Okay, so you wanna get yourself a garden, huh? That’s real nice. Gotta have the right stuff, though. Can’t just go out there and poke at the dirt with a stick, you know? So, let’s talk about what you need, all them English gardening tools, or whatever they call ’em.
First off, you gotta have somethin’ to dig with. They call it a spade. Looks like a shovel, but it’s straighter, I guess. You use it to turn over the dirt, make it all soft and ready for plantin’. Real important, that is. Can’t get nothin’ to grow in hard ground, like tryin’ to raise kids with no food, ain’t gonna happen. So you get yourself a good, strong spade. Don’t go buyin’ one of them flimsy things, it’ll break on ya first time you hit a rock. And you will hit a rock, trust me. Always rocks in the ground.
Then, you need somethin’ smaller, for the finer work. That’s what they call a hand trowel. Kinda looks like a little spade, but you hold it in one hand. Good for plantin’ little flowers and such. And for diggin’ up weeds, too. Weeds, they’re the devil, I tell ya. Always poppin’ up where you don’t want ’em, just like them nosy neighbors. Gotta yank ’em out, roots and all, or they’ll just keep comin’ back. So, your hand trowel, it’s your best friend for that.
Next up, you got your fork. Not the kind you eat with, mind you. This is a garden fork. It’s got these long, pointy tines, good for aeratin’ the soil. Means lettin’ the air get in there, so your plants can breathe. Roots need air, just like us, you know. Can’t just keep ‘em all closed up in the ground or they’ll be unhappy, just like those city folk livin’ in them tall apartment buildings, no fresh air to speak of. You also use the fork to turn over compost, if you got that. Compost is good stuff, makes your plants grow big and strong. Just gotta make sure to keep it turned, or it’ll stink somethin’ awful. Worse than my husband’s old work boots after a long day in the fields, I swear.
Now, let’s talk about waterin’. You gotta have a watering can, or maybe a hose, if you got a big garden. Plants need water, just like us. Can’t let ’em dry out, or they’ll die. And you gotta water ’em right, too. Not too much, not too little. Just enough to keep the soil moist. Goldilocks, she had it right, remember? Just right. Kinda like makin’ biscuits, too much flour, they’re hard, too much water, they’re runny. Same with the waterin’ of them plants, gotta be just right. And don’t go waterin’ in the middle of the day, the sun’ll just suck it all up. Early mornin’ or late evenin’, that’s the best time.
- Spade: For diggin’ and breakin’ up the ground.
- Hand Trowel: For plantin’ little things and diggin’ weeds.
- Garden Fork: For aeratin’ the soil and turnin’ compost.
- Watering Can or Hose: For givin’ your plants a drink.
And then there’s all them other little tools, like pruning shears for cuttin’ branches and rakes for smoothin’ out the dirt. You’ll figure it out as you go along. Gardening, it ain’t rocket science. It’s just about gettin’ your hands dirty and helpin’ things grow. It’s like raisin’ kids, you just do the best you can with what you got, and hope they turn out alright. You put the seeds in the ground, you take care of ’em, and you see what happens. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don’t. But it’s always worth a try, I think.
One more thing you gonna need, that ain’t no tool, but just as important, is some good gloves. Don’t wanna be gettin’ your hands all messed up. Dirt gets under your fingernails, you know, and then it never comes out. Like when my little Johnny went playing in the mud pie all them years ago, came home looking like a little brown monster. And if you’re messing with roses, well, those thorns, they will get ya. So, yeah, gloves. Protect them hands. You need ‘em for holdin’ them grandkids, ya know, and for slappin’ your husband when he is being silly.
And there you have it, the basics of what you need to get yourself started. Now go on, get out there and get diggin’! And don’t forget to enjoy the sunshine. That’s free, you know, and it’s good for ya. Just like home grown tomatoes. Nothin’ beats a home grown tomato, let me tell ya. Store bought ones, they just taste like water. So go on now, get to it. You’ll be alright.
Tags: [gardening, tools, spade, trowel, fork, watering can, plants, soil, compost, grow, home, beginner, garden, vegetable, flowers]
