Jasmine Birtles
Your money-making expert. Financial journalist, TV and radio personality.
The perfect tool kit for any novice gardener
Reading Time: 6 minutesThe perfect tool kit for any novice gardener
The days are getting longer, the sun is making more of an appearance and (depending on where you are in the country), the weather is getting warmer. If you’re like me and love getting out in the garden, now is the perfect time to start your gardening adventure. You don’t have to be an expert to be a gardener.
But we’re all friends here. If you’re a newbie – don’t be afraid! Even if you don’t have a big garden, have a courtyard or even a balcony to work with, there are many ways you can cultivate and watch your hard work bloom into something amazing.
Our writer Rachel is an RHS trained gardener, so knows a real thing or two about horticulture. On the other hand, I’ve only been a keen gardener for a year or two and have learned most of my skills from my more experienced Dad, Bill.
In fact, I’ve enlisted his help for this article, to give some insight into the life of a gardener. Meet Bill, a teacher and part-time radio host from Essex. He taught me all I know about gardening, and I have been lucky enough to get his knowledge whenever I am a bit stuck or overwhelmed with my garden.
Here’s the ultimate toolkit for any novice gardener, with advice from Bill, and some recommendations from me, Magpie Izzy.
Getting started
“Whilst there isn’t a beginning or an end to the Gardener’s calendar the end of spring and early summer are perhaps the most exciting weeks and months. As the air and soil warm up, the growing begins,” says Bill.
He continues: “Our garden friends come out from their winter lodgings. The insects begin their happy humming, and birds share their chatter. Creativity, reward and simple pleasures await the Gardener once more.
“Gardening is as easy or difficult as you want it to be. No matter how much time you can spare, the type and size of your garden, whether you are a novice or have seasons of experience under your gardening gloves, there is gardening to suit.”
Books
Everyone will be planting different things, depending on the size and type of space you have. If you have a windowsill or a small balcony, you can still grow herbs and flowers.
Bill says: “Find a simple and straightforward book to get started, stick with it and remember that there will always be some things that don’t work, some bits that are eaten by natures companions, and some bits that are magnificent.
“Never despair if it’s not all perfect. You can always try something different next year. That’s what keeps gardening fun and fresh. It’s always a work in progress.”
For small scale gardening, ‘Container Gardening for Beginners’ is a good book to try. It tells you how to grow in abundance, without the need for lots of space. For a more general view of gardening, the what, why and how is explained perfectly in LD Greens’ ‘Gardening for Complete Beginners’.
I also must give a shout-out to a friend of MoneyMagpie and all-round lifestyle pro, Nancy Birtwhistle. ‘The Green Gardening Handbook’ is jam-packed with tips, tricks and info on how to go green in the garden. Whether you’re working with a windowsill, small patch, or sprawling lawns, this is the book for you.
Planting
“For simple and long-lasting summer colours, try pansies, geraniums, and marigolds. A packet of poppy seeds can bring a mass of colour to any corner of the garden,” says Bill.
What about vegetables? Bill replies: “Growing your own veg that can be picked minutes before you eat is healthy, tastier – and very inexpensive. A packet of mixed lettuce types, sown in succession every 4 weeks will provide you with ample fresh green salads from May until October.
“And single packets of radish and spring onions seeds contain hundreds of potential plants, all of which can be grown in space saving pots and trays. Try a few tomato plants and a couple of chilis too – most varieties will grow happily outdoors, especially with a nice warming brick wall behind them.
“A few spinach plants, and maybe a courgette plant too. Look for these at boot sales and village fetes, and often sold for charity from people’s front gates and gardens. Once you’ve tasted your own home-grown produce, you’ll always want to grow more!”
If you’re looking to go down the route of flowers, but aren’t sure of the variety, it may be worth getting a mixed bag. This flower seed sack has 30 different varieties of seed, with beautiful flowers to attract all sorts of nature to your space. Bees, butterflies and birds will be brightening your garden even more. You can even grow them inside if preferred.
Growing your own herbs is not only much cheaper than buying them ready-grown, but they are easy to grow in even the smallest of spaces. This grow-your-own herbs starter pack comes with 12 different varieties of herbs, including dill, chives, coriander, parsley and basil. Easy, and your meals will be bursting with flavour.
The same can be said for salad and veg. Whether you’re in the mood for peppers, lettuce or tomatoes, this Salad Seed Variety Pack has everything you need for a bright and colourful summer bowl of goodness. Vegetables will often need to be started indoors, then moved outside as they grow. You gardening books will help you learn when produce should be planted throughout the year. Carrots, onions, french beans and cauliflower are all inside this vegetable seed pack.
Tools
“A trip to the garden centre can be daunting – there is so much to tempt you. But keep it simple. One spade, one fork, one rake, one trowel,” says Bill.
He adds: “Get a ball of string and some sticks to mark out rows of seeds sown and a couple of trays for starting off things indoors. You may need some longer sticks for taller plants like tomatoes to be tied to.”
For smaller spaces and container gardening, Bill suggests, “A few pots if you want to grow on patios and windowsills. And a watering can. All of these can be found at boot sales. Or ask experienced gardeners, they always have bits and pieces spare.”
Digging
If you have a small space, get yourself a kit of small tools to use. I like this heavy-duty 9-piece gardening tool set, as it comes with all the bits and bobs you need in one kit. However, if you don’t want all the extras and just want a simple set of tools, this 3-piece kit will do the trick too.
Every good gardener needs a spade. They don’t need to be big, heavy and expensive either. This carbon steel spade has a comfortable handle and is lightweight, so you won’t struggle to use it. I know I’ve come away from gardening before feeling like I’ve lifted weights due to the sheer heaviness of the spade.
If you want to go all out and get a set, this fork and spade set will set you up for success.
Cutting
So, you’ve planted your seeds, set everything up, and you’re ready to go. But bushes, trees and shrubs are growing out of control, and you want to give your space a good tidy up and some pruning. Scissors can do the trick for small herbs and flowers, but if you have sprawling land to cover, some sturdier tools may be helpful.
For smaller plants that scissors can’t quite hack, a pair of garden secateurs will help you trim and clip away. A pair of shears will help you trim higher-up trees and the tops of bushes, and they make it much quicker to do so. A hand saw will help you saw any thicker branches and shrubs, leaving you with a tidy garden.
Grass
Don’t get me started on grass. You mow the lawn and get it looking fresh and lovely, only for it to grow back in the blink of an eye over the summer months. Big, bulky and heavy lawnmowers can make even the smallest of lawns seem like a huge chore.
I have the Flymo EasiMow Electric Lawn Mower, and I like it for a handful of reasons. It’s significantly lighter than my previous lawn mower, and it has an integrated rear roller to create that clean ‘striped’ effect on your lawn. It can also be used right up to the edge of a patch of grass, meaning far less time trimming.
If you have a small patch of grass, a manual lawn mower may do the trick. No electricity or fuel required, simply walk the manual mower around the garden to cut the grass. Simple and effective.
Safety
Of course, gardening is fun and rewarding, but make sure you are putting safety first. Not only that, but making sure you’re protected from thorns, spiky branches, and scratchy leaves can make everything more comfortable, and easier. Get yourself a sturdy pair of gloves and for certain activities, some protective goggles.
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