Most basic essential market garden / farm tools for the cheapskate

Market gardening can be a really bewildering maze of tools to someone getting into the field. If you follow all the advice you see out there, you’ll probably spend thousands of dollars on tools just to get started up — thousands of dollars you probably don’t have. But can you spare a couple hundred just for the essentials? Below are my preliminary recommendations…

I’m going to focus on Canadian sourcing/pricing here. I didn’t necessarily find the lowest price around, so use your best judgement + Craigslist & Kijiji, garage sales and rummaging through the unused tools in sheds and garages of friends and family.

1. Hori-Hori / Soil Knife

Simply the best go-to tool for transplanting, up-close-and-personal weeding, and many other surprising uses. I personally *hate* everything made by Fiskars, but you can buy an awesome one starting at $27.50 from Lee Valley.

2. Pruning shears

Again, don’t fool around with Fiskars, even though they’re available everywhere. The quality of their products is just too cheap to make it a worthwhile purchase. Spend the extra money on a Felco (Lee Valley) or Corona. $61

3. Long-handled pointed shovel

I can’t get into short-handled shovels, because I’m tall and there’s also less leverage — which becomes more problematic the more work you try to do at one haul. Likewise, I also think getting one with a wooden handle is just better in terms of feel than a metal handle or whatever other fake crap shovels are made from today. Wood handles can also be potentially replaced, or re-used easily in some other context — though depending on the quality of the shovel head and the pricing of new shovels, it may be easier just to buy a new unit.

I think you’re allowed to buy a cheap shovel, with the recognition that you will eventually break it (though not for a couple years at least). $16 at Walmart, though I imagine you could find one cheaper somewhere…

4. Garden hoe

Again a cheap one may work, but expect to break it — and more frequently than you would break a shovel (maybe one will last you a year or two), because it works in a hacking motion which puts more abrupt shock/force onto the tool. Again, wood handles have a better feel for regular use. $13 at Rona.

5. Garden fork

I would love to find one of these things with a long handle, but they are hard to come by. $19 Reno Depot

6. Hard rake

Have at least a hard rake (bow rake), though a soft rake (like for leaves) will probably be a good idea also. I wouldn’t ever buy another soft rake with plastic tines, if I were me… $16 at Home Depot

7. Wheelbarrow

My advice is take whatever you can get as far as wheelbarrows go. Cheap used ones are easy to find. I tend to prefer metal tools wherever possible, and a new one of 5 cubic foot capacity at Reno Depot will run you $60.

(I personally really prefer a good garden cart to a wheelbarrow, but the price difference tends to be enormous. I will however try to put together a better plan for a DIY cart in the near future.)

8. Tarp

A million and one uses. Often better for collecting and hauling debris than even a wheelbarrow. I tend to dig smaller ones like 10'x12' or even 6'x8'. You will almost never be pissed off at yourself later for buying a tarp. $4 at Reno Depot.

9. Five gallon buckets

Absolutely an essential item, but if you can’t find at least a few of these for free, maybe you should reconsider your budding career as a farmer/market gardener. I’ll include it in this list just to round out the cost estimate for startup tools. $4 at Home Depot.

Recap:

1. Hori-hori (soil knife) — $27.50
2. Pruning shears (good ones!) — $61
3. Long round shovel — $16
4. Hoe — $13
5. Fork — $19
6. Hard rake — $16
7. Wheelbarrow — $60
8. Tarp — $4
9. 5-gallon bucket — $4

Sub-Total (before tax): $220.50

If you buy cheap alternatives to the first two, you can chop about $40 off that total. If you hunt around for used wheelbarrow, shovels, hoe, fork & rake, you should be able to knock another $60 bucks or more off.

Two things I didn’t add to this list, but should:

10. Basic hand saw

Not necessarily a “garden” tool, but the times you’ll need it in relation to a garden-task qualify it for inclusion. The most basic one with sharp teeth will work fine. $10 at Rona.

11. Hammer

Any. Old. Hammer. Will. Do. At least until you know better, then you can treat yourself to a fancy one. Til then, $7 at Home Depot will suffice for driving the quick nail here and there.

12. 4lb Sledge Hammer

For driving sticks and markers into the soil. You could do it with a regular hammer, but you’ll be happier doing it with a sledge hammer. A small one (4lb) will probably cover most of your needs and a slightly longer-handled one for general use (as opposed to short ones for masonry work) will probably be more useful. $14 at Canac.

Hand-Saw $10

Hammer $7

Sledge $13

Added to our running total: $240.50 before tax. Again, shop around and you’ll easily knock a hundred dollars off this price.