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Gardening is never complete without the tools that help it work smoothly. It isn’t restricted to succulent planting; it is also applicable to other planting activities in your garden.
However, we are going to mention the gardening tools that you must have before you begin your succulent planting. It may also be used as a recommendation for what you should have ready for related activities.
We’ve compiled a list of the essential gardening tools you ought to have, as well as their intended use.
9 Essential Succulent Gardening Tools And Its Usages
Below are the essential tools that you must consider having if you have the intention of planting succulent plants. These tools can serve you either as a beginner or an experienced gardener.
1. Pruning Shears
Pruning shears are the first essential tool that you must have. It is used for intricate cutting, where the main motive of the gardener is to slice through cleanly without affecting any damage at all to the rest of the branch.
It is mostly used on small plants that possess small soft tissues such as succulent plants. It is also used to propagate succulents.
In addition, it can come in handy especially when there is a need to trim off the rotting pods of cacti as well as dry succulent leaves with just an easy snip.
If you have a robust and complex succulent and you are wondering if it can be used on it, then, it is a “yes.” as it is made of a very sharp and durable blade.
2. Long-Handed Gardening Scissors
Having a long-handed gardening scissor is important, as it will allow you to cut deeper into your plant and clip off some unwanted small cuttings without causing damage to the plant or any of its parts.
Doing so will help the succulent plant to grow healthy as well as other surrounding plants.
This tool is durable and sharp enough to get into the little cracks in your succulent plant while getting the job done with ease.
3. Gardening Gloves
Gardening gloves are another essential tool that you must have as you start your planting. Dealing with succulent plants requires more durable gloves such as Thorn-Proof Leather Gloves.
This glove as the name sound is made with a strong leather material that will help to protect your arms right up to your elbow from scratches or sharp cuts that might be caused by thorns and sharp edges.
These gloves come in different sizes and types. It has a pair of elbow-length gloves and wrist-length gloves as well. All are perfect for succulent gardening.
Though, I will recommend that you go for the elbow-length glove. Still your choice.
4. Kitchen Tongs
Kitchen tongs that look like a chopstick is a perfect tool if you are gardening succulent plants. It can help to hold cacti and other plants that have sharp thorns and edges especially when planting.
They are used to get rid of dead leaves that might be found in the rosette which might be blown away by the wind.
All you need do is consider the size of your succulents and go for what suits them. You can opt for multiple sizes that are ideal as you might work on succulents or cacti with different sizes.
5. Long-Spouted Watering Jug
For the healthy growth of succulent plants, watering is an indispensable determinant though, it is a kind of plant that doesn’t enjoy having too much water on its leaves.
Watering a succulent with a long-spouted watering jug will help you to regulate the amount of water to spray on it and avoid drowning the plant.
It will help to direct the water to the right spots that are sensitive to its growth thereby avoiding leaves dryness and root rotting.
Furthermore, with its interchangeable shower head, you can be able to switch the preferred desired head as you want.
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6. Hand Trowel
A gardening hand trowel is needed as you are planting succulents. It will help in scooping up potting mixed soils in the garden.
It has a serrated edge that can cut through any webbed root. It can be handy in cutting and breaking up any form of clumps around the root of the succulent plant as well as loosening any hard soil.
For people with health conditions such as arthritis or any form of limited hand strength challenge, you can find an ergonomic hand trowel handle and other ergonomic gardening tools for arthritic hands that will help to relieve you of the strain and pains that come with planting with these conditions.
7. Mini Spade, Rake, and Scoop
These tools are the ideal tools that can help in the digging, aerating, weeding, transplanting, and breaking of the hardened ground or soil for planting. You can look out for these tools in sets than buying the individually.
Let’s look at each of these tools and their uses.
A. Scoop
This tool is mostly used to scoop and remove small amounts of soil from the plant. It is a perfect tool for adding or filing in soils in places where there are spaces as well as redressing your planter to have a much more polished look.
B. Spade
A spade is an essential tool when growing succulents. It has a narrow blade and a long handle that makes it easy to carry soil to the area around the plant that needs filling up or arrangement.
C. Bow Rake
A rake is a multipurpose tool that is used to level up the plant surface especially when you need to transplant your succulent. It can also be used to remove soil from the root and clear up weeds or dry leaves that can make your garden unkempt.
You must be buying these tools, look out for the ones that are designed to reduce stress and hand fatigue.
8. Shovel
When preparing the soil or cactus mix for a big succulent, a shovel will be needed to scoop up soil and fill up any potting area. It is mostly used especially if you are dealing with large succulent plants.
Though, it doesn’t necessarily make it for only large succulents plant. Small size succulent plants can make use of a hand trowel or a mini spade for the mixing of the soil as you are planting.
9. Brushes
Most times, when you are done watering your indoor succulent plant or during a period of rain for outdoor succulents, you will notice specks of dirt or soil particles spilled all over your succulent leaves. The best tool to wipe away those stains is a gardening brush.
It will help to reach into depths and tight crevices of the leaves when the specks of dirt get trapped in large and small succulent leaves, without causing any damage to the plant.
Also, it can be used to brush off pests that infest the plant. Most of these pests include Aphids and mealybugs which are the most common crawlies that can affect your succulents.
All you need to do is to dip the tip of your brush in any pesticide, alcohol, neem oil, or insecticidal soap, and brush it on the affected area of your plant. You will see all the bugs killed instantly without causing any damage to your succulent leaves.
FAQs
1. What Is The Best Tool For Cutting Succulents?
The best for cutting succulents is the pruner. They’re sharp and durable, so handle them with care.
It can also be used to trim off rotting pods of cactus and dry succulent leaves with an easy snip. Though it works well on very robust and complex succulents.
2. What Are The Tips For Growing A Succulent Plant?
Below are the best 8 Tips for Growing Succulents in Your Garden. They include:
A. Protect succulents from extreme temperatures.
B. Don’t give them too much sun.
C. Succulents (even cacti) like water.
D. Give them the right mix of soil and sand.
E. Don’t backfill after planting.
F. Put them in pots.
G. Don’t be afraid to prune.
H. Keep them well-fed.
3. What Materials Do You Need To Plant Succulents?
To start planting succulents in your garden, there are some basic materials that you must have to make it a success. They are as follows:
A. Succulents.
B. A container with a drainage hole.
C. Mesh tape or drainage screen.
D. Succulent Soil.
E. Shovel.
F. Top Dressing.
4. Do Succulents Like Sand Or Soil?
Succulents grow best in porous sandy potting soil, so amending your potting soil with sand is super important.
You could also use any type of sand, but to ensure fast drainage for succulents, I will highly recommend that you consider buying coarse sand.
5. How Do Succulents Grow For Beginners?
The first rule about growing a succulent plant is that it doesn’t like to sit wet for a long time since it makes its roots absorb too much water and quickly rot.
Also, you need to make sure you use a pot with a drainage hole. A terrarium or pot without drainage is a big no-no. Preferably, you should use the Terra cotta pot as a beginner.
Conclusion
Growing succulent plants may be pleasant if you have all of the right tools in your gardening collection to make it easier for you.
So, if you don’t have a majority of these gardening tools or if they are worn out, you need to buy them. It’s time for change and an entirely new beginning in your gardening life.
If you’ve added any of these tools to your collection, we’d love to hear about your experience.
