For anyone interested in gardening, the thrill of getting your hands dirty, smelling the fresh dirt and watching your carefully nurtured plants grow from seeds into proper bushes that produce flowers or veggies is the most important draw.

Very few people who hate gardening actually make much progress with it, it seems to be one of those things that you’ll do if you love it.

When gardening, it’s a good idea to have good quality tools on hand. These will make the entire process faster and easier and leave you more time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. There’s nothing so sweet as strawberries plucked fresh from the patch that you planted and nurtured yourself and the right tools will help you grow more than just one small patch.

Top Ten Gardening Tools

1. Automatic sprinklers. Good gardeners know that the best time to water the garden is before the sun comes up, since water droplets can magnify the sun and cause the plants to burn. But unless you are truly dedicated, chances are you won’t be getting up before the sun to stand out in the garden with a hose. The other option is to set up automated sprinklers that are set to go off at a certain time. This is also very handy for keeping the garden watered while you are away on vacation.

2. Gardening multi-Tool. Why carry ten different gardening tools when just one will do? A multi-tool is based on a military concept that combined pliers and a variety of other tools and blades into one tool. Likewise, a gardening multi-tool will include handy items like a saw, weed remover and wire cutters, among others, all tucked into the handle of a nice pruner. The whole thing is the size of a handheld trimmer and can be easily slipped into your belt, making those frequent trips back to the garden shed obsolete.

3. Garden stool. Most gardeners are familiar with those handy little kneepads that help keep your body from getting too stiff while in the position to weed, but not everyone is able to stay on their knees for extended periods of time. A simple garden stool lets you sit while you work and is low enough to the ground to provide easy access to weeds. Look for one that has wheels and you won’t even need to carry it from one vegetable patch to the next. Some stools also feature storage space under a lift-top which lets you store your tools, seeds and gloves all in one place.

4. Folding garden bucket. These handy buckets are ideal for working with in the garden or anywhere you need to be weeding and want somewhere to toss the weeds. This type of bucket is roomy, but lightweight and can simply be twisted and folded down to a light disc that takes up virtually no room in the gardening shed. They are usually made of sturdy fabric, so they can just be hosed down, which makes cleanup nice and simple.

5. Anti-pest decoys. These range from the familiar scarecrow, which rarely works anymore, to realistic owls that swivel their heads when sensing motion. No matter what your style of garden, there is a way to frighten off birds and other critters that would like to share in your harvest. If you aren’t interested in moving birds or metallic streamers that twirl in the wind to frighten off would-be raiders, then you can always opt for motion sensor sprinklers that are barely noticeable, yet have good results.

6. Non-kinking hose. The hose is one of the more basic gardening tools, but if you opt for cheap ones, they’ll be full of holes in no time, not to mention kinking up right when you need water the most. It’s well worth the money to invest in a non-kink hose. Not only will it never bend so sharply as to cut the flow of water off, these types of hoses tend to last far longer than regular plastic ones.

7. Ergonomic grips. There are so many different gardening tools on the market that it can be difficult to choose which trowel, rake or other small implement you should purchase. The best tools will have ergonomic grips on them, large, comfortable handles that won’t strain or irritate your hands when using them. Look for softer handles, as well, since unaccustomed use of wood can give blisters.

8. Aerator shoes. These aren’t really shoes, they are actually spiked plates that strap onto your gardening shoes. As you move about, weeding, planting and trimming, the spikes drive into the earth with each step and help aerate it. This is just another way to improve the health of your garden without any extra work, something busy gardeners will appreciate. .

9. Ph soil tester. While the average person might not care if their soil is acidic or not, this is just the sort of thing that will matter to the avid gardener. When you discover what the Ph of your soil is, you can adjust it to produce the best environment for your plants. In some cases, such as with hydrangea, the acidity of the soil actually determines the color of the flowers.

10. Good gardening gloves. Perhaps one of the most important gardening tools, gloves protect hands from things like blackberry or rose thorns. They also keep hands from becoming completely saturated in dirt or fish meal, neither of which is pleasant. Good gardening gloves will be soft enough to be comfortable, yet sturdy to allow for long term use. Most have small dots or other types of gripping paint on the palms to aid with friction.

By selecting the best gardening tools possible, you ensure that your time in the garden will be enjoyable. There’s nothing fun about working with difficult tools that make it hard to do even the simplest chores. Instead, invest in real tools and have a great time with your gardening.