7 yardwork tools you need to have at the cottage

Not only will gloves help keep (most of) the dirt out from under your fingernails, they protect your hands from getting poked by thorns or accidentally brushing up against thistles or poisonous plants.

Even if you’re not planning on taking down any trees on your property yourself, a small limbing chainsaw is handy to have around to clear the proverbial low-hanging fruit and to break down any branches that fall on the property.

A small, sharp hatchet will help ensure that you have enough kindling to start all your fires (woodstove, fire pit, sauna, etc.) and that you’re able to split any pieces that are too big to fit in said fire-breathing appliances.

That’s shovels with an “S,” as in you need multiple shovels at the cottage. If you’re doing any gardening, you’ll need a small, hand-held trowel. Then there’s a standard garden shovel with either a square, rounded, or pointed blade. Add an edging tool to the mix if you want clean lines along pathways. And if you use the property in the winter, you’ll of course need snow shovels and all the accompanying equipment for that chore.

As with shovels, there’s no such thing as a one-job-fits-all rake. You should have at least a garden rake—that’s the kind with the thicker, widely spaced tines. Add to that a lawn rake—the long, tightly packed, thin metal tines that clears finer debris and helps aerate the soil, a large leaf rake for fall cleanup, and, depending on how weedy your waterfront is, a lake rake.

Pruners are a gardener’s best friend. Use them to trim dead branches, give shape to unwieldy shrubs, and “deadhead” your flowering plants in the fall.

It seems there’s always something heavy that needs to be moved at the cottage. Invest in a decent quality wheelbarrow—your back and your helper’s backs will thank you.