Some farm produce/crops have have quite similar requirements for the cultivation operations which they are: preparation, fertilization, planting and sowing, weeding , irrigation and harvesting. Some major crops particularly root crops are grown on ridges other which are on flat land or slightly raised bed.

Fruit crops and vegetable there cultivation may also involve the preparation of nursery bed the digging of planting holes and the uses of container for raising seeding before they are old for transplanting which means the range of tools  required is rather more varied than the uses of farm crops cultivation.

Many small scale farmers own relatively few tools since there purchasing power is fairly limited. Some of the most commonly used hand tools are manufactured locally but other others are imported and therefore fairly expensive.

Example of Garden Tools

Pickaxe:

This is a useful hand tools for breaking up heavy soil and digging out tree stumps and root. It has slightly curved metal head, into which is inserted a
strong wooden handle, oval in shape towards the head.
One end of the head is pointed and the other slightly flattened. The length of penetration of the point into the soil depends on the energy employed by the user it is a fairly heavy tool and requires some skill for effective application.


Mattock

This is a modified pickaxe, with a flattened hoe-like blade replacing the pointed end of the pickaxe head;
the other part of the head forms a narrow axe-like blade. This implement is particularly useful for removing tree stumps, roots and large stones since both the flattened blades have an effective cutting action

Axe: This is sometimes used for felling large trees for which purpose a cutlass would be unsuitable. It is essentially a one-sided metal blade into which is
inserted a wooden handle.

Spade: This has a rectangular metal blade into which is inserted a wooden shaft fitted with a handle. The top of the blade is sometimes turned over to form a tread. In use, the blade is pushed into the soil with the foot and the soil is turned over by twisting and lifting the handle in one operation. Spades are mainly used for preparing small plots for planting with vegetables, where it is an advantage to bury weeds, or for digging out holes for planting fruit trees. They are of more limited use for moving stones or compost, for which
a shovel is more effective.

Also Read Farm Tools

Shovel: This is similar to the spade in general construction, except that the blade is curved at the sides and at the
top. The shovel is often broader than a spade and is a useful tool for moving soil and other materials such as
stones. It can also be used for rough levelling..

Garden or digging fork: Of similar general construction to the spade or shovel, the garden fork has four pronges or tines in place of the rectangular metal blade. Each prong tapers towards the end so that it can penetrate the soil easily.
The digging fork is used for loosening soil, and for carrying or moving loose materials such as compost or manure.

Hand fork:This is a very much reduced version of the digging fork, consisting of a fairly short wooden handle which

Maintenance Of Garden Tools:

All hand tools, especially those with metal parts, ought to consistently be deliberately cleaned after use.

A small piece of wood or flattened stone can be used to scrape away surplus soil, after which a coating of oil should be applied to all metal surfaces to avoid rusting. This precaution is particularly important during the wet season. All tools which have a cutting edge should be regularly sharpened, using either a sharpening stone of local materials or a file.

The handles of hoes, pickaxes and mattocks often require replacement and they should be regularly checked to ensure that the blades or heads are secure; this is a normal safety precaution.