Tools and Equipment

Proper, reliable tools and equipment can have a lot of power over your quality of life during installation. That being said, there is no need to go out and buy all new, state-of-the-art gear (unless you want to!)– you can do quite a bit with a relatively limited array of manual tools. Keep in mind that you can also borrow equipment from friends and neighbors, and if the need arises, you can rent more specialized equipment by the day.

Here is a guide to equipment you may need or want for installation, with the highest need listed first.

1. Essentials
   • Shovels
     • Your shovel will be your tried-and-true, most-trusted companion during your project from start to finish. Make sure that it is quality– it will be put through the wringer, and the last thing you want is for a handle to snap or blade to buckle.
       • Round point shovels are the most versatile and commonly used– if you have no other shovel, at least have this.
       • Flat point shovels have a straight-edged blade, making them ideal for scooping gravel, mulch, or other loose materials.
       • Other specialty shovels, like a trenching shovel, post hole shovel, or border spade may come in handy but aren’t necessities. These are great candidates for borrowing from a friend or neighbor.
   • Tape Measure
     • This is another essential tool that will virtually live on your person throughout the installation of your landscape. Treat yourself to a tape measure that rolls smoothly, locks reliably, and is plenty long.
   • Level
     • A level is necessary for any and all construction you’ll be doing, such as building patios, structures, or even grading.
   • Wheelbarrow
     • A real workhorse, wheelbarrows help you efficiently move materials like soil, mulch rocks, and even plants.
   • Garden Hose
     • Even if you are installing a drip irrigation system, a garden hose is a must-have during installation. You will need to deeply water plants as soon as they are put in the ground– you won’t be able to wait until you activate the irrigation system. Additionally, it can be helpful to have a hose to rinse things off, soften compacted soil for excavation, and more.
   • Truck Bed or Trailer
     • Whether you own, rent, or borrow a truck or trailer, you will get a lot of use out of it– both for junk removal and materials transportation.
2. Helpful to Have
   • String Line
     • String lines are very useful for demarcating straight lines and boundaries. 
   • Pruning Shears
     • These can make vegetation removal much easier and safer by removing unwieldy branches from plants.
   • Rake
     • A rake will help you with soil preparation, levelling the ground, spreading mulch, and tidying up.
   • Power Drill/Impact Driver
     • One of these will go a long way in both deconstruction and installation of new features.
   • Post Hole Digger
     • These come in handy when installing fence posts, permanent structures, and even landscape lighting. Your regular shovel can get the job done, too, but it will be a little more labor-intensive.
   • Sledgehammer or Jackhammer
     • These are necessary for the removal of concrete features from the site.
   • Pry Bar
     • These are useful for deconstructing structures and the demolition of existing features.
3. Specialized Equipment (consider borrowing or renting)
   • Rototiller
     • This is useful when large swaths of soil need amending or are highly compacted and need to be broken up.
   • Mini Excavator
     • These are used for major earthwork such as significant landscape reshaping or creating terraces. This is not a tool for small spaces or small changes. Keep in mind that you will have to be able to get the mini excavator in and out of your site.
   • Chainsaw
     • One of these comes in handy when needing to remove trees from your site.