It can be a massive task to choose the ideal garden tools. When buying anything, several questions come to mind. From where would you buy? Which store offers the best deal? Which equipment serves your purpose? As you know, it is not only watering the plants and keeping them under the sun that will save them. They need extra care.

Gardening tools can help not only trim the unwanted parts of the plants, but also keep them in a healthy state. However, think about the budget as is an important factor when it comes to these purchase. So, compare what’s available on the net, check out the discounts and only then make your decision. Also, you should always think of the people or family members who are going to use these tools. For example, you cannot give your kids the original tools because it can be dangerous for them.

Once you know which tool does what, it can be easier for you to classify further. Find out more about the basic, and must-have gardening tools.

• Hoe: It is used for skimming below the soil surface and also to cut the edges of the weed. The process will destroy annual plants and weaken the permanent ones. To kill the perennial weeds permanently, however, you need to dig a little deeper.
• Spade: The most basic equipment for gardening is the spade which is used to dig soil surface and make holes for planting.
• Rake: A rake is of two types: one is a short tool with metal teeth, and the other one is a fan of rubber handle. The former one helps in final soil levelingand making a fine surface of the ground for sowing and planting. The latter is for raking leaves off the garden and gravel paths.
• Fork: You need an even surface to plant your trees, but one is hardly lucky in this matter. The fork comes to help in such a condition. It is perfect for breaking down clods of soil and evens the surface, moving and spreading organic matter all over the surface.
• Watering can: While buying a watering can keep in mind the distance of the tap to your garden, the volume of the can and a suitable handle to hold and water. A watering can also be used to apply liquid fertilizers and weed killers, but in that case, you must have a separate can.
• Trowel: A comfortable stainless steel blade is the best with regards to planting, weeding and tinkering with small pots.
• Secateurs: Like a rake, the secateurs are also of two types- anvil and bypass. Anvil secateurs consist of one sharp blade that cuts a flat base while the bypass secateurs consist of two sharp blades that cross each other like scissors.

When it comes to gardening tools, there are hordes of brands to select from which makes it difficult for a novice to choose the best company. It would be really helpful for you if an experienced individual comes to know about some of the best brands offering gardening tools in America. It would be easier for you to narrow down your choices in terms of the requirements, preferences and most importantly, your budget. Here are some of the most prominent companies who stand behind their products and make premium quality products for all your gardening needs.

A.M. Leonard
Established in 1885 by the renowned AshbelMerrel Leonard, this company is one of the notable leaders in the supply of gardening tools. This company is known for their top notch customer service along with a selection of almost over 8,000 items which can make the task of gardening as smooth as breeze. When shopping from A. M. Leonard, you will have a variety of choices and the exceptional customer service would definitely make you appreciate this company.

Bionic
If there is any company that produces unparalleled glove technology in the making gloves that offer amazing control and grip while doing the task of gardening. You can effortlessly utilize other equipment without straining your hands. In case you are looking for gardening gloves, Bionic can be the best solution for you.

CobraHead LLC
A small family of gardening tools located at Wisconsin, USA, CobraHead is one of the prime producers of Weeder, Cultivator, and Long Handle. Most of them are multipurpose hand tools used for gardening, agriculture, and horticulture. For instance, the CobraHead Long Handle is a kind of stand-up weeding tool which uses a similar blade like that of the small tool. This company is widely preferred for their high level of versatility, usefulness and awesome quality. By using these tools, you can also improve your knowledge of food gardening.

Corona
When it comes to tools for gardening, you cannot afford to miss Corona and its wide range of irrigation, tree care, agricultural and gardening tools. It is known for their high-quality performance which has the power to work harder for your garden.

Earth Talon
Earth Talon has promoted the classic spade in a new way as they have crafted the shovel in such a manner that it can penetrate hard and rocky soils with a much less effort. These tools have been built to last and the wide, embossed foot help in preventing the feet from slipping. Last but not the least, the unique Talon point keeps the job performing in the precise point rather than swaying here and there. Be it digging holes or weeding work, you can always take a chance with the Earth Talon products as they are made for both residential and commercial projects.

These are some of the best-known brands of gardening tools in the USA and each of them are known for offering the best quality and durable products.

Hydrangeas are flowering shrubs that come in a variety of colors including clear blue, vibrant pink, frosty white, lavender, and rose. They have a characteristic multiple flower head pattern, with each flower made up of many smaller flower heads. They are a very prominent variety of flowering shrubs that are easy to cultivate on almost any kind of soil. They produce flowers through the entire mid-summer and till fall. During this time most of the other flowering plants and shrubs do not flower, making hydrangeas very special. Hydrangeas can make an excellent garden as they can be planted as individual plants or as groups.

What makes them unique?
An interesting fact about hydrangeas is that the colors of some of the hydrangeas can change based on the soil pH. Soil pH indirectly affects the availability of aluminum ions. Blue flowers are produced with acidic soils (with pH less than 5.5) and pink blooms are produced with a soil pH greater than 5.5. It is seen that white flowers are not affected by pH.

Planting hydrangeas
Hydrangeas need to be planted about 3 to 10 feet apart, in rich and moist soils. Compost needs to be added to soils that are not moist enough. Planting needs to be done during spring or during fall. Planting the shrubs needs to be done in a hole and then filled with soil to half the depth. Once water is added and drained, more soil must be added to fill the rest of the hole.

Caring for hydrangeas
The leaves of hydrangeas will wilt if the soil is too dry. To avoid that, after planting or during dry weather, the hydrangeas should be watered properly. Though fertilizers are encouraged, it should be noted that too much fertilizer will cause leafy growth and lesser flowers. So, as a common practice, it is not required to fertilize hydrangeas if the soil is rich. If the soil is not very rich or is sandy, it is good to fertilize the plants once a year during late winter or spring. During the fall, cover the plants to a depth of 18 inches or more using pine needles, leaves or straw. However, it’s advisable to cover the entire plant by making snow fencing or chicken wire cages and filling the cages with leaves.

Pruning a hydrangea
Pruning is done by cutting one or two of the oldest stems down to the base so that branching can happen. But if the plant is old or neglected or damaged, it is advisable to prune all the stems down till the base. This also includes the flowers  that will renovate the plant for future seasons. The process of removing faded and dead blooms is called deadheading. The process or the time to prune a hydrangea depends on the type of hydrangea. The technique varies from one variety to another. For example, Mophead and Lacecap, are two common varieties that are pruned after the flowers fade. Other hydrangeas like panicle and smooth hydrangeas are pruned in a different way. They should be pruned late winter when the plant is dormant before flowering. So, if the buds are killed during late winter, they will produce new buds in spring which will produce flowers. It’s a best practice to prune only dead branches.

Landscaping and landscape design serve the purpose of trying to beautify the area that surrounds us. However, it is not always affordable for people to do this to their gardens.

In today’s world, most people live in apartments or flats, and do not have the place or the resources to maintain huge gardens. As these are an essential requirement for any elaborate landscape design, they opt out of it.

For people who would like to make their small outdoor gardens or even kitchen gardens more attractive, many simple Do-It-Yourself projects exist, that require very little effort to implement. Here are some of them:

Lavender lines paths are one option to consider. These flowers are indestructible, and add a wonderful fragrance to gardens.
Climbing Vines are easy to maintain and good to look at. Drape these vines on front gates or at the edges of windows. This immediately gives the home a more fresh and natural look. Maintain a tiny kitchen garden and line it with whatever edible herbs used on a regular basis. This adds a little bit of greenery to a home, and provides fresh herbs to add to meals in a minute’s notice!
Some homes have small gardens with little space to move around them. A chair and a small table added to such areas can do wonders to its ambience. It also forms the perfect place to relax after a long day at work or enjoy pleasant mornings.
Pot hangers are another popular idea for homes that have a deficit of ground space. Each pot could have a different flower in it and they can create a very picturesque ambience at any place!

These are little things done at homes to make it more beautiful. However, there are also some ideas for large gardens. These Landscapes require a higher degree of maintenance. Such ideas include:

Small water fountains and/or birdbaths in gardens add to its aesthetic beauty.
In very large gardens, growing flowers in a way to divide the entire garden into smaller units will make it easier for the viewer to see all areas of the garden easily.
Adding different plant foliage and different flowers to the garden provides the change of color that the eyes will enjoy.
Cover the garden sheds and outdoor units with rambling vines and blooming shrubs.

Add these small personal touches to give your garden a nicer atmosphere.

If you pride on having a green thumb and love gardening, then weeds are your worst nightmare. Weeds are not just detrimental for the plant’s growth, they make your yard look neglected. If you wouldn’t want your blanket flowers to wither away because of the weeds, then weed trimmers are your best friends.

Your dilemma doesn’t end here. There is a huge variety of weed trimmers to choose from. What if the one you just brought, instead of beautifying your lawn destroys it? Well, here are the best weed trimmers that would give you the results that you wish for.

The Husqvarna- This 17inch, 28 cc weed trimmer is the best equipment you can find for your garden. You needn’t fear about cutting yourself since it is quite user-friendly. Though the machine vibrates to some extent, you are safe since the vibrations won’t jerk the machine out of your hands. It is almost vibration-free to a certain point and can cut through the weeds with great ease. The semi-auto spool feeding is a feature that every owner finds useful

GreenWorks- This light weight and affordable weed trimmer does its work efficiently. Do not let the light weight and low price fool you into thinking that it won’t be as effective as its counterparts. It is 18inches and 9.9lbs, equipped with a trigger handle designed to reduce the impact of the vibrations. Also, it has an additional control shaft on the handle that makes it easier for the user to maneuver it

Black and Decker- This battery-powered weed trimmer is the best deal you can land up with if you are looking for something that is extremely powerful and worth every penny you can spend. It is cordless and thus, you are safe from problems caused by tangling of wires. Though it is battery-powered, it is light-weight and can make your garden œweed-free in no time

Hitachi- This 21.1cc machine is the perfect weed killer. It is a gas-powered weed trimmer that can weed out your entire lawn in no time. It has an anti-vibration system, is CARB compliant and to the delight of the owner is equipped with semi-auto spool feeding. If cost-efficient weed trimmer is what you are on the lookout for, then do not think twice before opting for this one

Core- The environment-friendly wee d trimmer is the perfect choice for the ones who are concerned about the environment. It is gasless! The Conductor Optimized Rotary Energy (CORE) is responsible for its eco-friendly features.

So, the next time you go shopping for weed trimmers, you know what exactly to look for.

Rosa is the botanical name of rose. Roses need full sun exposure to grow well. They come in many colors and are perennial flower plants. They bloom is spring, summer and fall. Know more about your roses to care for them the right way. Caring consists of practices like pruning, watering, taking care of their soil, fertilizing and showing them the sun.

Pruning is done right when you start from the bottom of the bush all the way to the top. Avoid pruning form the top canes and start from the bottom. Here, starting from the start is the way to go. Cut the older canes. Identifying an old cane is not that difficult as the ones that are old are dark, craggy and gray. The new ones are greenest and that can help you find the old canes.

Water more when the weather is hot and less in cold. Sometimes, even steady rainfall is not sufficient for your roses, so make sure you water them regularly. When you water, water them deeply so the entire root gets the water. If your drainage is good, little extra water will not spoil the bush. Watering also depends on the type of rose bush you have along with the size of the bush. Whenever you find the soil drying out, water them. You might even have to dig a bit to check if the soil is dry inside so you can water it again.

Roses require a pH level of soil to be 6.5 to 7. If you find that the soil is too acidic, you may add some form of lime to balance out the acidic content. If the soil is too alkaline, you may use aluminum sulfate and sulfur to balance the soil. You must use professional help of you cannot make the right soil condition for your rose bush. If you do not want to risk soil, you can buy soil meant for growing rose plant from the botany shop or online.

Knock out roses are a shrub of roses that produce vibrant color of roses like red, pink and yellow. They are low maintenance and are great for someone who is a inexperienced in gardening. It is also easy to prune knockout roses but need to be regularly pruned. Only remember to make the cut an inch above a cane’s bud. Time, angle of cut and purpose is usually not important here, but you can prune them at the end of summer or at early fall for the best results.

Try your hand at landscaping your home with the simple steps listed here for beginners. It is a good way to spend your free time and improve the curb appeal of your home.

Put it down on paper: Make a list of all your needs and wants. Do you want a play area for the kids? Or are you looking at bringing the living space outdoors for a change? What types of plants do you want in your garden? Make up your mind on your basic requirements, making it easier for you to go about your personal project.

Start up front: If you’re wondering where to start a landscape transformation, look no further than your front yard. It’s the first thing that you see driving up to your house, and you can wow guests before they even enter your home. Just remember that curb appeal is important, but no matter how pretty your landscape is, it needs to be functional.

Hardscape first: Do all of your hardscaping projects before you start planting.These can include a porch, sidewalk, driveway, parking areas, decks, fencing, patios, and arbor. Hardscaping usually involves construction, which can compact your soil or damage turf and plantings, so it’s important to complete any heavy work before plantings begin. Give a concrete or stone finish based on your preference and try to the texture of it all balanced.

Soil is key: The planting bed should be made conducive for the growth of plants you have chosen. Adding organic matter such as finely shredded pine bark, peat moss, mushroom compost or leaf mold before setting out plants. Loose, fertile soil will encourage root growth on new plantings and allow them to become established quickly. Clearly, define your turf and bed lines. First, use a garden hose to lay out your bed lines then use orange spray paint to mark the lines.

Backyard living: Your backyard should be an outdoor living area to enjoy. If you need privacy, install wooden fencing or large shrubs around the perimeter to create walls. Decks and patios make great sitting or dining areas when the weather’s appropriate and they create a nice overflow for guests during parties.

Outdoor grill: Grilling stations or outdoor kitchens can be used to cook your meals and not heat up the kitchen. Fire pits and outdoor fireplaces are very popular and allow you to enjoy your yard even when there’s a little chill in the air. Both these options make for easy entertaining or a fun family activity.