History of Gardening Tools

You may not pay much attention to the construction of your shovel's handle, but a quick look at the history of gardening tools is a fascinating excursion into the evolution of modern agriculture.

While modern tools are mass-produced for sale by the truckload at your local garden center, at one time gardening tools were highly valued, and necessary for the livelihood of family and community. In early agrarian societies, a strong hoe and a sturdy rake meant that you were able to grow food to feed yourself and your neighbors, and the men who made those tools were considered important craftsmen.

Plant domestication – mostly grains and legumes – can be traced back to 10,000 B.C., but the first societies that were completely dependent on their own crops and livestock first appeared about 6,000 years ago. The oldest tools in history were those for farming and gardening, and they were made by local blacksmiths. Even then, there were design differences – each blacksmith put his own unique spin on the tools he made, based on his own preference.

One of the oldest garden tools is the wheelbarrow, invented in China around 200 A.D. It was reportedly invented by a general named Chuko Liang, who used the barrow to ferry weapons and injured soldiers on the battlefield. Chuko's design was a two-wheeled cart, and it was refined in Europe in the 11th or 12th century, with the third front wheel added, making it essentially the same wheelbarrow that we use today.

By the early 1600s, gardening tools had become a staple in every household, and had become lighter and more ergonomically designed. With the arrival of the Industrial Revolution, gardening became a leisure past time for the middle and upper classes, and large-scale production of garden tools began. Herb and flower gardens became popular, and hand tools like spades and garden claws had to be made lighter, with smaller handles, for women.

By the early 1700s, tools were being made for every gardening need. The history of gardening tools shows that most of the implements used to day, from hoes and lawn mowers to watering cans and weed-whackers, were invented in Europe during this period.