Whether you’re just starting a landscaping business or you’re looking to keep your edge (pun intended), professional landscaping tools are a must. The right yard tools will also help enthusiastic DIYers create the lawn of their dreams. What tools do you need to start a landscaping business? Our landscaping tools list includes 11 key pieces of lawn care equipment, including must-have grass-cutting tools.

Mower

For most professionals, a commercial lawn mower tops the list of lawn care tools. The standard walk-behind model with its compact cutting deck allows you to nimbly mow in tight spaces and is gentler on delicate turf than heavier machinery. It’s also easier to transport. The precise speed controls of self-propelled models provide more control on jobsites with slopes.

For larger properties, you may want the power of a zero-turn rider mower. With speeds of up to 8 mph, these machines reduce mowing times. The higher blade tip rotation enables cleaner cuts and improved mulching. The mowers can accommodate a variety of attachments ranging from trailers to lawn aerators, rollers and even snowplows.

Edger

An edger is the perfect yard tool for cutting crisp, clean lines between garden beds and lawns, along sidewalks and around other yard obstacles.

Commercial walk-behind edgers are capable of quickly cutting through thick brush and tough soils at rates up to 30 feet per minute. They also give you control over the look of the edge. Some adjustable models can go as wide as 9 inches and as deep as 7 inches.

Weed eater

Another must on any landscaping equipment list, a weed eater gets into places a mower can’t reach.

When used properly, weed eaters, also known as weed trimmers and weed wackers, make quick work of grasses, brush and weeds. Commercial models, available in electric, 2-cycle and 4-cycle models, have more powerful engines and are made of higher-grade materials than residential weed eaters and can withstand longer hours of operation. Weed eaters can be outfitted with line or blades depending on the type of material you’re clearing. Some models include either a harness or ergonomic handlebars for better weight distribution.

Walk-behind blower

When autumn rolls around, you’ll need to tackle leaves and debris. A walk-behind blower features a powerful fan that can blow at speeds up to 180 mph. These machines can move heavy leaves, clear debris from cracks for surface repair work and even disperse standing water. This 13 hp walk-behind blower produces the air volume of about six backpack blowers.

Hedge trimmer

An electric- or gas-powered hedge trimmer will save you time and create perfect shapes for clients with hedges.

Double-sided trimmers are the most common. They have blades on both sides and are well suited for precision shaping, topiary and making cuts in tight spaces. For trimming large, straight hedgerows or tall boxwood, consider a single-sided hedge trimmer. Their blades are lighter and longer and will help you make a perfect, long, straight cut. Some models feature a clipping collector/debris sweeper to reduce the amount of time spent cleaning up post-shave.

Long reach pruner

A gas-powered long reach pruner is one of the best landscaping tools to have. These machines feature a two-piece shaft with a small saw at the end that can be extended up to 11 feet for easy removal of high branches or pruning of tall hedges. With a long reach pruner you can improve the health of your clients’ trees and increase the amount of sunlight that reaches beds while keeping both feet firmly on the ground.

Brush cutter

To reclaim overgrown property or clear lots that have been taken over by vegetation, you’ll want a commercial brush cutter.

Handheld brush cutters can clear tall grass and small brush and, like weed eaters, they can get into places mowers can’t. Walk-behind brush cutters, also known as brush mowers or weed mowers, can clear several acres in only a few hours. They feature powerful engines and durable metal blades capable of chewing up grass up to 8 feet tall, saplings, tall brush and other tough vegetation.

Rakes

The big, powered landscaping machines don’t take the place of hand tools, which are still landscaping business essentials. For example, even if you have blowers, you’ll want to also have rakes. A steel rake is handy for moving hard materials such as stones. A leaf rake is essential for easy cleanup of debris ranging from leaves to small sticks.

Shovels

Of the many different types of shovel, you'll need these three for basic tasks: A handheld shovel or trowel for digging up weeds and planting, a scoop shovel for moving large amounts of mulch, gravel and wood chips and a round-point shovel for breaking through compacted ground or rocky soil. Handles made of fiberglass or steel trump wooden-handled shovels for commercial work.

Push broom

A sturdy, stiff-bristled outdoor push broom is essential for sweeping debris such as grass clippings, pine needles, small branches, mulch and stones.

Pruning shears

Pruning shears are must-have tools for removing branches and taming and shaping hedges and bushes. You may want to keep three or four types of shears on the truck.

The standard bypass shears, or bypass pruners, which work like scissors, make clean cuts and are the best option for cutting green, living stems. Anvil pruners, which feature a single blade and work like a knife, are better suited for cutting dead stems and branches. Ratchet pruners let you make a cut in stages and can handle thicker stems. Loppers make fast work of removing thick, woody stems.

These are the essential lawn care tools for landscaping professionals or anyone who wants to whip their yard into shape and do it efficiently. If you’re starting or growing a landscaping business and you don’t have the cash to buy all the tools in this landscaping tools list, renting can be a smart option.

Visit our online marketplace to browse our selection of lawn equipment.