These tools will get your spring garden in shape

11 best garden tools for spring cleanup

Spring is just around the corner. For many people, that means it’s time to start getting their gardens in shape for the season. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just starting, having the right tools makes all the difference in preparing your yard for spring.

From basics, such as gloves and pruning shears, to more niche options, such as hedge trimmers and weed eaters, there’s plenty to think about. You might not need all these tools, but the right selection can make your life easier.

What do you need for spring garden cleanup?

To prepare your yard for spring, here are some tools that you may need for garden cleanup:

Gloves: You'll need gardening gloves to protect your hands from thorns, prickly branches and other sharp objects.
Lawn mower: Although grass doesn't grow much during winter, it likely needs tidying as you come into spring.
Rake: A rake is essential for removing leaves, twigs and other debris from your garden.
Pruning shears: You may need to trim back dead or damaged branches and foliage with pruning shears.
Hedge trimmer: If you have hedges or bushes in your garden, you might need a hedge trimmer to shape them and cut away dead growth. Make sure to do this well before the start of spring so you don't disturb nesting birds.
Shovel: You'll need a shovel to remove any dead plants or debris that are too heavy to rake up. You can also use a shovel to turn over beds to prepare for planting.
Wheelbarrow: A wheelbarrow is handy for hauling away garden waste and transporting mulch or soil.
Trowel: You can use a trowel to remove weeds, plant new plants and dig small holes.
Lawn edger: Tidy your beds and the edges of paths with a lawn edger.
Lawn aerator: A lawn aerator will help you get your grass in the best condition for the spring and summer ahead.
Weed eater: If any parts of your yard have become significantly overgrown, a weed eater will help you neaten them up.

Best tools for spring cleanup

Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears: available at Amazon

These durable all-steel pruning shears have nonstick blades that are precision ground to stay sharp longer. They give you clean cuts on stems and thin branches up to roughly five-eighths of an inch in diameter. Not only does pruning make your garden look neater, but it also encourages growth and plant health.

EGO Power+ Lithium-ion Cordless Lawn Mower: available at Amazon

Keeping your lawn immaculate has never been easier than with a battery-powered cordless mower. Just charge it between uses; there’s no need to refuel it or trail a power cord across your lawn. It runs for 45 minutes on a full charge and has a choice of six lawn height settings.

Magid Extra-Long Thornproof Pruning and Gardening Gloves: available at Amazon

Garden cleanup can involve cutting through brambles, pulling deeply rooted weeds and other tough work. These gardening gloves protect the lower arms, as well as the hands, and are made from a thick faux suede fabric.

Black and Decker Cordless String Trimmer and Edger: available at Amazon

This string trimmer is great for tackling overgrown grass or areas of tall weeds, such as nettles. Its cordless design makes it easy to use, even if you don’t have access to an outlet. It also doubles as a lawn edger to help tidy borders and pathways.

Craftsman Electric Hedge Trimmer: available at Amazon

Thanks to its decent performance at an affordable price, this hedge trimmer is great for anyone with only a handful of bushes or hedges. It has a powerful motor that makes light work of most hedge-trimming tasks. However, it’s corded, so it’s not as convenient as cordless options.

Yard Butler Multi Spike Lawn Aerator: available at Amazon

While this manual lawn aerator might not make your garden actively tidier, it helps improve the quality of your grass. This means you’ll have a neat lawn without patchy areas as spring progresses and turns into summer.

Worx Aerocart 8-in-1 Wheelbarrow and Yard Cart: available at Amazon

This lightweight wheelbarrow moonlights as a dolly, extended dolly, yard cart, cylinder carrier, trailer tote, bag holder and rock and plant mover. This means it can help you with all kinds of yard cleanup tasks. The flat-free tires never need inflating, and there’s no reason to worry about punctures.

Ames Saw-Tooth Border Edger: available at Amazon

This tool makes it easy to create and neaten up border edges and path edges. The saw-tooth design makes cutting through turf easy. You can cut both straight edges and curves, making it a multipurpose choice.

Spear Head Spade Gardening Shovel: available at Amazon

This heavy-duty gardening shovel is great for various yard cleanup tasks, including digging out weeds, turning over beds and making holes for planting. The spear head shape gives it a blade-like edge, making it even more versatile.

Edward Tools Garden Trowel: available at Amazon

Useful for planting, digging weeds and turning over small beds, a trowel is essential for spring cleanup. This one is made from heavy-duty materials and is bend-resistant, so it’ll last for years. The depth markers help with consistent planting.

Tabor Tools Adjustable Metal Rake: available at Amazon

If your garden is covered with leaves, fallen twigs and other light debris after some winter neglect, this rake is what you need to help clear it up. It fans out so you can cover more ground with a single stroke than with smaller rakes.

Other top products

American Lawn Mower Company's Four-blade Push Reel Lawn Mower is perfect for people with small lawns.
Trim all manner of plants to tidy up your yard with Gonicc Pruning Shears.
The Worx 20V GT 3.0 is part weed eater and part lawn edger, so it's a multifunctional tool for spring cleanup.
It isn't cheap, but if you have a lot of hedges or bushes, the Poulan Pro 2 Cycle Gas Powered Dual Sided Hedge Trimmer is ideal.
If you're looking to rake leaves, lawn trimmings and other garden debris, consider the Corona Fixed Tine Shrub Rake.

Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.

Lauren Corona is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.