Growing food year-round in the UK requires more than skill, it requires the right tools at the right time. Whether you’re preparing spring beds, surviving summer heat, extending your autumn season or harvesting through winter, having reliable equipment is what separates stressful seasons from smooth ones.
At ReAg Tools, we specialise in tools made for market gardeners: durable, efficient and designed to help you grow more while using less energy. Here’s your full guide to the tools you’ll rely on season after season.
Spring: Bed Prep & First Plantings
Spring is the season of soil prep, seed sowing, and getting your infrastructure ready for the year ahead.
Tools you’ll be using most:
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Broadfork for loosening winter-compacted soil without tilling
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Stirrup hoes for keeping newly warmed soil weed-free
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Hand seeders & push seeders for precise sowing for salads, roots and herbs
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Rakes for levelling beds and distributing compost evenly
Top tip: Well-aerated, evenly-prepared beds can increase germination rates dramatically. A broadfork + rake combo saves hours of patch repairs later.
Summer: Fast Harvesting & Heat Management
Summer is all about speed and quality by harvesting quickly, keeping crops protected, and maintaining steady irrigation.
Tools & supplies for summer success:
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Quick-cut harvesters for rapid salad harvesting
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Sharp harvest knives for clean cuts and less bruising
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Netting to protect crops from pests
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Irrigation kits to keep beds evenly watered
With costs rising and margins tightening, efficient summer harvesting tools are some of the best purchases a grower can make.
Autumn: Cover Crops & Season Extension
Autumn is your time to protect soil, push for late harvests, and prepare for winter growth.
You’ll need:
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Frost fleece to keep young crops safe
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Hoops & low tunnels for season extension
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Cover crop seeding tools to keep soil covered
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Sharp hoes for the last big flush of weeds
Autumn is where many farms lose momentum but with the right kit, you can keep production high into November.
Winter: Protected Growing & Tool Care
Winter isn’t downtime anymore, it’s the season of hardy greens, protected cropping, and maintenance.
Winter essentials:
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Harvest knives for kale, leeks, chard and Asian greens
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Insulated gloves and non-slip footwear
This is also the best time to sharpen, oil and repair your full tool collection so everything is ready for spring.
Year-Round Maintenance Essentials
To make tools last for years, not months, you should:
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Clean tools after use
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Oil blades and wooden handles
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Sharpen regularly
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Store out of the weather
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Replace blades before they damage handles or tool heads
A good tool should last many years with proper care.
Investing in the right tools is the fastest way to reduce labour costs, avoid crop failure, and grow higher-quality produce year-round.
If you’d like to upgrade your setup, explore the full seasonal range at ReAg Tools — including broadforks, hoes, harvest tools, fleece, and irrigation solutions.