This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Summer is rapidly coming to a close. I don’t know about you, but my fall gardening to-do list is so long I don’t know if I’ll get it all done.
The first item on the list, however, I took care of last month: shopping for the tools I’ll need to fulfill those fall gardening tasks.
Since we have so many new gardeners who visit our blog, we’ve decided to put together a list of the essential tools you’ll need for fall. Sure, you’ll get use out of many of these in spring and summer as well, but they’re essential in fall.
By the way, you’ll soon be using your pruning equipment a lot, so check out our review of the best-selling pruning shears, here and pruning saws, here.
You’ll also need a pair of boots or clogs to slog through the mud. We review them, here.
Click on a product’s image to learn more.
Leaf blower or vacuum
The purpose of a leaf blower is to corral all the junk that falls from your deciduous trees in fall. Most gardeners then take that pile of twigs and leaves, bag them up and leave them for the trash collector.
Since my all-time favorite mulch is leaf mulch, I wouldn’t dream of throwing them away. I shred them and use them in the autumn garden.
Choosing a leaf blower isn’t an easy task. Do you want corded or cordless? Battery powered or gas-powered? It all comes down to personal preference.
I am in love with my Toro blower. It not only blows the leaves, but is also a vacuum and (this is the best part) a shredder. It has variable speeds with a maximum 250 mph. Yes, it’s a beast.
This is a corded leaf blower. If you prefer cordless, read on.
Toro UltraPlus Leaf Blower Vac
What she likes best is that it’s lightweight, at only a smidge more than 8.5 pounds. She bought it, however, for the warranty (7 years for consumers). After blowing through two other leaf blowers in two years (pun intended), the warranty gave her the confidence to try yet another.
Hitachi Handheld Blower
Leaf rake
Yes, autumn clean-up is mainly about getting rid of the stuff that falls or is blown in. If you don’t have a sturdy leaf rake, buy one. You’ll thank yourself all year.
I use the Heavy Duty Leaf Rake, listed below in my beds. I have both bamboo and an African sumac in my garden, both of which are heavy litterers and, I’d be lost without this rake.
You can choose the number of tynes you want, and the handle is adjustable, from 37″ to 65″ in height. The blades are crafted from steel.
18 Inch Wide Heavy Duty Leaf Rake
Loppers
We’ve been meaning to write a lopper review for some time but have somehow not gotten around to it.
So, in the meantime, we’ll point you to the pair that most of us use when it comes to cutting branches that are too thick to cut with pruners and too thin for a pruning saw.
Our favorite bypass and anvil loppers are both manufactured by Tabor Tools.
Tabor Tools bypass lopper
Tabor Tools G12 (anvil lopper)
Fall is the time to aerate and dethatch that lawn
If your lawn has built up more than a half-inch thatch layer, this is the best time to get rid of it. Spring will bring a greener, healthier lawn. Learn how to do both, here.
To do a good job, there are two tools we recommend: a hollow tine aerator and a dethatching rake.
Hollow tine aerator
The aerator will remove cores from the turf, which is why it’s the ideal autumn chore. The addition of more oxygen to the soil will help it dry faster during rainy periods, cutting down on moss growth.
Unfortunately, we won’t be recommending one. We have yet to find a manual core aerator that doesn’t break or frequently clog, so we rent a machine from the local home improvement store.
Lawn Aerator Coring Tool
Dethatching rake
Ames Adjustable Thatch Rake
Sturdy winter gloves
Put the summer-weight gardening gloves away and get a pair of Gold Leaf gloves. Apparently, the groundskeepers at Buckingham Palace use these. They resist moisture and keep your hands warm.
