To get you started on your garden, here are five essential tools that every gardener needs:

1. A garden hand trowel. Every gardener needs this essential tool for digging and scooping dirt in your garden. The Ergonomic Garden Trowel makes digging and scooping dirt in smaller quantities much easier. The handle has an ergonomic design that puts less strain on your hand. The base is made of aluminum and is lightweight to handle.

Besides having a nice look edging will help keep the flower soil separate from the rest of your lawn.  This can be a benefit when you want to keep the soil in your flower bed from overflowing onto your grass.  It also can work vice versa and keep grass from creeping in and starting to grow within your flower bed.

If you are looking for the benefits above, you need to get some edging!  A product that is very long lasting is the Ultra-Edge Composite Garden Edging.  While it is easy to bend this edging to fit your desired shape, it will never crack.  The Ultra-Edge Composite Garden Edging can be ordered in brown or green, so you can pick whichever color you feel would best match your garden.  If you are looking for black edging, you could get the Master Gardner Series Professional Recycled Black Edging.  It is an environmentally friendly way to make your garden look great

If you are looking for a beautiful addition to your garden, borders are the way to go!  There are so many borders that have such beautiful designs.  You can be sure to find one that will match your backyard decor.  One of my favorites is the Double Scroll Steel Edging (Case of 20), which has the classic scroll design.  For a different design, you should consider the Canterbury Steel Garden Edging (Case of 20), which is pictured above.  Not only could you use the Double Scroll Steel Edging (Case of 20) and Canterbury Steel Garden Edging (Case of 20) to line your garden beds, but you could use it to line walkways, driveway, or even your patio or porch!

Not only is there edging and borders that can prevent grass from spreading to your flower garden, but there is also landscape paper that can prevent weeds from doing the same!  The WeedBlock Mulch Landscape Paper suppresses weed growth, while allowing your garden’s plants to get the air and water they crave.  The WeedBlock Mulch Landscape Paper is perfect for organic gardening and can be used on annuals or even vegetable plants.

When thinking about the type of support you need, always go with a bigger or stronger support.  You are not doing any favors to your garden if you are not providing the proper amount of support.  Huge plants, including perennials, will collapse if they are not being supported by thick stacks or tall rings.

Whether you use stakes or rings is personal preference.  I personally use rings, like the Peony Plant Support Hoops – Garden Zone, shown to the right.  Although it has the name “peony,” you can really use them for any perennial!  If you prefer stakes, you can get Sturdy Steel Green Stakes 3 ft. (Case of 20),  which are definitely strong enough to support perennials  They are also great because they are rustproof and water proof.

When installing your support, keep the following tips in mind:

1. Install the rings or stakes early.  If your plant is as tall as your stake, it is definitely too late to install the support as it could damage the root system.  The best time to install support is when you first see the plant emerging from the soil.  If you use stakes, you need to place them close to the stem.

2. Make sure you drive the support deep into the ground.  This will ensure that the support is stable enough.  Keep in mind that the perennials will grow much larger, so it is important to always overestimate how tall you think the plant will become.

3. Fasten the stem to the support, particularly if you are using stakes.  Never use wire, as it can hurt the plant.  Use something soft that can not cut into a plant.  The ties I use are the Garden Tie Tape 150 ft (Case of 16), which is made of stretchy material that will expand as the plant grows so you will not have to constantly re-tie your plants.  Plus, Garden Tie Tape 150 ft (Case of 16) is green so it will blend right in with your garden.  It is a good idea to regularly check on your plants to ensure the tie is helping your plant grow, and not becoming too tight.

First, you could plant seeds indoors, getting a jump-start on their growth before you put them in the ground when the last spring frost passes.  With the Stack-A-Pot Stackable planter, shown to the right, you can plant herbs, fruits, or flowers, and enjoy them indoors!  This planter is collapsible, allowing for easy storage when you eventually move your plants outside.  This planter has 3 layers of pots, so you can enjoy a variety of plants during the winter months.  The planter is durable enough to keep outside, so you can choose to use it indoors or outdoors.

Winter is also a great time to sharpen your tools in preparation for gardening season.  The Gardensharp Tool Sharpener will make tools look brand new.  It can also sharpen lawnmower blades, large shovels, hoes, and scythes.  There is a full-length guard to protect your hands.  It will not rust, and can be easily cleaned with soap or water, or you could even through it in the dishwasher. This is safe easy to use sharpener is a must have for all gardeners!

There is no time like the present to start planning your garden for the spring.  One great thing to do is read and learn about new plants.  Planning the layout for your garden is a perfect way to pass the winter months.  Follow all of the suggestions about and the gardening season will be here before you know it!

A superior protective seal for pruned, grafted or damaged trees, roses or shrubs is called Pruning Sealer by Bonide. It contains an antiseptic and a sealant to kill and keep out infections and insects. It won’t burn your trees or run.

Choosing the right tools

Always check the cutting capacities of your pruning tools and don’t use them on stems thicker than recommended. It can cause a twisting action that may damage your tools.

Keeping your tools clean and sharp will extend their life, and they will make cleaner cuts as well. Simply dry your tools after each use and apply a few drops of oil to the blades and joints. Pruning tools that are gummed up with stubborn sap and dirt can be cleaned with an emery cloth.

• Tree pruners - Use on hard to reach branches.
• Loppers – Extended reach and leverage. For larger branches up to 2 inch diameter.
• Hedge shears – All hedges except larger woody branches. Pictured above are Wallace Hedge Shears – an excellent choice.
• Hand pruners – Use on stems up to 3/4 inch diameter

What should you prune off?
Any dead or diseased twigs or branches should be cut off as soon as they are noticed.
If you wish to do further tidying up, cut out thin weak twigs which can be seen not to have borne flowers or fruit. These occur mainly in shaded parts of the plant, at the base and in the center. Their removal will encourage growth in the rest of the plant.
Any crossing branches which will rub against and damage one another should be pruned off to leave a good, strong framework for the structure of the plant. This is particularly important with trees and especially apples.

Tools:

• 420HC Clip Point Knife
• Extra-small Screwdriver
• Medium Screwdriver
• Small Flat Phillips Screwdriver
• Spring-action Scissors
• Nail File/Cleaner
• Bottle Opener
• Ruler
• Tweezers

Measurements:

• 2.25 in | 5.75 cm (closed)
• 1.9 oz | 54 g
• 1.6 in | 4.06 cm (blade length)

The tweezers are located at the same end of theclosed tool as the key ring attachment, on the opposite handle. Remove the tweezers by lifting the nail tab. Replace the tweezers by gently squeezing the tips together to insert.

Your Squirt S4 includes a 1.5″ (3.5 cm) ruler. It is located on the back side of the nail file/cleaner and uses the tip of the blade as the “zero” point.

The blades on your Squirt are 100% high-grade stainless steel. No steel is truly “stainless.” It is actually “corrosion-resisting steel,” and corrosion can occur if not properly maintained. Your tool should be cleaned, dried and re-oiled periodically, especially after use in a damp environment. After cleaning, re-oil pivoting areas with a light machine or penetrating-type oil.

WARRANTY
If within 25 years from the date of purchase you find any defect in material or workmanship with your Leatherman multi-tool, return it to Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. or an international authorized repair center.

The warranty does not cover abuse, alteration, unauthorized, or unreasonable use of your Leatherman multi-tool. This warranty does not cover sheaths,accessories or colored finishes.
To obtain service, return your tool to the address shown below or contact us for the location of the closest authorized repair center. At our option, we may replace your multi-tool rather than repair it; and if discontinued, replace it with a product of equal or greater value.

Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. is not liable for incidental or consequential damages. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above exclusion may not apply to you.

This warranty also gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights that may vary from
jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

There are a variety of great landscaping fabrics that will make your weeding job much easier throughout the spring and summer and are made with earth friendly materials that make lining the area easy.  A great landscaping fabric to use that blocks out weeds and more is the WeedBlock Mulch Landscape Paper by Easy Gardener.  This landscaping fabric is approved for use in organic gardens and is made with no chemicals to be safe for all of your plantings.  It is made of recycled paper and when the growing season is over, just till it back into the soil.  The natural color of this landscaping fabric blends in well with the mulch and plantings. 

Use the Green Fabric Pins by Dewitt to help keep the landscaping fabric in place.  Place a pin every two to three inches to keep the landscaping fabric in place.  These pins may be used with lightweight landscaping fabrics by folding over the edge and then placing a pin through the fabric.

Finally, to give your garden a clean and neat look, use landscaping edging like the Ultra-Edge Composite Garden Edging by Easy Gardener.  This edging is easy to install and made to last for many years in your garden.  It can be used around a flower bed, garden, walkway, around a tree, and more and leaves your yard looking polished.

• Every gardener needs a forged bow rake to help break up dirt and help to remove loose grass and dead grass.  This type of rake is also ideal for removing weeds in your garden and flower beds.  You will find many uses for this rake in your garden.
• To help make clean-up even easier for you, a garden cart is ideal for toting around dead branches, weeds, garden debris and even hauling around yard waste bags.  The EZ Hauler Dumping Garden Cart is a very durable cart that is perfect for hauling a variety of things around and makes cleaning much easier.
• Don’t forget to stock up on twine to bundle up dead branches and more. 
• It is also a good time to clean out and organize your shed or garage and put away any seasonal ornaments that are on your lawn. 
• Another gardening tool that will make removing small dead branches from the trees or larger plantings easier is the Fiskars PowerLever Hedge Shears.  These shears are designed to give you more leverage when cutting to make cutting much easier.

Long-handled gardening tools are essential for any gardener who is starting a new garden in their yard.  When the soil is hard and rocky, a long-handled garden tool will make your job so much easier and it makes creating your garden much quicker.  Fiskars has a line of comfortable, long-handled gardening tools that are easy and comfortable  to use.  The Fiskars Extended Reach Cultivator is ideal for use in a new or old garden and will make breaking up hard soil, grass and weeds much easier, while reducing the strain on your back.  Once you have tilled the soil in your garden, the NRG STX Spade makes digging a hole for larger plantings much easier and works great when you don’t want to bend down to dig a hole.

Short-handled gardening tools are also essential gardening tools for planting flowers and small plants in your flower beds.  By using a short-handled gardening tool, you will be able to reach into tight spaces between bushes, trees and other perennials.  One of my favorite short-handled gardening tools is the Ergonomic Garden Trowel for digging holes and planting flowers or perennials.  Use the NRG Ergonomic Garden Cultivator to reach in between your shrubs or underneath evergreen trees to cultivate the soil in smaller spaces.  Both of these short-handled gardening tools will help inspire you to garden this spring!

Using a shovel to clean the snow away is the best way to remove snow from your walkways.  Use a shovel like the Arctic Blast 18 in. Mountain Mover Poly Shovel with Wear Strip to remove the snow easily and quickly from any surface that is snow covered.   This shovel has an ergonomic handle to reduce the amount of strain on your back and makes it easier for you to shovel for longer periods of time.  Shovel the snow until you can see the ground’s surface for the best results.

For shoveling larger areas and your driveway, the Arctic Blast 18 in. Mountain Mover Poly Shovel with Wear Strip is an unique snow shovel that is easy on the back and quickly removes the snow without a lot of work.  This shovel is designed to push the snow into another area and does not require lifting the shovel to dump the snow.  It makes your shoveling job so much easy and quicker.

Once you have removed the snow from your walkways and driveway, it is important to use an ice melt, like the Qik Joe Polar Express Ice Melt, to help keep your walkway ice free and safe from slipping on.  Just sprinkle anywhere you want to melt the ice and the crystals start heating up to melt the ice and snow.