Urban gardener's equipment – What tools do you really need?
Fancy some homegrown fruit and vegetables, herbs, or your own cut flowers? Then grab a shovel and let's get started! But what does a true (urban) gardener actually need to take care of their balcony, patio, or even their own small garden? First of all, not all tools are created equal. We'll show you what's important!
Planting shovel
Broom
watering can
Flower scissors/hardware store scissors
Bucket
Whether for plant or other waste, rainwater or for the harvest – a bucket should not be missing on the balcony, terrace or in the garden.
wheelbarrow
spade
A spade is a must-have in any garden. It's used to dig up soil to plant trees or shrubs, or to loosen the soil. Precious metal shovels with wooden handles are ideal, as they don't break as quickly as their plastic counterparts. The wooden handle should also be replaceable, allowing you to swap out either the shovel head or the handle as needed. A metal head lasts up to 10 years, while a good wooden handle only lasts two to three.
Rake
Autumn is here, and already the grass isn't visible for all the leaves. A quick solution in a smaller garden is a rake for sweeping up the leaves. The feature that allows you to adjust the narrowness of the forks is useful, allowing you to catch even small leaves and leaf fragments. Leaf blowers are recommended for very large gardens, but aren't absolutely necessary for smaller ones.
Hoe/double hoe
Weed hoe
A particularly popular activity among young and old: weeding! But it's no use; the annoying weeds have to go so they don't steal nutrients from healthy plants. A hoe made of precious metal is ideal for this in the garden and flowerbed. Tip: Again, the combination of a hoe and fork is advantageous. The soil is disturbed with the hoe, and the roots are pulled out with the fork.
mowing machine
We won't discuss the perfect lawn mower for every type of garden here, as that would take too long. However, it's clear that large lawns need to be mowed occasionally to keep the garden looking well-maintained and prevent it from becoming overgrown.
Lawn sprinkler/garden hose
To prevent your lawn from turning brown instead of green in the summer, it's worth investing in a lawn sprinkler. For beginners and smaller areas, a non-motorized model is a good option. Just like with a watering can, the sprinkler should be able to spray light drops of water so as not to disturb the soil too much. A hose is practical for larger gardens—it saves you having to constantly carry the watering can back and forth. An inexpensive hose attachment also allows you to spray light droplets of water instead of a hard jet.
Composter/Reusable Garbage Bag
Especially in the garden, a composter or compost heap is a green and convenient alternative to disposing of waste at the nearest green waste collection point. Convenient: There's no need to buy expensive plant fertilizer, as it's now in your own garden. Understandably, there's often no room for a compost heap on a balcony or terrace. Special reusable garden waste bags made of fabric are a good option. This eliminates the need to repeatedly use new plastic garbage bags for leaf litter or plant waste.
For larger gardens, specialized tools such as saws or hedge trimmers are also suitable for cutting down larger branches or trimming hedges. When purchasing any tool, quality and utility should be considered to ensure its longevity. Various power tools such as leaf blowers or electric hedge trimmers didn't make it onto the list, as everyone has to decide for themselves whether it's worth creating a quiet little patch of green space in the city, only to then immediately generate exhaust fumes and noise. All the tools together? Then off to the garden!
