In this video, Dan Cooper of Dan Cooper Garden (https://www.dancoopergarden.com/) explains which garden tools are essential and which are the most useful garden tools. You don’t need to buy and store lots of tools – these are the best ones for the most common gardening jobs, especially if you have a smaller garden.
If you’re new to gardening, this video covers the basics of the tools you need. So you can build up your garden tool collection over time, and not waste money on buying tools you rarely use.
The recommendations are not brand specific and the tips should help you shopping for tools wherever you are. Many of Dan Cooper’s favourite tools are available from Dan Cooper Garden (some in links by the time stamp below). There are also Amazon (affiliate) links to tools I use myself.
00:00 Welcome
00:15 Dan Cooper Garden: https://www.dancoopergarden.com/
00:18 The most essential garden tool – a trowel
00:51 The pros and cons of copper tools (Copper trowel: https://www.dancoopergarden.com/products/copper-trowel-deva)
01:40 The second most useful tool – secateurs/pruning shears. Secateurs from Niwaki https://www.dancoopergarden.com/products/niwaki-mainichi-secateurs and Felco:https://amzn.to/3JYvN09
02:32 Gardening gloves! Nitrile gloves: https://www.dancoopergarden.com/products/niwaki-gardening-gloves-medium and Leather gloves: https://www.dancoopergarden.com/products/tough-touch-glove-mens
04:38 Why a dustpan and brush is next
05:19 Get a really good bucket! Hardware stores or Amazon: https://amzn.to/3nwz1AG
05:53 How to group pots and other container garden tips: https://youtu.be/yfnzPsEWuIE
06:04 How to grow chrysanthemums video:https://youtu.be/nfVnWF5nXMY
06:26 A lawn-mower or a strimmer? You may not need both!
06:58 A spade
07:39 A hand fork
08:10 A weeding tool – claw cultivator or grubber
08:52 Hand hoe
09:05 Snips for dead-heading. Niwaki https://www.dancoopergarden.com/products/niwaki-forged-snips or Darlac https://amzn.to/3zkgZUY
09:30 How to Make a Flower Border Look Amazing (Frances Moskovits) https://youtu.be/qxVxUDkiwWs
10:35 Pruning saw
11:25 Shears
12:00 Knee pads or kneeler
12:50 A hose pipe or watering can
13:55 A wheelbarrow or flexible trugs
15:33 Beginner gardener playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrZRLHPUbGmAh8h12YKl_2tc4VftUPP6f
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23 Comments
Great advice thank you
I’ve noticed since using pure copper tools the amount of slugs and snails in my garden has decreased.
Hori Hori knife? Literally the one tool I carry on me all day with my secateurs.
I bought a mattock yesterday, my soil is like concrete!
Good subject video.
I myself use stainless steel tools. Never had rust and yes are harder and more durable. I always clean them for hanging up on the wall. Sometimes give them a wipe with a light oil.
I’m surprised that a Japanese hori hori trowel knife was not mentioned in this video. Just as another option 😊
To be honest though I still prefer using my regular trowel over the hori hori knife.
I wouldn't be without my potato fork and a sturdy garden rake.
Just the advice I needed. 👍. Good to be out in the garden again.
Thank you for introducing me to Dan Cooper. I always find his insights instructive and useful. Another excellent video for me to have my Saturday morning coffee with .
Long handles on hoes, spades, cultivators… Then you don't always have to squat, kneel, or bend…
Options
Hm. I used a pick ax alot. Least thats what i think its called. 2 sided one a bit wider than the other. Also um a big heavy hoe. Its not really a hoe its like for wacking holes sorta like using the pick ax, just as heavy and solid. Mediteranean rocky where i live. No rain more than half a year. AND an old bed sheet instead of a wheelbarrow.
An old bed sheet, holds more than a wheelbarrow.
Very informative! I was surprised to see the brush and pan, but realize now how important that is. Dan's potted garden has been a great inspiration (epiphany really!) for me. I have a large garden, but some smaller "problem spots" that are now going over to all pots, with good success. My favorite hand tool here is a putty knife; I can use it as a scraper to remove tiny weeds, cut off weed roots, etc. So right about gloves! I have a bucket full of cheap useless gloves and two pairs of excellent leather ones.
Gloves are essential in the US due to poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac. Thank you for this video.
Very good video, informative! Copper who knew …
Thank you Alexandra and Dan. Leather gloves are a bit too expensive for me, so I wear a pair of old knitted gloves with a large size pair of cheap rubber gloves over the top to keep my hands dry. An old fruit knife works well for slicing through weed roots just below the surface. In fact a lot of my old household items end up in the garden, an old washing up bowl makes a great tool container, and I am never without an old plastic dustpan and a brush either!
Instead of a wheelbarrow (that tips) we use a sturdy (heavy duty!) dumper-wagon with four wide wheels. (Not a cart.) Our brand comes in two sizes; we are so glad we bought the larger although it cost almost $200 US. We found ours at a nursery, not at the typical hardware or bigbox store. I think of it as utilitarian statuary, as it sits in view even when not in use. 15:40
Great video!
Such helpful information! I have lots of garden tools and have my "go to's" but will try some of these as replacements!
Good afternoon Alexandra and Dan, As always we get to learn some new ideas instead of just chugging along on the old system. To buy better quality garden tools is good advice. The cheaper ones even though we take care of them, they just do not last. But I must admit, it all depends on the gardener 🙂 how tools are used. It was most interesting to read that copper tools keep snails and slugs away, well to remember that. I do love beautiful garden tools and I have to admit the British garden tools are just gorgeous and a pleasure to use. Thank you for discussing just the basic tools, we can always add on! Do enjoy the gardening and I love Dan's beautiful apron. Do take care until next time. Kind regards, Elize.
Choose loppers over a pruning saw.
I agree totally with most of Dan's choices but swear by my border fork and spade, long handled lawn edging shears,and a long Dutch hoe
Very informative, M'Lady. Although I do find that sometimes I find I also need non-sequiturs. 🙄😉In all seriousness, your vids are the highlight of my Saturday mornings! Sincere thanks from across the pond. ❤🇬🇧❤
This is a very cool topic, Alexandra. Just personally I agree with numbers one and two in that order, but number three is something I haven't had. Half the fun of pruning rose bushes (in former gardens) and bougainvilleas (the current one) is to do it without getting cuts, knicks or torn flesh.