Women’s Gardening Tools

Women have been accomplished do-it-yourselfers for centuries. Without complaint they have successfully wielded their fathers’ and husbands’ tools to cultivate their yards and gardens. Now, women have taken it upon themselves to create their own set of gardening tools, designed by, and for, them.

Trowel
A trowel is a miniature shovel with a pointed end. In the garden it is handy for small jobs such as weeding, mixing fertilizer and planting. A woman’s trowel serves all the same purposes as the original with a few alterations to make it more user friendly. An ergonomic handle helps to reduce forearm fatigue and blisters. A woman’s trowel should also have a compact grip to fit easily in a woman’s hand.

Cultivator
A cultivator is perhaps more easily recognized as a tiller. It is used to aerate the ground, loosen and remove weeds or mix in fertilizers. A cultivator is usually powered by a motor. While there are not women-specific powered tillers on the market, it is best to consider the tiller’s weight and size before purchasing.

The harrow is a handheld, smaller tool that serves the same purpose. Several manufacturers have created women-specific versions of this tool. Like the trowel, a woman’s harrow is usually light weight, ergonomically designed and contoured for a woman’s grip.

Gloves
Few women would be caught gardening without some sort of protective glove. Gloves protect the hands from insects and other ground creatures as well as thorns and chemicals. Women’s garden gloves are smaller and usually an attractive, feminine color. DIYWoman has designed several types of women-specific gardening gloves. Their basic glove is made of a soft jersey cotton with a nonslip grip. They also have an elasticized wrist to keep dirt from falling inside the gloves and defeating their purpose. They also have cut-resistant and leather gloves.

How to Choose
There are many manufacturers of women’s gardening tools. Each brand claims to have found the most necessary difference between men’s and women’s needs. However, generally, there are a few specifics to consider when shopping for women-specific garden tools.

First, the tool’s weight is important. Women have less upper body strength than men, so this is an important feature. Smaller and adjustable handles are helpful amenities as well. While women tend to be less aggressive than men, their tools should still be constructed of high quality steel. Lastly, color and cosmetic appeal are not necessary, but certainly appreciated