Have Good Tools, Will Garden

Fresno, California As the approach of spring encourages people to spend more time outdoors, many may be looking at their flower gardens and wondering what new plants would make good additions or substitutes.

But to do this, you must have the right tools. If you don't have a green thumb or haven't gardened in a while, you may be missing some of the basics of gardening. To help you out, many gardeners offer their advice on the five gardening tools you need to get the job done in your flower beds.

Michelle Le Strague is an agricultural consultant for the University of California Cooperative Extension and a consultant for the Master Gardener Program in Tulare and Kings counties.

He recommends, in no particular order, a gardener's hand for weeding, pruning shrubs and plants, and a 5-gallon bucket for hoeing or weeding.

He also likes to have hand paddles.

"I'm always planting something and going for walks," he says. "Now is a great time to transplant. I like to transplant with a shovel (not a handkerchief). I like to take a big lump of soil and put it in a bigger hole. I've had better luck with that. Walk."

The final item is a pair of gloves. "It's the first thing I pick up when I go to the park," says Le Strong, who prefers the leather version. "I'm a bit spoiled and put my hands where I wouldn't if they were empty."

Mike Raviccio, owner of the Evergreen Garden Center in Clovis, California, recommends a good pair of gloves that are the right size. Another tool he recommends is an onion shovel.

"It looks like a tall cup with a handle," he said. While it's mainly used for digging up tubers, "people can also use it for their bedding plants, and then they don't have to worry about using it."