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If you are planning your high-mulched garden, as described by Ruth Stout, you know that it's the lazy way to garden. Just add 6-8 inches of mulch. Add plants. There. Your garden is ready. I have written more about this method here.
It's also a very affordable gardening system, because you need so few tools to get started and maintain your garden. Three, to be exact.
This post reviews reliable tools which I use regularly in my high-mulch garden, and what I look for when purchasing those items. You don't need to spend a lot of money on your tools, but look for modestly priced ones that are well constructed.
Hand Trowel
The hand trowel would be used for getting your plants or seeds into the ground. I have had a number of these bend backwards at the handle attachment point over the years, so I look for a trowel with a sturdy transition between the spade and the handle.
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| Fiskars Hand Trowel |
Spading Fork
Use the fork for moving mulch around, as well as working with the soil beneath. I prefer the fork to the spade, as I find it is much easier to move around most materials.
Look for a tool that works for your height, depending on how you intend to use it. Smaller ones can cause awkward bending for taller folks.
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| HanTop 4 Tine Spading Fork |
Buckets
Buckets are really nice to have around, of course for transporting anything, really.
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| Food Grade Buckets |
Tools You May Want for Your High-Mulch Garden
Root Slayer
The root slayer was a gift to me from a lady who wanted the taller version to accommodate her height. She handed the one with the shorter handle to me.
I have to say it really is a lovely instrument. It cuts through clay really well, so it is very good for digging tree holes or splitting perennials. If you don't happen to get enough mulch on your garden, this tool makes removing pernicious weeds like dock easy.
I actually prefer this to the trowel for planting transplants because I can stand while making holes.
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| Radius Garden Root Slayer |
Lazy Susan or Wheelbarrow
You can carry your hale bales around to your garden, but you might want some help with a wheelbarrow. I have a nice sturdy wheel barrow with a steel tray, similar to the one below.
Watering
The heavy mulch may prevent evaporation from your soil. However, if you have a dry spell, you may need some more help for a large garden.
Hose
Be sure to get one that stretches from your water spout to the end of your garden.
There are all sorts of hose you can use to get the job done. Many like the convenience of the flat hoses for storage. With the usual rubber hoses, be sure you have a way to store them to prevent kinks which can create holes in your hose, such as a simple rack.
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| Linex Flat Soaker Garden Hose |
Sprinkler
Sprinklers, I have found, which have a lot of moving parts tend to get broken. I recently purchased this very affordable sprinkler, and I am quite impressed by it. It needs to be kept in place using a tent spike or garden staple, but it is easy to maneuver and has a wide sprinkling reach.
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| Metal Garden Sprinkler |
There you have it! All the tools you'll need to work in your garden using the high mulch system.
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