That being said, if you are new to the professional gardening trade, knowing which tools you need can be tricky. Similarly, finding the best ways to protect your tools - and in essence, your new livelihood - can be challenging if you are newly self-employed.
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In this guide, we outline the must-have tools and equipment all self-employed gardeners should have access to. From small hand tools and basic safety equipment essential for carrying out even the smallest of gardening tasks to professional power tools needed for large-scale landscaping work, we&#;ll run through all of the essentials. This guide will also explain why it&#;s so important to protect your tools with specialist self-employed gardener insurance. Here, we will outline how these policies work to financially protect you and your business should vital equipment be lost, stolen or damaged.
The fact is, without the right tools and equipment, it is impossible to work as a professional gardener. This means, before going it alone and starting your own business in this trade, purchasing the basic tools you need and knowing how to keep this equipment safe is essential. Below we outline a selection of vital tools and equipment all self-employed gardeners should own before launching their own business.
Easily overlooked when building up your gardening equipment arsenal, safety equipment will represent some of the most important purchases you make.
Gloves should be your first purchase. A good pair of gardening gloves will protect your hands from everything from small cuts and scrapes to splinters and larger flesh wounds. When searching for the ideal pair, look for gloves that are water-resistant and breathable. It&#;s also important to ensure they have good grip, without being too bulky. Opting for a pair with long cuffs is also sensible. This means your wrists and forearms are also more protected.
Aside from gloves, it&#;s important to consider eye protection and ear guards. These items are particularly important if you know you are going to be using power tools, such as chainsaws, mechanical mowers and strimmers regularly.
Forks, spades and rakes represent the holy trinity of must-have hand tools for gardeners. Rakes are required most during the autumn and winter months as they are ideal for clearing dead leaves and debris from garden beds. They can also be used to smooth out soil before planting. Similarly, pitching forks are required for turning compost and soil. They are particularly useful when compacted or dry soil needs to be broken up or loosened prior to planting. They can also be used to move large piles of garden debris quickly. Finally, every gardener worth their salt needs a good quality spade. These most basic of gardening tools are required to dig holes and trenches for both planting and irrigation purposes.
When buying rakes, pitching forks and spades, it is important to purchase high-quality products. These are tools you will likely be using on a daily basis. With this in mind, try to select items made from durable materials that have been designed ergonomically.
Also known as secateurs, pruning shears help gardeners to control plant growth and ensure an outdoor area looks neat and tidy. Resembling scissors, this basic tool is used to cut through branches and stems with precision and ease. They make maintaining and shaping trees, bushes and other plants simple. Unlike other tools that can cause damage to plants, pruning shears are designed to make clean and accurate cuts. This reduces the risk of plant diseases spreading and developing, and promotes faster healing.
With a number of different types of shears available, it can help to own a range. Anvil-style pruning shears can be hard to use, but are better when dealing with thick tree branches. On the other hand, ratcheting pruners are easy to use and are most effective when used on hedges and smaller plants. Finally, owning a telescopic tree pruner can save you a lot of time and effort when it comes to dealing with hard-to-reach branches.
As a gardener, one of the most basic services you can offer is lawn care. However, in order to do this, owning an effective lawnmower and strimmer is paramount. Whether you opt for a traditional push mower, a self-propelled petrol mower, or a ride-on mower is down to personal preference. That being said, owning a small gardening business requires you to remain mobile. With this in mind, a lightweight portable lawn mower - be that petrol powered or electric - is probably your best option.
The same applied to strimmers. An essential tool for lawn care, power strimmers are used to tidy up the edges of your lawn. This could be against walls or fences, or along the border of flowerbeds. They can also be used to cut grass or tall weeds on areas of land that cannot be mowed by a traditional mower. For example, areas of bumpy or uneven ground, such as rockeries.
Another overlooked, unsung hero, the common garden trowel represents one of the most versatile items in a gardener&#;s toolbox. Not only used for planting new shrubs, trowels are also needed for everything from removing weeds and digging up small plants to digging holes for perennials and potting plants. When choosing a set of garden trowels, look for tools with solid handles, steel blades and ergonomic hand grips.
During the spring and summer months, watering plants becomes a key part of a gardener&#;s job. For this reason, owning a quality hose pipe with an adjustable nozzle is a must. There are two properties you need to consider when purchasing a hose. Firstly, you should opt for a hose that has an adjustable length. After all, you need a hose that allows you to water a large area without experiencing reduced water pressure. Either an expandable coil pipe or a hose/reel combination that allows for neat and tidy storage are your best bet here.
The second characteristic you need to consider is the nozzle. Different types of plants require different levels of watering. Therefore, getting a nozzle that can offer a range of different spray options allows you to be as delicate as you need to be.
Finally, all gardeners need a good quality wheelbarrow. Used to move heavy materials such as soil, compost and grass clippings around the garden, these simple items of equipment can save you a lot of time and effort. Once again, when selecting a new wheelbarrow, it is important to invest in good quality. After all, well designed wheelbarrows that are made from high quality materials are less likely to let you down on the job and will better stand the test of time.
From £8 a month*, Markel Direct&#;s specialist gardeners&#; insurance can provide you with a range of covers. This includes tailored tools and equipment insurance that financially protects you and your business in the event that any of your essential tools are lost, damaged or stolen.
On top of this, comprehensive gardeners&#; insurance can also provide public liability insurance. This policy is designed to protect your business in the event of third party injury or property damage. For example, you damage a client&#;s antique garden ornament while mowing their lawn, or a client trips on one of your power cables while you are working and injures themselves. In both of these cases, public liability insurance can cover any legal costs and compensation payments that result from damages claims brought against your business.
Employers' liability insurance can also usually be built into gardening insurance packages. These policies are a legal requirement for all gardening businesses that hire staff, including apprentices. In the event an employee becomes ill or is injured as a result of their job, these policies financially protect your business.
At Markel Direct, our gardeners&#; insurance policies are designed to be tailored to best suit your needs. Simply select which types of cover you&#;d like to be included in your policy and receive a quote today.
* Price based on a gardener requiring £1 million public liability insurance cover.
A lawn care and landscaping business requires a fairly substantial investment in equipment, landscaping tools, and gear to get started. Fortunately, the money you spend today returns dividends down the line. When you invest in high-quality equipment, you can deliver outstanding service your customers will love.
Whether you&#;re new to lawn care services or an experienced vet, you probably have questions about the best lawn care tools. Check out our lawn care tools list for the best lawn tools you&#;ll want to own.
Not all landscaping tools need sophisticated, high-tech components. Many landscaping hand tools are refreshingly low-tech and simple. You&#;ll want a robust variety of hand-powered basic landscaping tools, including shovels, rakes, and more.
Before diving into specifics, let&#;s take a look at some general tips for buying hand tools:
Most hand tools have wooden handles. Wood is strong, durable, and affordable. Look for a close grain to the wood, as that denotes strength.
Avoid painted wood handles. Typically, manufacturers paint a handle when they&#;re trying to disguise low-quality wood.
Besides wood, you can also find tools for landscape with tubular (hollow) steel or fiberglass handles. They&#;re at least as strong as wood but last much longer. On the downside, they&#;re typically more expensive than wood.
The weight of the tool, and how that weight is distributed, impacts how the landscaping tool feels when you use it. Try before you buy whenever possible. Also, look for D-shaped handles as they provide the most comfortable grip.
Here&#;s a closer look at some more specific tools used in landscaping:
Although a shovel is a simple garden tool, you&#;ll likely use it all the time for digging holes, so you want to get a good one. While wood-handled shovels work fine, most professionals prefer a fiberglass or steel handle for commercial work. A shovel is usually an excellent tool to splurge a bit on for improved quality.
Choose a shovel with a head made from stainless steel. It&#;s lightweight, strong, and easy to clean. Also, don&#;t forget to sharpen your shovel a few times each year.
Average Price For Shovels: $15 &#; $50
You&#;ll want two types of rakes:
Use a level-headed steel rake for tougher jobs such as moving soil, gravel, compost, or mulch. The lighter leaf rake is used for leaves, twigs, and similar lightweight debris.
Wooden handles will typically work fine for both types of rakes. A fiberglass or steel handle usually isn&#;t necessary, even when raking soil or gravel.
Average Price For Rakes: $15 &#; $40
You&#;ll want a pair of long-handled pruning shears. They&#;re used to remove branches. Generally, hand-powered pruning shears can cut through branches up to one inch thick. For anything larger, you&#;ll want gas or electric-powered shears.
Average Price For Pruning Shears: $10 &#; $100
What equipment do you need to start a lawn mowing business? When it comes to lawn care & equipment, not all yard tools used in landscaping are hand tools. You&#;ll need some commercial landscaping equipment like power tools, too. Here are some general tips for buying power landscaping tools:
While you don&#;t want to bust your budget, it&#;s usually a good idea to buy high-quality power tools even for basic landscaping. A well-made tool works more efficiently and is less likely to break down. That said, watch out for corporation landscaping accessories you don&#;t need and won&#;t use, as they&#;re a needless expense.
Generally, you will want to go with the best commercial lawn care equipment from well-established brands. It&#;s easier to find replacement parts if needed. Power tools are either gas or battery-powered. In a head-to-head comparison from Popular Mechanics, they found:
Here&#;s an in-depth look at some basic and commercial landscaping equipment like power tools you&#;ll want to own:
Your mower is likely the biggest and most expensive lawn care tool you&#;ll buy. Don&#;t be afraid to devote a significant piece of your budget towards a high-quality lawnmower. A powerful, well-made mower allows you to complete work quickly and accurately. Plus, it helps convey an image of professionalism.
For commercial use, you typically want a blade with a diameter of 30&#; or more. Anything smaller will impact your ability to mow quickly. Plus, smaller mowers usually break down more easily and generally require more maintenance.
Are you interested in learning more about garden hand tools supplier? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
Average Price For Lawn Mower: $100 &#; $1,000
Also called a weed whacker, you&#;ll need a trimmer to tackle weeds and grasses. It&#;s used to provide a finishing edge against trees, sidewalks, and other lawn features. As with lawnmowers, trimmers are either gas or electric-powered.
Average Price For Grass Trimmer: $30 &#; $200
RealGreen&#;s landscaping business software helps you run your business more efficiently with features such as scheduling, dispatching, reporting, and more.
GET A FREE DEMOYou only want a hand-powered leaf rake for small, touch-up work. Use a leaf blower for the majority of your leaf collecting. It&#;s the fastest, most efficient lawn care tool to wrangle up a large number of stray leaves.
Although electric models of leaf blowers are available, gas-powered ones are far more popular for commercial use. Leaf blowers require a tremendous amount of power to operate. Gas is usually easier to deal with throughout the workday.
Average Price Leaf Blower: $50 &#; $400
When selecting a hedge trimmer, you want to focus on comfort and portability. Unlike a mower that you push, you have to hold a hedge trimmer for long periods. It&#;s fatiguing even if you&#;re in great shape. A lightweight trimmer with padded, ergonomic handles will help keep you comfortable all day long.
Average Price For Hedge Trimmer: $30 &#; $300
Proper aeration helps keep a lawn healthy and full. Aeration allows water, oxygen, and nutrients to flow through the soil. While hand-powered aerators do exist, you&#;ll want a gas or electric aerator for commercial purposes.
Average Price For Lawn Aerator: $25 &#; $200 (manual) / $100 &#; $4,000+ (machine)
You&#;ll also need a variety of other tools for lawn care that aren&#;t classified as either a hand or power tool. No basic and commercial landscape equipment tools list is complete without a closer look at this third category of lawn care tools and equipment:
Buying vehicles gets tricky, especially if your lawn care business is in the early stages. Buying or leasing several vehicles is expensive, and might not always be possible.
It&#;s okay just to use one truck when you&#;re starting. However, keep it clean and well-maintained. Many lawn care pros ride around in beat-up, dirty pick-ups. A clean, well-maintained vehicle helps you stand out from the competition.
Also, add a company logo to your vehicle. It adds a professional look and helps increase trust. People feel reassured that the company they contracted for service is the same one showing up to the house.
Average Price: Trucks $20,000 &#; $60,000+ / Trailers $1,000 &#; $10,000+
You&#;ll want three types of gloves:
The synthetic gloves are ideal for general-purpose use with dry materials. You&#;ll use the latex-coated cotton gloves for dealing with wet soil. Finally, leather gloves provide the most protection. They&#;re the best choice for planting, digging, and major projects as well as basic landscaping.
Average Price For Gloves: $5 &#; $30
Buckets aren&#;t the most exciting tool, but they&#;re one of the most useful. You&#;ll want plenty of buckets on hand. They&#;re useful for carrying items, disposing of waste, cleaning up, and more.
Heavy-duty plastic buckets are the best option. Metal buckets can rust or corrode after consistent exposure to water, but plastic buckets stay in great shape even in wet conditions. Also, plastic buckets have slight flexibility that makes them easier to use and store.
When selecting buckets, make sure the handle is sturdy. It should have an ergonomic section to help increase comfort when held.
Also, choose a bucket with printed measurements on the inside. That allows you to easily carry specific quantities of liquid without needing a separate measuring tool.
Average Price For Buckets: $5 &#; $20
Don&#;t forget to keep your team safe from accidental injury. Minimum safety gear includes:
Also, you probably want steel-toed boots when working around trees, rocks, or heavy equipment.
Average Price For Safety Equipment: $10 &#; $50
Do you work in a location that gets a lot of snow? Fortunately, you don&#;t have to pause your business during winter. Consider offering winter lawn care services. Many professional landscapers switch from mowing lawns to clearing snow.
Like a lawnmower, you want the most powerful snow thrower your budget allows. Fortunately, you don&#;t have to buy a snowblower right away. Start your business in the warmer months so you can earn profits to help you buy winter gear when needed.
Average Price For Snowblower: $100 &#; $2,000
First, get a broadcast granular spreader. It disperses tiny spheres of fertilizer across large areas. You&#;ll mainly use fertilizer spreaders on lawns.
You&#;ll also want a pressurized sprayer. It&#;s used to dispense liquid fertilizer. You mainly spray liquid fertilizer in gardens or on plants.
Average Price: $20 &#; $300
Field management software is a trusted ally for landscaping businesses. It&#;s a simple-to-use program that helps handle a wide variety of business needs. For example, RealGreen&#;s landscaping business software tracks inventory, creates invoices, manages your schedule, organizes your daily crew dispatching, and much more.
With landscaping business software, you have more time to focus on lawn care and customer service. Plus, as a business owner, you can easily stay organized.
At the end of the day, your customers will choose your business because you&#;re easy to work with, offer low prices, and stay committed to excellent customer service. It&#;s unlikely they&#;ll look too closely at the specific lawn-cutting tools or grass tools you use.
However, choosing high-quality lawn mowing tools and landscaping tools allows you to deliver excellent service quickly and efficiently. Aside from hand and power tools, you&#;ll also want powerful field management software at your disposal. If you&#;d like to know more about your options for landscaping business software, contact RealGreen to schedule a free demonstration today.
RealGreen&#;s landscaping business software helps you run your business more efficiently with features such as scheduling, dispatching, reporting, and more.
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