Types of Garden Machinery: Power Tools

Maintaining your garden is an important part of gardening. Once you have completed your garden project, you are going to need to ensure that it is maintained to a great standard.

It can take a lot of dedication and time to keep up with regular garden maintenance, but there are some key machinery and tools that make this process that much easier.

Gardening tools have been used for a long time. Throughout history, we have seen the transformation of garden tools, primarily in the Bronze Age when there was a shift and tools were starting to be made of metal. This is closer to the development of tools that we see today.

The older style of farming tools was used to work the soil and to help sow seeds. Such tools were shovels, hoes, and spades. These were considered to be some of the most helpful and useful tools for garden maintenance. Other tools include sickles and scythes, which were used for harvesting purposes.

However, over time machinery has developed and you can now get electric or petrol-fuelled tools that are used to help you maintain your garden. Depending on your needs, you are going to want to ensure that you are well equipped with the best machinery necessary to effectively ensure that the maintenance is done as easily as possible. Whilst not all of the following power tools are essential, they do provide a great way to perform their desired purpose.

Types of Garden Machinery: Power Tools

There will be different types of gardening tools for different requirements. For example, there are a variety of different tools that can be used for digging purposes. Whilst there are many manual tools that can be used to maintain your garden, power tools are often more effective and can make the job quicker and easier. Over time, there had been a shift away from manual tools and a preference for power tools.

Digging Power Tool

Mini Tillers

Tillers are electrically powered machines that will dig with the top layer of soil and can remove weeds, and aerate soil making it perfect for planting conditions. These mini tillers are great for those on a budget where large areas of digging and soil maintenance are required.

The electrical aspect of the tool makes it much more effective and powerful than using a manual tool. However, they do cost more in turn. You can find some that are also powered by gas, but there is much discussion about the emissions output by this type of machine. However, they do offer a cordless alternative to the electrically powdered ones.

Scarifier

A scarifier is responsible for cutting through the soil as it is wheeled across the lawn in order to remove dead material and debris from the lawn. This power tool is great for ensuring that water is not stopped from reaching the roots of the grass. Whilst this doesn't necessarily dig at the soil, it does provide a way to maintain the top-level soil.

Cultivator

A cultivator can be electrically powered or some are battery powered which means that they are cordless. This is an added safety feature as it prevents the cord from being damaged during use.

They are similar to tillers and are responsible for turning the soil, digging through compost and breaking down compacted soil. This is much easier and requires less labour than manual tools.

Trimming and Cutting Power Tools

Aside from the common lawn mower, there are different ways that you are able to keep the grass of your garden well maintained.

Lawn Mower

Lawnmowers are a popular garden power tool and you will most likely find them in every household with a grass garden. They can either be electric or gas-powered lawnmowers, but if you are unsure on which to buy, it is worth noting that a gas mower will last around 10 years if well looked after and an electric one will last around 10 years, but the battery will probably last around 5.

A lawnmower will have spinning blades that run under the machine and when the machine is wheeled around the garden lawn, the blades will cut the grass. You can get different kinds of machines that will cut different amounts at different times. For example, you can get any of the following:

• Ride-On Mowers
• Push Mowers
• Battery-Powered Robotic Lawn Mowers

Grass trimmer

A grass trimmer, more commonly known as a strimmer, are motorised tools that are used for trimming small to medium-sized lawns. They are also used for cutting low foliage that is located near certain obstacles such as garden features and irregular garden terrain.

Instead of a blade being used to trim the grass, a nylon line is used. It spins at a fast speed and it causes the line to become stiff and thus cuts through the grass when it makes contact. They can be both electric and gas, but you will find that those powered by petrol will be much more powerful.

Brushcutter

A brushcutter is similar to a trimmer, but instead of using the nylon string, the brushcutter uses a metal blade. This can cut through much denser and can even cut through thicker bushes and tree branches.

You can buy these in either the petrol or the electric-powered version.

Hedge Trimmer

You can get this type of power tool in two different forms. There are smaller hand-held versions on the device or extended devices that can reach wider and higher hedges. They can either be electric or cordless petrol powered hedge trimmers.

If you are working with high hedges an extended trimmer will remove the need for ladders and can make the process much easier and safer. They typically have a long body that has protruding blades, this can be on both sides of the body or on one.

A handheld hedge trimmer will require closer contact and can be used for much smaller hedges and it can be used to shape bushes and shrubs.

Chainsaw

A chainsaw is used to cut trees and firewood. Electric chainsaws will be equipt with a powerful motor that produces a strong effect. The blade will move back and forth on the top of a blade that will remain stationary. When the moving blade is pulled across the still blade, it cuts the offending object.

You are able to buy petrol chainsaws and those that are extended in order to cut branches that are of much higher levels.

Log Splitter

A log splitter can deliver tonnes of pressure that splits most wood and prepare it ready for its use. Typically, they are used for splitting logs ready for firewood. It eliminates the need for an axe, and some chainsaw uses. Whilst this isn't necessarily a maintenance tool, it can be incredibly useful for those who are regularly cutting wood.

Drilling Power Tools

A drilling tool is a power motored tool that is responsible for drilling holes in the ground. This can be used for different garden requirements.

Earth Auger

These can be either petrol or electric, and they are responsible for quickly penetrating the ground in tough conditions, or where the ground is solid. This type of tool is great for drilling holes where garden posts, and planting trees or shrubs in the ground.

They are designed to make the notion of drilling holes, through digging, that much easier.

Cleaning Power Tools

Whilst you can obtain a clean garden with a broom, if you have larger garden areas, it can be much more beneficial to use a power tool. Additionally, you might find that you can use the tools for a more diverse set of maintenance. The following could be used as an alternative.

Garden Vacuum

A garden vacuum will look similar to a leaf blower, but instead of the leaves blowing away from the device, they will get sucked up the pipe and collected in a bag that sits at the base of the tool. It is a great way to clear your garden of debris and the process of emptying the bag is very easy.

Additionally, if you have a compost bin, it is a get way to collect material ready to be turned into compost. Quite often, the device will break down the material into mulch and this can be re-deposited around your garden.

Blower

A blower works much like a vacuum, but instead of it being collected, it will be blown to the specific area you are directing it towards. It is a useful way to clean up your garden. They are not just used for leaves and they can save the time and effort of sweeping your garden.

It can protect your grass from the harsh conditions of raking, but gentling blowing debris off the grass and keeping it healthy.

You can buy combined tools that have the ability to vacuum and blow the material.

Pressure Washer

A pressure washer will produce a high pressured stream of water that blasts dirt and material away from the area. These are great for keeping patios, decking and pavements clean. You can also clean some of your garden furniture with this, but check that it will not ruin that material before proceeding.

You are able to buy high-end petrol and diesel pressure washers, but most commonly you will find electric washers in households.

Safety Equipment for Garden Power Tools

Protective equipment when using garden power tools is incredibly important. The majority of these tools are very high powered and they pose a great risk to your safety if they are not used correctly. However, when they are used in conjunction with safety equipment, that risk is very much reduced.

Gloves

Most, if not all of the equipment listed in this article requires the use of your hands. As such the protection of your hands is essential. Protective work gloves lessen the risk of harming your hands. 

Protective garden gloves are different from gardening gloves. Your average gardening gloves will not offer enough protection when power tools are being used. It is very important that you buy gloves that will protect you against cuts from the cutting and trimming tools.

Safety Boots

Safety boots ensure that when you are working in the garden, the risk of low blades, falling equipment and the prevention of treading on sharp objects that will pierce the sole of your shoe. Most protection shoes offer great ventilation and are made of high-quality material.

You can find chainsaw resistant boots that will protect you from blade damage.

Head Protection

Protecting your head, especially in instances where you are working with equipment that is over your head, such as extended hedge cutters or extended chainsaws. However, helmets are not the only essential form of head protection. 

Firstly, a helmet should be worn when operating power tools. This can prevent harm from falling debris. However, if the helmet does not have face protection with an added face shield. Then you need to ensure that you are wearing protective glasses alongside the helmet in case there is flying debris that comes from the tools.

Most power tools are often loud and you are going to want to ensure that you a protecting your ears by you wearing ear protectors. These can be in the form of earplugs or over the head ear protectors.

In some instances, you may decide that you want a further layer of protection with the use of a neck guard.

Protective Clothing

Safety clothing ensures that the rest of your body is protected against harmful chemicals and places a barrier between the dangerous object and your skin. Working outside can often involve gardening in extreme temperatures, so on those cold days, ensure that you are kept warm by wearing your protective clothing.

Some protective clothing is made from rip-resistant materials which reduce the risk of cuts and injury from machines.

Knee Pads

An alternative to pads that you place on the ground to kneel on, you can get protective knee pads that strap around your knee as part of your protective equipment. They ensure that your knees are protected from long periods of kneeling on the floor.