Allotment tool list

It's tempting to buy a shed-full of kit the week you get the keys. Don't. A handful of good hand tools does most of the work on a plot, and you'll soon find out what else you need.

The starter kit

• Spade: for digging, lifting potatoes, cutting edges and moving soil.
• Garden fork: for loosening soil, lifting roots and turning compost.
• Hoes: the RHS says it's worth investing in a push hoe, a draw hoe and a short-handled onion hoe. A push hoe skims weeds off between rows. A draw hoe is pulled towards you, and is handy for chopping weeds and drawing seed drills. The onion hoe is for close work between plants.
• Rake: for levelling beds and getting a fine surface before you sow.
• Hand trowel and hand fork: for planting out and weeding close to plants.
• Secateurs: for fruit bushes, canes and tidying up.
• Watering can: the RHS calls a can the most water-efficient way to water, with the most control.
• Wheelbarrow or a couple of sturdy buckets: for compost, weeds and harvest.
• String and pegs: for straight rows and marking out beds.
• Gloves.

Second-hand is fine

The RHS says old tools shouldn't be dismissed: think of them as "pre-loved". Car boot sales, house clearances and the plot-holder who's giving up are all worth a look. Check that handles are sound and heads are firmly fixed.

What can wait

• Rotavators and strimmers. Hire before you buy, if you need them at all. Our clearing plan covers when they help, and the safety callout on this page applies.
• Hoses and fittings. Few sites allow hosepipes, so check your rules before buying any.
• Water butts. Worth having, but only once you know where your shed or greenhouse is, because that's where the roof water comes from.
• Specialist tools. Bulb planters, dibbers and fancy weeders can wait until you know you'll use them.

Looking after them

• Clean off soil after use and dry the metal.
• Keep blades on hoes and spades sharp.
• Store them dry. If you keep tools in a shed on site, don't leave anything valuable there over winter.

FAQs

What tools do I need for a new allotment?

A spade, a fork, a hoe or two, a rake, a trowel, secateurs, a watering can and something to carry things in. The RHS singles out a push hoe, a draw hoe and an onion hoe.

Should I buy a rotavator?

Not straight away. Hire one if you really need it, and read the safety guidance first.

Are old garden tools any good?

Often, yes. The RHS suggests treating them as "pre-loved" rather than ignoring them.

Your next step

Buy or borrow the starter kit, and nothing else yet. Then follow our clearing plan to get your first beds ready.