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Originally published on May 11th, 2023. Last updated on February 13th, 2025.
Having the right tools for landscaping is essential when you’re just starting a landscaping business. Not only do these tools help you physically work faster, they can also keep you and your team safe.
Budgeting for your first set of gear? Plan to spend $1,570–4,540+ (USD) on equipment for landscaping and lawn care, not including a business truck and trailer.
In this guide, we’ll break down which tools you need, when to splurge, and how to save money when you can.
Get these essential tools for landscapers:
1. Landscaping power tools
Power tools make landscaping jobs fast and efficient, especially when you’re working on larger lawns and properties. Whether you’re trimming hedges, cutting through tough tree roots, or clearing debris after a storm, power tools get heavy-duty jobs done easily.
- When to pay more: Invest in high-end tools with stronger motors, longer battery life, and commercial-grade durability for frequent use. Quality brands with good warranties can save you money in the long run, since you may not have to pay for as many repairs or replacements.
- How to save money: Mid-range or corded tools work fine for occasional use. Renting larger pieces of equipment can also cut costs in this category.
Lawn mower
A push mower keeps clients’ lawns trimmed and tidy. For clients with larger properties, use gas or electric, or reel mowers for smaller properties or areas with less lawn space.
If you provide lawn care for extra-large areas, like multi-acre properties, a riding mower is more effective. It costs more than a push mower but saves you time and effort on larger jobs.
Like every other purchase on this list, make sure you save receipts and track business expenses. This will be a big help not only at tax time but also in calculating your overhead costs and profit margins.
Cost: $750–3,000+
Leaf blower
A leaf blower is a power tool that makes it fast and easy to clear leaves, grass clippings, and other debris from paths and driveways—much faster than with a rake alone.
Use a battery-powered handheld blower for residential landscaping services, or a gas-powered backpack blower for heavier debris and larger commercial jobs that require more power.
Cost: $50–200+
String trimmer
A string trimmer, also known as a grass trimmer or weed whacker, helps you create clean edges along paths, sidewalks, driveways, and other flat surfaces where grass can grow over.
String trimmers come in gas and electric varieties. Gas-powered models are noisier but good for larger jobs, while electric trimmers are quieter and better for smaller jobs and residential work.
Cost: $50–150+
Hedge trimmer
An electric or gas-powered hedge trimmer helps you clean up bushes, small tree branches, and other light plant growth, giving your clients tidy and attractive greenery.
Hedge trimmers are meant for light use, but they’ll start to feel heavy after extended use. Get a hedge trimmer that’s comfortable to hold and as lightweight as possible.
Cost: $50–200+
Pole saw
Like the hedge trimmer, pole saws are designed for cutting tree branches and cleaning up foliage. However, they can easily handle bigger branches and have a longer reach than a trimmer.
Pole saws are electric or gas-powered and can take care of heavier tree limbs. You may prefer a chainsaw, but you won’t be able to cut higher branches without climbing the tree.
Cost: $150+ pole saw
2. Landscaping hand tools
Hand tools are best when you have a precise job to do. They easily complete tasks like digging, planting, and shaping landscapes manually. Shovels, pruners, and rakes are just as important for wowing your clients with attention to detail.
- When to pay more: Premium tools with high-carbon steel and ergonomic designs last longer and reduce muscle strain and fatigue. Higher-quality tools are best for professionals who need to use them daily.
- How to save money: Basic shovels, rakes, and pruners generally work well. Buying tool sets (often from wholesale retailers) instead of individual pieces can also save money.
Pole pruner
Pole pruners are another way to cut branches. These manually operated tools have a longer reach than hedge trimmers and are more lightweight than a pole saw, making them better for detail work.
Cost: $60+ pole pruner
Pruning shears and loppers
Pruning shears are handheld plant scissors that help you cut small branches one at a time. Loppers are similar but have much longer handles, giving you the power to cut bigger branches.
These landscaping tools are meant for quickly cleaning up small but obvious overgrowth on trees and bushes. Use them alongside your hedge trimmer and pole saw to get those cleanup jobs done right.
Cost: $10+ pruning shears, $20–40+ loppers
Shovels and spades
Every landscaper needs a trusty shovel (or several) to get the job done. Look for a flat-bladed spade for edging, cutting, and planting, and a round or pointed-blade shovel for digging.
You can get shovels with wood or metal shafts and with optional grips or kick plates. The best shovels have sturdy collars (connecting pieces) that aren’t likely to break with heavy use.
If you decide to offer winter landscaping services, get a snow shovel. Whatever shovel you choose, make sure it’s the right height for you.
Cost: $40+ ($20+ each)
Trowel
Rounded or pointed-blade trowels help with digging, cutting, and edging jobs that are too small for a shovel. These hand tools are also perfect for planting flowers and small shrubs.
Trowels typically have metal blades and can come with plastic, metal, or wooden handles. Find a trowel that’s comfortable to hold and won’t snap in half if you hit a rock by accident.
Cost: $10+
Rakes
Leaf rakes collect leaves, grass clippings, and other debris from lawns. These are broad, lightweight rakes, often with a fan-shaped plastic head attached to a wood or metal shaft.
You’ll also need a garden rake. This type of rake has a flat metal head with sharp tines, which is good for removing stones from dirt and spreading soil, mulch, stones, and other materials.
Cost: $15 each (individually), or $30+ for a set
3. Lawn equipment
Producing manicured lawns for your clients often requires specialized equipment. These tools keep grass looking its best by ensuring that your work is even across a large area. A few of the equipment pieces in this category are also best for prepping a space for healthy planting, including gardens.
- When to pay more: Commercial-grade mowers, aerators, and ride-on models are worth it for large properties, or if you complete lots of these jobs in a season. They save time and handle heavy workloads better.
- How to save money: Small landscapers can opt for manual aerators and push mowers. Buying refurbished equipment is another budget-friendly option if you’re testing out whether this service is popular with your clients.
Lawn aerator
Get an electric or gas-powered lawn aerator to help water, air, and nutrients enter the soil in the client’s lawn.
Like many tools, the electric option works well for small residential lawns, while the gas version is best for larger spaces. You may even be able to get an aerator that connects to your mower.
Avoid manual aerators. They require far too much time and effort to use, except in very small spaces.
Cost: $60–150+
Rototiller and cultivator
A rototiller (or tiller) comes in handy for breaking up packed dirt and creating a better surface for planting.
In addition to the tiller, you may want a cultivator to help mix nutrients into loose soil. This tool is like a tiller but has much smaller tines, which are great for mixing soil rather than breaking it up.
Tillers and cultivators can be manual, electric, or gas-powered. Use manual options like a garden hoe for smaller areas, electric for small-to-medium areas, or gas for larger areas.
Cost: $130+ for combination tiller/cultivator
Spreader
Spreaders help you spread seed and fertilizer over a client’s lawn. A broadcast spreader covers a wider range, while a drop spreader covers a smaller area more accurately.
Spreaders come in push-behind and tow-behind versions. Push-behind spreaders are best for smaller spaces where you’re on foot, while tow-behind spreaders connect to your truck or mower for bigger jobs.
Cost: $40–200+
Sprayer
You’ll need a pressure sprayer to spray fertilizer and pesticide on clients’ lawns. You can get a handheld, backpack, or tow-behind sprayer, and larger models are electric or gas-powered.
Cost varies widely depending on the type you get. Start with a less-expensive option and consider upgrading as you take on larger jobs that require more spraying power.
Cost: $50–300+
Wheelbarrow
A sturdy wheelbarrow will help you transport materials across a job site more easily—for example, carrying sod to the yard, or tree branches to the dumpster.
Look for a wheelbarrow with at least 6–10 cubic feet of space. You might also prefer a two-wheeled option instead of a single wheel for more control.
Cost: $50–100+
Tamper
A tamper helps compact the soil before you install a patio, paving stones, or other flat surfaces. This is an essential tool to keep the soil from settling over time and undoing all your hard work.
Get a long-handled tamper to tamp down small spaces or a rolling tamper for larger areas. Only invest in an expensive gas-powered tamper if you’ll be tamping very large spaces on a regular basis.
Cost: $40+
Post hole digger or auger
A post hole digger is a type of double-bladed shovel that makes it easy to manually dig round, uniform holes for fence posts and similar uses.
An electric or gas-powered auger uses a large corkscrew bit to drill holes in the ground. It does the same thing as a post hole digger, only faster—and it generally costs a bit more.
Cost: $50–150+
Garden hose and nozzle
Your clients will likely have their own garden hose, but bringing your own means you’ll always have the hose length and nozzle type that’s right for the job.
Get a few different hose lengths for different project sizes—for example, 25, 50, and 100-foot hoses. You may also want a hose reel for each hose to keep the lines clear and unkinked.
Cost: $20–50 each
Bucket
A plastic bucket always comes in handy on the job, whether you’re moving water, stones, soil, plants, or other tools for landscape design and lawn care.
It doesn’t need to be fancy—it just needs a handle and no holes in the bottom.
Cost: $10–30
READ MORE: Find the funding you need to purchase tools with a lawn care grant.
4. Landscaping safety gear
Safety is always important when you’re working outdoors, but you’ll want to be especially careful around machinery, sharp tools, and unpredictable conditions.
Protective gear like gloves, goggles, hearing protection, and steel-toe boots prevent injuries on the job. If you’re working with a crew, make sure everyone has the right set of gear.
- When to pay more: High-quality boots, noise-canceling ear protection, and anti-fog goggles provide better durability and comfort for daily use. Safety is always worth the investment.
- How to save money: Basic gloves, masks, and knee pads offer adequate protection without breaking the bank. Buying in bulk reduces expenses on disposable gear.
Gardening gloves
Get a pair of gardening gloves to protect your hands from thorns, insect bites, cuts, hazardous plants, or even just blisters.
Gloves come in lots of different materials, like rubber or leather. Look for a pair with a good range of motion and material that fits the job at hand.
Cost: $5–50
Safety glasses and earmuffs
Landscaping can be a hazardous job, so protect your eyes and your hearing with equipment like safety glasses and earmuffs.
Both items come at different price points and in different styles, like noise-canceling earbuds, but even lower-end options like earplugs will do the job.
Cost: $10–40 glasses, $10–100+ earmuffs
Steel toe boots
Steel-toe boots or shoes protect your feet from heavy equipment and other falling hazards. They are available at a range of prices, so just look for a pair that’s lightweight enough to wear all day.
Your feet swell throughout the day, so you’ll get the best fit if you do your shopping in the evening. Make sure to wear the same type of socks you’ll be wearing on the job, too.
Cost: $85–200+
5. Digital tools for landscapers
Running a successful lawn care business isn’t just about the physical labor. Digital tools like design software, scheduling apps, and customer management systems ensure that your daily operations are a breeze.
Use these tools to plan projects, communicate with clients, and manage day-to-day business tasks.
Landscaping business management software
Landscaping software like Jobber helps you schedule your team and get paid quickly for your work, without the paperwork and administrative headaches. Jobber can give you a hand with:
- Invoicing and payments: Jobber helps you generate quick invoices and follows up on late payments automatically. You can collect payment on the spot with the Jobber Card Reader or get paid automatically when you save customer cards on file.
- Scheduling: Add jobs to your calendar faster and assign them to available landscapers instantly. When rainy days delay your work, you can reschedule jobs quickly with a drag-and-drop calendar.
- Client manager: Cut down on phone calls back to the office and equip your team with all the information they need to do the job right.
Always have good software. Get administrative things in order so that your business can be professional and efficient. I wish when I’d started that I had tax planners, accountants, and bookkeepers from Day 1
Accounting software
As a small business owner, you’re going to need accounting software to manage bookkeeping, payroll, and profitability. QuickBooks Online is a top choice for landscape businesses, regardless of your stage of growth.
You can use QuickBooks Online to track your income and expenses, financial reports, payroll, accounts receivable, and accounts payable.
Pro Tip: Use Jobber’s Quickbooks integration to keep your data up to date and eliminate double entries.
Digital marketing tools
Having a marketing strategy ensures that you’ll be able to find and attract new landscaping clients—on repeat. Jobber offers the features you need to run effective local marketing campaigns with less stress.
- Build your user reviews: When a client pays an invoice, Jobber can send an automatic request to complete a business review. This lets your business shine and collect 5-star reviews that populate on search results pages.
- Drive business with email: Send professional branded emails to your list to drive repeat business. Keep your clients in-the-know, or offer special promos to encourage them to book another project.
- See your marketing spend in action: Want to make sure your marketing investments pay off? Get a closer look at the real impact of every dollar you spend on campaigns.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Landscape designers use software like CAD programs for planning layouts, measuring tools for site analysis, and drafting supplies for sketching designs. They may also use drones for aerial site surveys and soil testing kits to assess ground conditions.
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Shovels, spades, and hand trowels are essential for digging and planting, while pruners and loppers help shape plants and remove dead growth. Garden forks, rakes, and soil knives make it easier to prep and maintain garden beds.
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