Just as I said last year, having the right tool for the job makes the job much easier. My favorite tools are not all expensive but they are helpful. I have defined "tool" broadly as anything that helps me get the job done quickly and well. The correct clothing has become a part of my "tool" lineup because the right clothes mean I can have snips, pencils, markers, flagging tape, gloves, and phone handy. These clothes can take a beating and keep going, so they make the tool list.
Nothing is sponsored in this post. I provide a link to specific items. The tools you can pick up at your local garden center or hardware store are not linked.
Adding to last year's list, below are ten go-to tools that help me flower farm.
A yard sale purchase, these gloves have filled in a hole in my tool arsenal that I didn't realize was there. From roses to briars and thorns, sticky sap, and just plain skin-drying dirt, these gloves protect my hands and are supple enough to still give me dexterity.
You don't need a separate pair of snips to divide dahlias, but these will make the job a breeze. A recommendation from @santacruzdahlias on IG, these snips are sharp and stay sharp. They make the job of dividing tubers enjoyable.
Overalls
I've worn these overalls this last year after receiving them as a birthday present. They have held up to everything I've put them through. They fit well, stretch with me, and are comfortable yet rugged. All the many pockets mean I have access to any tool I've stashed away.
These are a newer purchase from this summer when my standard overalls were just too much in the heat. The breathable fabric makes gardening in the heat of the summer so much more bearable.
An easy way to maintain sharp snips, I keep this in my tool belt and have it handy to make sure my snips are sharp before I begin a job.
Pitchfork
A pitchfork is an essential tool for any flower farm or garden. Loading mulch, digging up dahlia tubers, turning compost, cleaning out the chicken pen, and more, this tool gets it done.
Rigid landscape rake
I have been using this tool a lot recently to spread mulch. I don't use it everyday, but when I need to spread mulch or dirt, this is the only tool for the job.
This cart has hauled dried flowers, crates of tulip bulbs, debris, weeds, trays of seedlings, and more. Easy to push, it navigates our bumpy wooded pathways well and makes the trek between farm and house often. I tuck it under an eave to protect it.
I use this little bottle the entire dahlia harvesting season to spray my snips in between cuts on different plants. I spray the snips with alcohol to prevent disease from spreading between plants.
Tags
Dahlias, tulips, anemones, ranunculus, all these flowers need to be tagged on my farm. I prefer wooden tags at the beginning of the season. These will eventually disintegrate, so they are one-season tags. I have also used copper tags and recycle white plastic tubs and cut them into strips to use as labels. You can purchase plastic colored labels to help differentiate flowers or crates visually.
Stakes
I use wooden stakes, metal t-bars, and bamboo stakes on the farm. The wooden stakes held up the dahlias, the t-bars are part of the outer fencing and a vertical section for growing sweet peas and a trellis. I use bamboo stakes with the roses to tie down canes.
I appreciate learning about other flower farmer's favorite tools and tricks of the trade. Hopefully, this post helps you garden and farm more effectively and enjoyably.
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