Landscape Supplies

Landscaping Supplies
It seems pretty simple, but you would be surprised what people try to do.  Having the right tools makes a big difference.

Gloves and Boots
You need leather gloves and tough boots.  The leather gloves should protect against prickly plants and blisters.  The boots will make digging much easier. In addition, you won’t get lots of stickers in your socks and dirt in your shoes.

Shovels
Use round pointed shovels for digging and flat shovels for cleaning up.  Make sure you are using a sharp shovel when digging.

Brooms and Blowers
You will need a large broom for clean up.  A high powered version is a blower.  Blowers can save you hours of time.  They are worth their weight in gold.  Stihl is a good brand to buy.

Pruning Shears and Hedge Trimmers
Hand shears are best for small plants and large loppers for larger plants.  For quick trimming of hedges, you will need a motorized hedge trimmer.

Axes and Picks 
Most homeowners don’t know what kind of pick to buy or don’t even have one.  Picks can save you lots and lots of time when digging.  The most valuable pick is the Railroad Pick.  It can get tough rocky soil loosened up. A Pulaski is best for digging in soft soil and taking out roots.  Always have a sharp ax on hand to take out tree roots.  They are often in the way. 

Screwdrivers and Sprinkler Adjustments
Screwdrivers are needed to adjust sprinkler heads.  Keep a small Rainbird screwdriver on hand to adjust sprinkler heads.  If you have Toro, Orbit, or Hunter have the respective tool on hand.

Broadcast Spreader
Fertilization applications need to be evenly dispersed.  The Scotts broadcast spreader is very inexpensive and will last for many years.  It is available at your local hardware store.

Hats and Sunscreen
Working in the sun can burn your skin or cause skin cancer.  Wear a wide brimmed hat and sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. 

Sun Glasses
It’s no fun to squint all day long and UV rays can cause macular degeneration of the eye later in life. 

Wheelbarrow
Once I was looking for a wheelbarrow to use.  I checked with five neighbors and all of them had a flat tire.  Buy a wheelbarrow that won’t go flat and one that is made of solid metal.  It will be handy for many years.  Plastic wheelbarrows often break with any rough use. 

Push Mowers
Honda is the easiest to control and the most reliable.  It also picks up grass the best.  However, it has a hard time going through tall grass and isn’t particularly fast.  The hydrostatic transmission is much more expensive and probably not worth the money for most buyers.   

Toro Mowers are faster and cut through tall grass better than Honda Mowers. 

Don’t buy a cheap no name mower unless you are on a tight budget. 

Zero Turn Mowers
Zero turn mowers are much easier to control than other riding mowers.  Walker is a brand that has earned considerable respect amongst professionals. 

If the price seems too steep, go with a good John Deere. They are much cheaper and will still last for many years. 

Toro isn’t the best brand, but has the most dealers around.  It is a reputable product, but not outstanding in performance.

Edgers – Echo or Stihl
Echo is the dominant force.  They are lighter and better balanced than Stihl.  However, Stihl is probably more durable.  Don’t get combination stick edgers because they are a pain to change out. 

Don’t buy any other brands.  You will regret it. 

Straight shaft edgers are the choice of professionals.  They are much easier to control and safer to use.  They cost a little more due to the fact that the technology to make them is more complex.  The curved shaft edgers can work well for a single homeowner, but they are harder to use and since they are closer to you they are less safe. 

Green line is more durable than orange line and square line is more durable than round line.