Gardening Tools
...five basic tools for rose gardening.

Creating a great looking rose garden can be a chore if you don't have the proper gardening tools. The more effort you put into your roses, the more beautiful they will be. While climate, location and good soil are all important, you need a good set of tools to make it all happen. Today we want to go over a few them and explain why they will be essential to your rose gardening success.

1...Pruning Shears:

If there is any tool you need almost on a daily basis, it has to be rose pruning shears. You can choose between a bypass pruner or an anvil pruner. Bypass pruners look a lot like scissors and is the most popular of the two options. One of the biggest reasons for this is because it won't crush the tender stems of the rose. If you get an anvil pruner it's usually because the blades are stronger. Make sure you keep the blades sharp and clean, and the spring well oiled.

2...Shovels:Rose gardening is a tough business and if you don't have the right shovel, you could end up with all kinds of bruises. In order to minimize your discomfort, make sure you purchase one that has padded handles. We also recommend getting one made from fiberglass since they are lightweight, but still durable. Again, keep them sharp and clean, and use your legs to push down on the blade. I find that the longer the handle the more leverage I can get.

3...Gloves and Pads:

We all know roses have prickly thorns, but when you are working with them it is easy to forget. So when it’s time to buy gloves they should be the industrial strength kind. If not you'll spend more time sucking the blood from your fingertips as opposed to actual gardening. Some of the better, leather kinds also come with lower arm protection.

You will be on your knees a lot in your rose bed, so purchase a set of kneeling pads. This will definitely keep the pressure off of them. Velcro straps are fine, but you may prefer waterproof pads with handles.

4...Moisture Meter:

One instrument I wouldn't be without is a moisture indicator. This is a ten inch probe with a meter at the top. Although relatively inexpensive it becomes very valuable in the summer when pots dry out and you can't tell how far down the moisture is in the rose beds. I use it constantly during the summer and I know it has saved many a potted rose from dehydration.

5...PH Meter:

Utilizing a PH meter will help you make sure the garden soil is properly fertile for planting. If the levels are too low or not in the proper range it affects the growth of your roses. So if the result isn't a good one, this little gadget helps you medicate the soil properly. This is especially true when you have added mulch the fall before or when you have added lime. Anytime you add to your soil, leave it a few months and then test again. P.H. should ideally be between about 6.0 and 6.5.

There are many other tools as well, but when you first start out these are the most important. When you feel like your knowledge of rose gardening is beginning to take shape you can move on to other tools like rose gardening loppers. These are used when the stems of the roses become thicker and stronger. We recommend waiting a few years before you get a pair of these.

In the beginning, the basic tools are the most important options when it comes to creating a beautiful rose garden. If you start off with the ones we've provided you with today, it will much easier to work with your roses and give you a chance to be out there with them for hours at a time.

Keep your gardening tools clean and in good working order and they will become your best friends.

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