Before starting to garden you will need tools for the students and adult volunteers. The number of each tool you will need depends upon how many students will be working in the garden at one time. Adult volunteers may be able to bring their own tools. NOTE: Soil on tools used in other gardens may have disease pathogens and weed seeds. They should be washed thoroughly before they are used in a school garden. You will need rakes, shovels and hoes that are sized for students. Even sprinkling cans need to be smaller and lighter. Children are hard on tools, so be sure to select those that will withstand heavy use. Plastic toy tools make gardening tasks more difficult, and they break easily.
Essential tools to have available include:
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- Hand trowels – the tool most used by students for transplanting and cultivating.
- Hand cultivators.
- Both garden and leaf rakes.
- Hoes.
- Shovels with a rounded end for digging and scooping.
Preschoolers can use only their hands and very small watering cans as tools. You may also find you need or want:
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- A wheelbarrow or cart.
- Watering cans or ½-gallon plastic containers with screw-on caps. You can poke small holes in the cap to allow a gentle stream of water to flow.
- A hose and hose reel. Buy a good quality hose that is flexible. Make sure it is long enough.
- A watering nozzle for the hose and a shut off valve for it – to help save water.
- A sprinkler. Choose one that can be set to a pattern and that emits a light spray (good for raised beds and for seedlings).
- Stakes, string, and a tape measure for planting in rows.
- Plant tags and waterproof markers. Tongue depressors or popsicle sticks work well to identify plants or seeds. Sharpie waterproof markers work well to write on the tags.
- A clipboard.
- Plastic jars or baby food jars to collect seeds and insects.
- Gloves.
- A magnifying glass to examine insects, and identify disease organisms on plants.
- Pruning shears to trim plants, remove spent blooms, and harvest.
- A spading or digging fork for digging in heavy soil.
