Lesson 7
Tools, Technique and Safety
Use hand tools as levers you control, lift less and closer, and know the hazards that stop a garden job.
Plan the job before you pick up a tool
Many garden injuries come from ordinary jobs rather than dramatic accidents: a spade levered against a buried root, a sack lifted at arm's length. Every tool is a lever, and the art is to let it do the work while your hands stay in control.
Before you start, three checks. Do you have permission? If you rent, changing a border, a tree or a boundary needs your landlord's agreement. Is there a clear route for you, the barrow and the waste? And what's under the ground? A spade or even a fork can hit a cable or a pipe: an empty border isn't a clear one. Look for meter boxes, inspection covers, outside lights and pumps, ask what's been laid, and if you still don't know where services run, or the ground is full of rubble, glass or ash, stop and get advice before you dig.