There is a small description of the most usially used garden tools:
Spade
Used mainly for planting and cultivating the spade should be the correct weight and have a suitable length and girth of handle to be comfortable in use. Many of the spades sold are much too short for taller people, if the blade does a good job it may be possible to replace the handle with a longer one from a hardware shop.
The blade has had many transformations over the years. Different regions have produced a spade best suited to the local soil conditions and the task to be carried out. For example a long narrow one for heavy stoney ground and wider, shorter ones for lighter soil; the narrower blade is usually more angled and is useful for digging field drains. Some of the first spades were made from wood and must have been a nightmare to use. The best one has a forged blade set at a slight angle, not straight in profile nor made of pressed steel, ie. folded out of sheet metal.
The choice between carbon and stainless steel is down to frequency of use. If the spade spends most of its time in the shed the stainless one will stay smooth and will pass easily through the soil. A thin layer of rust will form on the surface of the ordinary steel one if it is left for any length of time, and will tend to clog up with soil during use. The stainless blade wears away quicker, so may not last as long with frequent use, as a good quality forged one of similar price.
Most of the spades available are similar in shape and are of two sizes - the digging spade with a broad blade (right) and the border spade (left) which is smaller and lighter. The latter is also useful for digging narrower drains and post holes as it removes less material. They tend not to have a proper tread on the shoulders of the blade, the sharp point is painful on the foot and cuts into the sole of shoes and wellington boots, ruining them. There are small plastic guards which clip on, but the best remedy is to have a small piece of iron bar welded on to make the shoulder thicker.
Fork
Slightly lighter and with a similar overall profile to the spade, the garden fork is best for cultivating soil, especially in new ground. The tines are much easier to push into the soil if it is stoney and in clay soil it breaks up the clods more easily. Also when removing perennial weeds it is easier to tease out the roots without cutting them. As with spades the length of the handle is important for ease of use.
Some people recommend using two forks back-to-back to tease apart the roots of perennial plants when dividing them, but with some roots it is best to cut them with a spade or an old kitchen knife.
Stainless steel does not have an advantage over carbon steel as a little rust on the tines will not signify - the choice is purely a cosmetic one. Infact good quality carbon steel tines will probably last longer and may be more resistant to bending.
As with the spade there are two main sizes - a digging fork and a smaller border fork. The smaller size is sometimes called a 'lady's fork' as it is easier to handle.
Hand Trowel
For smaller jobs such as planting bulbs and bedding plants in cultivated soil. A stainless steel version is probably best as the blade stays cleaner and is easier to spot if left lying around. Choose one made from forged metal rather than pressed steel as one good heave will leave the latter version bent or broken. The whole tool or part of it can be used as a measure when planting out.
Hand Fork
The most useful garden tool when hand weeding to loosen the soil around the weeds and ensure that all of the roots come out. Then afterwards a general scuffle over the surface leaves a tidy finish. It can also be used for planting out. A stainless steel one has a nicer feel when working and is easier to spot in the flowerbed. Another use is to scribe along crevices in paving to dislodge moss and weeds, although this can result in uneven wear.
Hoe
The two main types are the draw hoe and the cutting hoe. The draw hoe has its blade set at a right-angle to the shaft and is used to draw soil towards the operator when making planting drills or when mounding-up potatoes.
The cutting hoe is pushed back-and-forth, just below the surface of the soil in a sliding motion and is used for weeding. The blade is more in line with the handle and there are a few designs, the most common being the Dutch Hoe where the flat blade is supported on each side in a D-shape. The Swoe (pictured) has a pointed blade facing sideways from the handle supported on one side, which is easier to use between plants. The blade of both types should always be sharp to cleanly sever the topgrowth from the roots, it also reduces the effort needed to use them. They are used frequently to catch the weeds as early as possible. In dry weather the constantly disturbed surface develops a 'dry mulch' which conserves moisture below it and is less likely to induce seeds to germinate. Even with perennial weeds, if they are frequently deprived of their topgrowth, they will die away.
It may be necessary to sharpen the blade quite frequently with stoney ground and a sharpening stone is handy to have for this.
Rake
The conventional draw rake (top left) is used for levelling soil, gathering stones on the surface and when preparing the tilth on seedbeds. So after the grass is sown it may not be needed unless you have a vegetable plot.
The spring-tined rake (bottom left) is great for removing thatch and moss from the lawn. This one has done a lot of work and has been retired.
A leaf rake (top right) is probably the most efficient tool for clearing up a heavy drop of leaves. It can also be used to distribute a topdressing on the lawn, working it down into the sward.
The Wolf Garten scarifier (bottom right) has taken the place of the spring-tined rake. Its solid, hooked tines cut through the toughest thatch and the wheels keep it at a constant level.
Secateurs (Pruners)
There are two main types with bypass or anvil blades. With the former the blades move past each other to make the cut and with the latter a thin, sharp blade is brought down onto a flat one. The bypass gives a cleaner cut with less crushing of the stem and if pruning a side shoot the cut can be made closer to the main stem. Some have a ratchet mechanism to reduce the mechanical effort needed to perform the cut - the handles are closed a few times to bring the blades together. A spring between the handles moves them apart for ease of use, and there should be a small rubber buffer to cushion the closure point which reduces the risk of repetitive strain injury.
After repeated use the blades become covered with dried sap which tends to push bypass blades slightly apart, so giving the appearance that they are blunt. To remedy this use fine emery paper on the insides of the blades to remove the residue. One of the blades of bypass secateurs is thinner and sharper than the other and can be sharpened, the other one should be left alone. The thin blade on anvil secatuers can also be sharpened. There are a number of handy diamond encrusted files and carborundum stones available for the job.
If pruning out diseased material from a plant, the blades should be disinfected before using on another job. Use a cloth soaked in methylated spirits or play a flame over the blades - a lighter will do.
Felco are considered to be the 'Rolls-Royce' of pruners.
Shears
With the advent of hedge trimmers and line trimmers, even in the smallest of gardens, shears are not used as often now. They still have their uses for doing topiary and removing faded foliage in the perennial border. Also for a really sharp edge on the lawn there is nothing to beat long-handled grass shears.
As with secateurs, dry sap builds up on the blades so it should be removed with fine emery paper to keep the shears working efficiently.
The shears pictured have extendable handles for better reach.
Loppers
These are more or less heavy duty secateurs with long handles for cutting thicker branches, and come with similar bypass or anvil blades. Some have a lever system to reduce the effort needed to operate them and telescopic handles allow for better reach, but this makes the opened tool very wide and difficult to manoeuvre in tight spaces.
For pruning trees and climbers, there are loppers which fit onto extendable shafts and are operated by a pully system to give a reach of 5 metres or more.
Pruning Saw
Very useful for removing branches which are too thick for secateurs or loppers, and when working in confined spaces. The blade is curved and the teeth are ground so that it cuts on the pull stroke - the curve forces the blade into the cut. This is very effective for one handed operation and if the saw is used on an extended handle.
The one pictured has a removable handle which allows it to clip into an extendable shaft to reach into trees or across thick hedges. There are also fold-away versions which fit into the jacket pocket.
Mattock
A mattock resembles a pickaxe and is mainly used for uprooting shrubs and small trees. The flat blade is used to dig out the soil and the sharp axe end for cutting the roots. For smaller specimens and brambles, one swing with the digging blade usually does the job. It can also be used like an Azada or chillington hoe for loosening hard soil and for scraping off a dense area of weeds, before digging. Both blades should be kept quite sharp with a file or an angle grinder. When using the latter be careful not to overheat the metal as it will destroy the temper installed in the metal during the forging process; use short strokes and stop if a blue colour starts to develop indicating that it is to hot.
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