Hand Tools: Cutting & Pruning
Hedge Shears: Tidy up
Hedge shears are a must-have for any professional landscaper. The long blades of hedge shears make quick work of trimming hedges and other bushes. They are commonly employed for the purpose of keeping hedges and bushes in their desired form and appearance. To get the job done, you may need to remove any errant branches or trim back any overgrown bushes, even if the property doesn't technically require hedge maintenance. For this reason, Hedge Shears are a must-have for any green thumb.
Loppers: LOP EM' AND DROP EM'
When Landscaping, loppers are used to cut through stems and branches of trees and bushes that are too thick to be pruned with standard pruning shears. They're able to make even the toughest cuts easier thanks to their long handles and leverage mechanisms. Loppers are commonly used for a wide variety of tree and shrub maintenance tasks, including shaping young trees, removing dead or diseased wood, and general pruning. A lot of the time it's easier to use a manual pair of loppers to make a quick cut vs pulling out a chainsaw!
Note: Anvil loppers for cutting down dead trees and Bypass loppers for cutting down living ones.
Pruning Shears:
Pruning shears are an indispensable tool for any landscaper to have on hand. Pruning shears have blades that can easily sever stems and branches, allowing you to keep your plants in pristine condition. Pruning shears have a wide range of uses, from shaping young plants to removing diseased or dead branches. If you own a zero-turn lawn mower, you should also carry pruning shears in case any stray branches get in the way.
Hand Saw: But I'm not a Contractor!
Sometimes you don't want to start up a chainsaw to make a quick cut. Having a handsaw around can make your landscaping much easier. They are available in many configurations but we suggest D-Handle Saw, Folding Saw due to their compact design. This allows you to quickly and easily cut through branches and trees while not taking up much space in your trailer or truck. A folding handsaw is another tool we would suggest to carry while mowing lawns because sometimes you need to make a quick cut to keep mowing!
Digging, Impact & Cutting Tools
Axe: A Classic Tool Everyone Should Own
Paul Bunyan had his trusty axe, and every landscaper should have one too! While most people use axes for chopping or splitting wood, landscapers can use them to clear brush and remove small trees. Axes are a multi-purpose tool which can be beneficial year round and not just for landscaping!
Maul: HIGH IMPACT, HIGH POWER!
If your axe isn't doing the job, the maul should be able to! Mauls generally have a heavier head compared to an axe, and are designed to generate more powerful force than an axe for tougher cutting tasks. They are great for spitting wood, cutting down trees, removing stumps and breaking up compacted soil and rocks.
Shovel:
The trusty shovel is a great tool to have for every landscaper. Digging and or filling in holes for planting trees, plants or bushes is a common service for most landscapers and having a quality shovel to help you do the job will save you a lot of headaches. There are a wide variety of different types of shovels but one that you should take a look at is shovels with "D-Grip" handles. They can make digging much easier allowing you to use leverage to remove dirt. This saves your back, and makes the job easier.
Debris Management
Debris Management is one of the most overlooked parts of the landscaping industry since it's usually the last thing you do when landscaping a property. I can't tell you how many times we've had landscapers come in and purchase debris management products because they "forgot" they needed them.
Rake
I'm sure you know why you would need a rake for landscaping so instead of an explanation I'd like to tell you a funny story. A mother and daughter came into Gilford Hardware and purchased a rake from us, they left and came back with the rake the next day. They said they would like to return the rake, and explained why: the rake had a warning sticker on it which said "This product might contain chemicals that might cause cancer in the state of california." This is a fair warning: Please, do not under any circumstance try to eat the rake please!
Lawn Bags / Contractor bags
In New England, Spring and Fall clean ups are a large service industry for landscapers. When you are done raking you will need somewhere to dispose of the leaves, this is why Lawn bags are an essential tool for landscapers.They allow you to remove unsightly debris from the landscape and bring them to a landfill. Leaves, grass clippings, branches, and trash can all be collected and removed from the yard with ease thanks to their large size.
Push Broom
A push broom is a great way to keep any landscape neat and tidy. A push broom is perfect for clearing away fallen leaves, grass clippings, and other debris from a landscaping site. You can also use a heavy-duty push broom to prepare the ground for planting or other landscaping projects by smoothing and leveling the soil or gravel.
Accessories
Gas Cans
Where is the first place a landscaper goes in the morning? The Gas Station! It's important to always have ample amounts of fresh fuel on hand to keep your Outdoor Power Equipment and trucks running! Multiple gas cans are an essential piece of the landscapers tool box. It's important to note that different pieces of equipment might require different fuel and oil mixes. This is why you should clearly label each gas can letting yourself and or employees know which one to use. Depending on how much fuel you go through sometimes a large gas-caddy can be an efficient way to keep your equipment running without having to make more trips to the gas station.
Pre-Mixed Fuel & Oil
Many pieces of outdoor power equipment require special mixes of oil and fuel to run efficiently. While purchasing pre-mixed, ready-to-go fuel is an expensive but convenient option, I'd suggest purchasing dump-in oil mixes in bulk and keeping them close to the properly marked and size gas tanks. This will make it simple and easy for you or your employees to mix fuel on-the-go and keep you running!
Consumables
When you purchase a piece of Outdoor Power Equipment whether it's a chainsaw which needs replacement chains or a trimmer which needs trimmer line you should purchase extras. If you are using zero-turn lawn mowers it's always a great idea to have an extra set of blades, and belts just incase of an emergency.
