparent, and even comical at times. There can be minor differences, and for serious gardeners, the choosing the right garden tool can make hard work easy. Here is a list of the most interesting gardening tool names, and a bit about their history.

Introduction – A Little Garden Tool Primer

Gardening is both an art and a science, and like any skilled craft, it requires the right tools to achieve the desired results. When it comes to garden tools, there is an extensive array of implements designed to cater to every specific task in the garden. From digging and pruning to planting and watering, each tool has its own unique purpose. Broadly, garden tools can be categorized into hand tools, power tools, pruning tools, watering tools, and soil cultivation tools. Knowing the names and functionalities of these tools can make your gardening tasks not only more efficient but also more enjoyable. Let’s delve deeper into the world of garden tool names and discover the must-haves for every green thumb.


Aerator

Aerator

Aerator An aerator is a tool that is used to get air and water down deeper in the ground. It takes many forms, but the main job of this well named garden tool is to provide roots what they need: oxygen.
Axe

Axe

Axe - One of the older tools on the list, the axe is used to chop down tress, cut branches and roots.
Bonsai Tools

Bonsai Tools

Bonsai Tools - Specialized tools for the delicate care and maintenance of bonsai trees, including pruning scissors, wire pliers, and root rakes.
Bulb Planter

Bulb Planter

Bulb Planter - A tool designed for easy and efficient planting of bulbs at the correct depth and spacing.
Garden Auger

Garden Auger

Garden Auger - An auger looks like a large drilll bit, and is used to drill holes in soil. I've never used one, but it would seem to be a slow method 🙂
Broadfork

Broadfork

Broadfork - the broadfork is an age old tool for breaking and loosening soil. It uses the wieght of the operator and the leverage of the long handles to go deep and do its job.
Cape Cod Weeder

Cape Cod Weeder

A Cape Cod weeder is a hand-held gardening tool that's specifically designed for weeding. It features a long, narrow blade that's usually made of metal, and it is typically L-shaped or has a hook at the end. The design of the blade allows for easy slicing through soil and cutting weeds at the roots without having to stoop over. This tool is especially useful for weeding in tight spaces and between plants because its shape allows for precision work without disturbing the surrounding vegetation.

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5 Star Gardening Tools & Apparel

5 Star Gardening Tools & Apparel

Selected by Master Gardeners - Shop our high quality garden tool selection today, and find quality in the garden.

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Composter

Composter

A composter is a gardening tool used to recycle organic material into rich soil conditioner, known as compost. It's typically a container or bin where garden waste, kitchen scraps, and other biodegradable materials are placed to decompose over time. Composters come in various styles, from simple bins to sophisticated tumblers. The process within the composter, driven by natural decomposition, transforms waste into valuable compost, rich in nutrients, which enhances soil health and supports plant growth. Using a composter not only reduces household waste but also contributes to a more sustainable, organic gardening practice.

Dibber or Dibble

Dibber or Dibble

The Dibber or Dibble - One of the most unique gardening tool names, the dibber or dibble is a seed starting/bulb planting tool that has been used in some shape or form for centuries.

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Disc Harrow

Disc Harrow

Disc Harrow - the disc harrow is a towed garden tool that turns and breaks up soil. It can either have serrated or smooth edges, and tills quite well.
Dutch Hoe

Dutch Hoe

A Dutch hoe is a garden tool commonly used for weeding and soil cultivation. Unlike a traditional garden hoe, which is used with a chopping motion to cut into the soil, a Dutch hoe is designed to be pushed or pulled through the top layer of the soil. This action slices off weeds at the root level and disturbs the soil surface.

Flame Weeder

Flame Weeder

Flame Weeder- of all the weeding tools, the flame weeder is my favorite. Fire is always cool ;), but this aptly named garden tool uses a propane torch to kill weeds in a "safe" for the environment method on the farm or in the garden.
Flat Head Shovel

Flat Head Shovel

Flat Head Shovel the flat head shovel, like its pointy tipped spade brother, is used to scoop soil or other medium when soil has already been broken
Fruit Pruners (Snips)

Fruit Pruners (Snips)

Garden fruit pruners are snips that have long, pointed blades to access fruit through leaves on trees and bushes.  They allow the gardener to maneuver and gather without harming the plant.

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Garden Hoe

Garden Hoe

Garden Hoe - the hoe is one of the oldest tools around and is used for many things: moving garden soil, digging, covering seeds and bulbs, and weeding.
Garden Scoop

Garden Scoop

The Garden Scoop - I have to be honest, this is one of my favorite garden tools. If you have ever tried to scoop soil with a trowel, you know you lose half of it from bag to pot. This tool allowsfor easy "scooping" of soil inlarge amounts.

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Garden Scissors, Snips or Shears

Garden Scissors, Snips or Shears

Garden Scissors - also know as garden snips or shears, these are great all around tools for gardentasks and chores. The narrow bladeslet you get just the stem you want, and they can be used for string and ribbon cutting as well.

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Gardener's Multi-Tool

Gardener's Multi-Tool

Gardener's Multi-Tool - one of my favorites, this "Swiss Army. Knife" for the garden is a wonder in the garden and contains several tools that any gardener would love to have always on their side.

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Garden Tool Hand Trowel

Garden Tool Hand Trowel

The Hand Trowel - this garden tool is often called a shovel, but its proper garden tool name is the hand trowel.

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Garden Fork Tool

Garden Fork Tool

The Garden Fork This garden tool is known by many names, and has as many uses in gardening. From loosening soil to digging up bulbs and tubers, it is one of the gardener's best friends.
Garden Roller

Garden Roller

A garden roller is a tool used in gardening and lawn care. It's essentially a heavy cylinder that can be filled with water or sand to add weight. Garden rollers are used to flatten and level the soil or to firm the soil after seeding. They are particularly useful for creating a smooth lawn surface, eliminating bumps and depressions. The roller is pushed or pulled across the area, exerting pressure on the ground. Garden rollers come in various sizes and can be made of metal or plastic. They are especially popular for lawn maintenance, helping to achieve a well-manicured, even surface.

Garden Tool Hand Fork

Garden Tool Hand Fork

Garden Hand Fork - the garden hand fork is a small version of the garden fork and is great for weeding and digging up roots and tubers.
Hand Cultivator

Hand Cultivator

Hand Cultivator - the hand cultivator is a multipurpose garden tool that can be used for weeding, digging and loosening soil.
Hand Rake

Hand Rake

Hand Rake - for cleaning up raised beds, this tooll is amazing for getting around in tight spaces. We use it to clean up leaves, fallen flowers and more.

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Hod

Hod

A garden hod is a traditional tool used by gardeners for harvesting and washing produce. It typically features a durable wooden frame and a wire mesh basket, which allows soil and debris to fall through. Its design often includes a flat bottom and sloping sides, making it ideal for holding a variety of garden produce. The garden hod is not only practical for carrying vegetables and fruits but also serves as an attractive way to display fresh garden harvests.

Hori Hori

Hori Hori

The Hori Hori - the name for a Japanese Garden Knife/Tool is Hori Hori, and is literally the Japanese word for "dig, dig". It is one of the best garden tools, and comes in all shapes and sizes.

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Hand Cultivator

Hand Cultivator

Hand Cultivator - the hand cultivator looks like a bent fork, and is used for weeding, smoothing and spreading in beds

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Hand Spreader

Hand Spreader

Hand Spreader - also known as a broadcast spreader, is a tool commonly used in gardening and landscaping for evenly distributing materials like seeds, fertilizer, ice melt, or pest control products over a large area. This tool helps in achieving uniform coverage, which is crucial for effective growth of plants or for pest control.
Hula Hoe

Hula Hoe

A hula hoe, also known as a stirrup hoe or loop hoe, is a type of garden tool used for weeding and cultivating soil. Its distinctive feature is a double-edged, oscillating blade shaped like a loop or stirrup, which is attached to a long handle. The blade moves back and forth (hence the "hula" name, as it mimics the motion of a hula dancer) and cuts weeds just below the soil surface as it is pushed and pulled through the soil.

This tool is particularly effective for controlling young, small weeds, as it slices through their roots with minimal effort and disturbance to the soil. The hula hoe's design allows for weeding close to plants without damaging them, and it's also useful for breaking up the soil surface to prepare for planting or to incorporate amendments. Its ease of use and effectiveness make it a popular choice among gardeners for weed control and soil cultivation.

Ladybug Shovel

Ladybug Shovel

Lady Bug Shovel - Don’t be fooled by its cute name; this is a heavy-duty tool. With its compact size, it’s great for container gardening and other small spaces.

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Loop Hoe

Loop Hoe

Loop Hoe - this unique garden tool is a clever weeding tool that lets you cut the weeds below the surface level of the soil.
Loppers

Loppers

Loppers Think fo the garden lopper as a big pruner, or secateur, with leverage for big cuts. This long handled cutting tool is mostly used for tree limbs and thick branches.
L Blade Weeder

L Blade Weeder

L Weeding Tool - this is one of the best hand weeding tools. It has a sharpened blade tipe, and can be used for craxks and weeding in the garden in tight spaces.

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Multi-Seed Tray Dibber

Multi-Seed Tray Dibber

Multi-point Dibbler - A multipoint or seed tray dibbler is a gardening tool designed for making uniform holes or depressions in the soil of a seed tray or in the ground. This tool is especially useful for gardeners and horticulturists who need to plant a large number of seeds or seedlings at consistent depths and spacing.

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Pooter

Pooter

Pooter (Aspirator) -It’s not strictly a ‘gardening’ tool but is used by many garden enthusiasts. A pooter is a small device used by entomologists to pick up small insects without touching them, which can be handy if you’re into studying insects in your garden!
Post Hole Digger

Post Hole Digger

Post Hole Tool When putting in a fence, a trellis post or digging any other hole, this handy garden tool can be a useful partner out in the garden and landscape.
Pot Tamper

Pot Tamper

Pot Tamper - A pot tamper is a gardening tool used for firming soil in pots or seed trays. It's particularly useful when sowing seeds or transplanting seedlings, as it ensures that the soil is evenly compacted and provides a stable base for the seeds or plants.

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Potato Fork

Potato Fork

Potato Fork A potato fork looks like any other gardenn fork from a distance, but when you look up close the tines are flat and blunt at the tips. This prevents damage to the potatoes when digging.
Propagation Knife

Propagation Knife

Propagation Knife- This specialized knife has many gardening uses but is primarily used for propagation of plants and trees.

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Sickle

Sickle

Sickle - The sickle is a tool for cutting high grass, weeds and crops. Its curved blade provides more surface area for a cut, and is an efficient hand tool for the task in the garden.
Secateurs or Pruners

Secateurs or Pruners

Secateurs - secateurs or pruners for one hand, are the tool of choice for pruning and clipping flowers in the garden. Able to cut all kinds of stems, from the tough rose to the thin Batchelor Button, they are a handy garden tool.

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Seeding Ruler

Seeding Ruler

Seed Ruler - A seed ruler is a gardening tool used to help plant seeds at precise intervals and depths. This tool is especially beneficial for gardeners who want to ensure even spacing and optimal growing conditions for their plants.

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Seed Spoon

Seed Spoon

A seed spoon is a gardening tool designed for planting anw working with small seeds. It consists of a tool with two ends, on flat like a spoon. This tool allows gardeners to pick up a single seed at a time and place it precisely where they want it in the soil. Seed spoons are particularly useful for planting tiny seeds like carrot seeds, making the process more efficient and reducing the need for thinning later on. They are favored for their simplicity and effectiveness in seed planting for small garden areas or flats of vegetable seeds

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Seed Syringe

Seed Syringe

A seed syringe is a specialized tool designed to aid in the precise and efficient planting of small seeds. This syringe allows for accurate distribution and placement of seeds, especially those that are tiny and difficult to handle manually. It is filled with a mixture of seeds and a suitable medium, often a gel or liquid that facilitates smooth ejection. Gardeners and agriculturists use seed syringes to ensure even spacing and optimal depth for seed planting, which is particularly useful in achieving uniform growth in both small-scale gardening and larger agricultural applications. The use of a seed syringe minimizes seed waste and enhances the efficiency of the planting process.

 
 
 
Shovel

Shovel

Shovel - A shovel is a tool used for garden digging, lifting, and moving bulk materials, such as soil, coal, gravel, snow, sand, or ore. It typically consists of a broad and flat blade attached at a right angle to a long handle. The blade of the shovel is usually made of metal, while the handle is often made from wood or metal. Shovels are used in gardening, agriculture, construction, and other labor-intensive activities. The design and size of the shovel can vary depending on its intended use. For example, a gardening shovel tends to be smaller for precision work in flower beds, while a snow shovel has a wider and larger blade for clearing snow.
The Spade

The Spade

Spade Shovel There are main kinds of shovels, the spade and the flat head. The spade shovel is named for the shape of its head, and is primarily used for breaking ground and digging. Confused by the names of spade and shovel? Here is a quick post on the difference: Spade or Shovel? It's All in the Name
Soil or pH Meter

Soil or pH Meter

A soil meter is a handy gardening tool used to measure various soil conditions, crucial for plant health. Typically, it assesses soil moisture, pH level, and sometimes light availability. This compact device usually features probes that are inserted into the soil, providing instant readings on a scale or digital display. By using a soil meter, gardeners can gain valuable insights into the soil's condition, helping them to adjust watering schedules, determine the need for soil amendments, or choose suitable plants for the specific soil type. It's an essential tool for both novice and experienced gardeners to ensure optimal growing conditions for their plants.

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Spreader

Spreader

Spreader A spreader is a tool for spreading seed or fertilizer on a farm or in the garden.
Tiller

Tiller

Tiller A tiller, aka rototiller, is a tool that breaks up the soil with a set of rotating blades. There are several kinds: rear tine, mid-tine and rear tine. The tine location affects the soil depth and transfer of. power to the breakup operation.
Tractor Cultivator

Tractor Cultivator

Tractor Cultivator - the tractor cultivcator is a farming and gardening tool used to breakup soil and eliminate weeds. It is the big brother of the hand cultivator.
Trenching Shovel

Trenching Shovel

A trench shovel, often referred to as a trenching spade, is a tool specifically designed for digging and clearing narrow trenches. It features a long, narrow blade, usually about 4 to 6 inches wide, which allows for precise digging in confined spaces. The blade of a trench shovel is sharply pointed at the tip, aiding in the easy penetration of hard or compacted soils, an essential characteristic for initiating a trench. Additionally, the blade is longer than that of a standard shovel, facilitating deeper excavation with each scoop. This makes trench shovels particularly valuable for tasks requiring trenches of specific depths, such as for laying pipes or cables, or for efficient drainage.

Watering Lance

Watering Lance

A watering lance, also known as a watering wand, is a versatile gardening tool that attaches to a standard garden hose, designed to make watering plants easier and more efficient. It features a long, slender tube with a shower-like head or adjustable nozzle, allowing for extended reach and gentle, rain-like watering. This is particularly useful for reaching difficult areas like hanging baskets and deep flowerbeds. Equipped with a handle that includes a trigger or valve for controlling water flow, the watering lance is ideal for precise, water-efficient irrigation. Its ergonomic design ensures ease of use, making it suitable for gardeners of all abilities, and its adjustable spray patterns cater to a variety of watering needs.

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Widger

Widger

Widger - This is a small garden tool that helps in lifting seedlings out of their trays without damaging them. It’s like a tiny, gardening spatula, and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes.

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Worm Bin

Worm Bin

A worm bin, also known as a worm composter, is a container used for vermiculture, which is the process of using worms to decompose organic food waste into a nutrient-rich material known as worm castings. This bin typically houses red wiggler worms in a controlled environment where they consume and break down kitchen scraps and other organic materials. The resulting compost is an excellent fertilizer for gardens. Worm bins are an effective way to reduce household waste and create a natural soil amendment for gardening purposes.

Watering Rose

Watering Rose

A watering rose is a detachable accessory for a garden watering can or hose, designed to mimic the gentle rain-like distribution of water. It consists of a round, flat or dome-shaped attachment with numerous small holes, creating a soft, even spray. This tool is particularly beneficial for watering delicate plants and seedlings, as it ensures a gentle flow that doesn't disturb the soil or damage fragile plants. The watering rose evenly distributes water over a wider area, making it efficient for watering beds and borders. Its simplicity and effectiveness in providing a gentle, rain-like irrigation make it a favored tool among gardeners for nurturing young and sensitive plants.

 
 
 

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Weed Eater

Weed Eater

A "weedeater" is a common term used for a garden tool known more formally as a string trimmer or line trimmer. This tool is designed for cutting grass and weeds, especially in areas that are hard to reach with a regular lawnmower, like around trees, flower beds, and edges of the lawn.

Conclusion – Now Which Tool Do You Use?

All set or a bit confused? In conclusion, the vast world of gardening is greatly enriched by the diversity of tools available to enthusiasts and professionals alike. Whether you’re a beginner looking to identify essential garden tool names or an expert searching for specialized implements, understanding the distinct categories can streamline your gardening journey. From the intricate tasks managed by hand tools to the heavy-duty chores tackled by power tools, each category plays a pivotal role in shaping, nurturing, and maintaining a flourishing garden. Equip yourself with the right knowledge, and you’ll find that every gardening task becomes a joyous endeavor.

Here are some great links for more info:

Garden Tool List / Equipment List

UC Davis – Garden Tool Names & Types

UofI Garden Tool List

A History of Garden Tools & Names

NC State’s List of Garden Tool Names