If you ask any skilled trades person, they will tell you that having and using high quality tools for the job is crucial to success.

The quality level of your tools has a huge bearing on the amount of the work you can produce and how easily you can do it. Cheaper tools are not better in the long run. You'll end up replacing them more often and then they are no longer cheaper. I recommend spending the extra money the first time to get a solid, well built tool with a good name brand on it.

The first time you try a very high quality tool, you'll wonder how you ever got through before. A reliable tool is well worth the cost in any skilled trade, hobby or line of work. Gardening is no different. Gardening is hard work sometimes and having tools as tough as you are is critical.

When you go out shopping looking for garden tools such as rakes, hoes, shovels, weeders and other hand tools first start with an appropriate store. A gardening store is best or a hardware store is usually good too for selection and quality.

First things first, inspect the tool. Consider the basic construction of it.

Look at the handle:

• What is it made of?
• Is it wood?
• Is it plastic?
• Is it quality metal?
• Is it cheap metal?
• Is it flexible?
• Is it rigid?

Both the rigidity and flexibility of a tool is important. Sometimes it's better to be flexible but not always, sometimes being a solid rigid tool is best for the job.

Look at the "business end":

• How well is it built?
• What is the working part made of?
• Metal, plastic or a combination of materials?
• Is it flexible?

Flexiblility is usually a good characteristic in many types of rakes, but not hard rakes or construction rakes for example.

The most important part of all tools is the connection between the working end and the handle.

Look closely at how those two pieces are connected. Just like the old phrase: "It's only as strong as the weakest link". If the handle and working end are of good quality, that won't matter if the connection between the two is made of brittle plastic and cracks or breaks easily.

I'm the kind of gardener that puts every tool I own to the test, I often use them for purposes they were not intended for. I really push them beyond their limits and in doing so I have found some really good tools that stand up to me and my methods. I've also learned what tools not to buy, skip anything that is too cheap in price. Discounts and sales are good, but don't seek a cheap price if you want quality.

If I break a tool during an excessive test of its' capability, then I know just how much it can handle beyond normal. This usually brings to light a high quality, well built tool worth replacing. I'll likely have that one in my kit for all time.

The most versatile tool I have has to be the "Crack Weeder". Pardon the name. I use that for everything from weeding, to grass removal, brick laying, digging, planting, aerating soil in a container-you name it. It's even great for flinging slugs far and away from the garden, that's always fun to do. There are many other slug solutions available if you have issues with them.

I know we all have our favorite tools, but for the many fancy new and improved tools that come on the market, I still find that some of the old tried and true tough made, sometimes expensive tools are the ones that endure in my shed. These are some of my favorite weeding tools.

The next time you shop for your garden tools, consider the points above and you will end up with a good set of tools that will last you a long time. This will ensure a pleasurable day of gardening, have fun!