Today there is no dearth of gardening tools which are available in the market; be it your local garden store, the superstore or even glitzy infomercials which claim superior benefits with one of the many innovations for garden maintenance. The truth of the matter is that there are really very few essential tools which are required for successful rose gardening.
If you remember the old saying that ‘every rose has its thorn’ the first item which you must have in your stock of gardening tools is a pair of good and long lasting gloves. Forget those dainty and feminine cotton gloves which only protect your fingers. What you need here is a pair of heavy gloves preferably made of leather which reaches up to your cuff. This will prevent your hands getting pricked while pruning your rose plants. Some of the rose types have their thorns which are deceptive as they are tiny and are placed along the stem. So when you are trying to cut back excess growth, they get stuck in your skin like small splinters which can be quite painful.
While on the subject of pruning, the next important item for keeping a rose garden is a pair of good shears. Shears are available in two types: the anvil pruner and the bypass pruner. The anvil pruner is equipped with blades which meet on top of each other. This means that if you use this type of shear for your rose garden you will land up squashing the stems and canes, which will destroy your plant quickly. The other type of shear, or the bypass pruner, is much like an ordinary pair of scissors – its blades pass each other as they cut the stems, etc. Shears like this type will not damage the stems as you cut back growth, prune, etc. Choose a pair which you feel comfortable to hold and gives a good grip as it matches with the size of your hands. These aspects are important while selecting shears as this is one tool which is most frequently used in a rose garden. Take a look at the locking device in the shears, especially if you have small children in the house.
The next set of tools which you require for maintaining your rose garden are: a rake, a spade and a shovel. The meal tines in a good rake must be closely placed and they must be sharp. This type of rake is good for leveling of the soil for your rose beds, rather than blunt metal tines which are widely placed. A spade which you can hold with your hands is better for moving the soil around your plants. When selecting a shovel, choose one which is equipped with a long handle. This makes the task of planting the roses easier. The size and ease of use are important factors while choosing a shovel.
The last set of tools for your rose garden are those required for watering and for taking overall care of the garden. You need a watering system with a garden sprayer which has a long wand attached to a hose. These spraying wands make the task of reaching the roots of the plants easy as well as watering any hanging baskets in your garden. A pressure sprayer which can be attached to the hose would be excellent when you want to feed and apply pesticides to your plants. This specific attachment will make your task of mixing and applying very convenient.
These are all the tools you really need to take care of your rose garden efficiently and conveniently. Not only are these tools great to start your rose gardening but good for those who are at the exercise already.
