Practical certificate · Useful resources

Visual glossary of horticultural tools

A checklist of the tools used in the practical certificate: an illustration of each and what it is used for.

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Visual glossary of horticultural tools
No.	Tool	Use
1	Border fork	Smaller, lighter fork with slimmer tines than a digging fork. Used for forking over soil and lifting plants in beds and borders where space is tight and a full-size fork would damage neighbouring plants.
2	Border spade	Smaller spade with a narrower blade than a digging spade. Used for digging, planting and dividing perennials in established borders where there is little room to work.
3	Bow saw	Saw with a tubular frame holding a tensioned, replaceable blade. Cuts branches and small logs that are too thick for loppers; the open frame stops it jamming in the cut.
4	By pass loppers	Long-handled cutters whose blade slides past a hooked jaw like scissors, giving a clean cut on live wood. The long handles give leverage for stems up to about 4 cm thick.
5	By pass secateurs	One-handed pruners where a sharp blade slides past a hooked lower jaw, giving a clean cut that suits live, green stems up to about 1.5 cm. Anvil secateurs crush stems and are better kept for dead wood.
6	Comb rake	Sturdy rake with a narrow, flat head and short, rigid teeth. Used to break down clods, remove stones and surface debris, and prepare a fine, level tilth on smaller areas such as seedbeds.
7	Digging fork	Strong fork with four thick, square or flat tines. Used to dig heavy or stony soil, break up compacted ground, lift root crops and turn compost heaps.
8	Digging spade	Spade with a flat, rectangular blade and a tread on the shoulders. Used to dig over ground, cut bed edges, dig planting holes and move soil.
9	Draw hoe	Hoe with a flat blade set at roughly right angles to the handle on a swan neck. Used with a chopping action and drawn towards you to cut through weeds, earth up crops and draw out seed drills.
10	Dutch hoe	Hoe with a flat blade held just beneath the soil surface and pushed (or pulled) to slice off weed seedlings at the roots. Works best on a dry day so cut weeds shrivel; it will not remove deep perennial roots.
11	Folding pruning saw	Compact saw whose blade folds into the handle for safe carrying. A curved blade cuts on the pull stroke with less effort, and replaceable blades are a sign of a good one. Used for branches too thick for secateurs, especially in tight spaces.
12	Pots: 1L, 2L, 5L, 10L	Plastic or clay containers in graded sizes. Plants are potted on from small to larger pots as their roots fill the container. Drainage holes are essential.
13	Garden line	String stretched taut between two pegs, or a reel and a peg, to mark a straight line. Used for sowing and planting in straight rows and for setting out edges and beds.
14	Half moon edger	Spade-like tool with a sharp, crescent-shaped blade. Used to cut neat, clean edges to lawns and beds and to trim back overgrown turf edges.
15	Hand brush	Small brush used to sweep soil, compost and debris from benches, paths and hard surfaces so the work area stays tidy and safe.
16	Hand fork	Short-handled fork for small-scale work. Used to loosen soil around plants, lift weeds with their roots and tease out small plants in beds, pots and containers.
17	Hedge shears	Long, straight-bladed shears worked with both hands. Used to trim formal hedges and topiary; best on soft, light growth, as thick stems need loppers or secateurs.
18	Landscape tape	Long measuring tape on a reel, usually 30 m or more. Used to measure and set out plots, beds and distances accurately, and to mark right angles with the 3-4-5 method.
19	Landscape rake	Wide-headed, lightweight rake with many short tines. Used to level and spread topsoil, compost or gravel across large areas and to rake out a fine finish for seed or turf.
20	Potting tray	Shallow, rimmed tray to work in when potting, sowing or pricking out. It catches spilled compost, keeps the bench tidy and holds pots steady while they are filled.
21	Pruning saw	Fixed, usually curved blade with large, sharp teeth and a pistol-style grip. Used for branches too thick for loppers and for shaping trees and large shrubs, leaving a clean cut.
22	½ and full seed tray	Shallow trays, full size or half size, filled with seed compost for sowing and later pricking out seedlings. Half trays suit smaller quantities of seed.
23	Shovel	Wide, dished blade with a rounded or pointed tip. Used for moving loose materials such as soil, compost, sand and gravel, rather than for digging hard ground.
24	Spring tine rake	Fan-shaped rake with flexible, springy metal tines. Used to gather leaves, grass clippings and light debris from lawns and beds without damaging the surface.
25	Stiff broom	Broom with stiff bristles. Used to sweep soil, leaves and debris from paths, patios and other hard surfaces.
26	Trowel	Small hand tool with a pointed, scoop-shaped blade. Used to dig planting holes for small plants, bedding and bulbs, to transplant seedlings and to pot on.
27	Trug	Shallow, curved-sided basket with two handles, traditionally wood and now often plastic. Used to carry small tools, weeds, cuttings and harvested produce around the garden.
28	Turfing iron	Flat, straight-edged blade for cutting and lifting turf cleanly. Also used to cut straight edges when laying or repairing lawns.
29	Watering can and rose	Can with a long spout and a removable perforated head (the rose) that breaks the flow into a gentle spray. Used for watering seedlings and young plants without washing out the compost; remove the rose to water established plants at the base.
30	Wheelbarrow	One-wheeled barrow with a tipping tray and two handles. Used to move heavy or bulky loads such as soil, compost, plants and debris; load the weight over the wheel for balance.