Cobra Head weeder and cultivator
After Rita’s Roots taught me about the effectiveness of this one-handed curved blade tool, I took to eradicating the roots of the Mexican petunias that had begun creeping into my garden boxes from below. It also worked wonders when I needed to break up clumps of hard soil. This tool helps weed, edge, dig, furrow, transplant, and more—and I give it bonus points for its handle made of recycled materials. $28; cobrahead.com
—David DiBenedetto, editor in chief
I have always loved the architecture that purposeful garden structures like tuteurs and trellises bring to a landscape. And these willow structures from Monticello are particularly endearing. $39; monticelloshop.org
—Haskell Harris, style director
Nothing gets down into the top layer of dirt to slice the neck off a little weed better than a hawkbill pocketknife. Nor can you as easily scratch the bark of a failing tree to tell if it’s green and going to come back as easily. And a pocketknife never fails to elicit a response and sweet memories from most anyone standing around. $25; amazon.com
—Jenks Farmer, plantsman and G&G contributor
I dug a ten-foot-tall windmill palm with one. Alone. And I’ve dug endless clumps of 400-pound crinum. With good steel that you can sharpen over and over, it’s like a knife that slices through roots and whatever is underground. You can slide it under that heavy clump, jump on it, and use as a pry bar too. $140; amazon.com
—Jenks Farmer
These shears from Felco, one of the Swiss company’s newest pairs, are designed for smaller hands but are still mighty powerful. After a rare freeze in Charleston, I pruned back dead, crispy foliage easily with these to make room for spring growth. Though slightly pricier than standard clippers, Felcos are built to last, and I plan on taking care of mine—cleaning and oiling—so they’ll be with me for many seasons to come. $57; felco.com
—CJ Lotz, senior editor
I bought a portable planter last year that allowed me to have a small herb and tomato garden without a lot of infrastructure. I can wheel it into my porch if the weather gets too rough. It’s not huge, but I was able to fit six herbs and one cherry tomato plant. $80; amazon.com
—Amanda Heckert, executive editor
The greatest garden tool is the venerable old round point shovel, but that said, there are a couple of specialty tools that help along the way. I use—and love—my auger drill bit for planting bulbs that bloom come spring. I just slap it on my cordless drill and with little to no effort I’ve got a perfectly sized three-to-six-inch hole in the ground that can accommodate any bulb. This hack makes planting gladiolas, tulips, and daffodils so easy that everyone in the neighborhood will think you’ve hired a team of professionals or gone full Monty Don. $18; amazon.com
—Marshall McKinney, creative director
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