[Ron Finley](https://www.masterclass.com/classes/ron-finley-teaches-gardening) comes from a place where much of what grows must force itself through cracks in the concrete. The “Gangsta Gardener,” as he’s known, hails from South Central Los Angeles, a neighborhood so often portrayed in film and on television as a harsh landscape of poverty,  gangs, and endless drive-thru fast-food joints. Thanks to Ron, South Central is now also becoming known for its communally-managed organic fruit and vegetable gardens. 
At a minimum, you’ll need to invest in a sturdy shovel and a pair of gardening gloves when you start your garden. But there are several other gardening tools of the trade that Ron relies on.

1. __Battery-powered or rechargeable cordless drill__: A drill can be useful for making drainage holes when converting found objects to planters.
2. __Hand pruners__: Use pruning shears to cut stems and branches up to half an inch in diameter.
3. __Hori hori__: Use the stiff serrated blade of this narrow hand trowel to divide clumps of roots and make the process of weeding garden beds more efficient.
4. __Kitchen knife__: Your standard kitchen knife can be useful for making precise cuts when harvesting vegetables.
5. __Potting soil scoop__: This lightweight hand tool is an easy way to fill pots and planters.
6. __Pruning saw__: A pruning saw small saw designed to access tight spaces when pruning trees and shrubs.

As you get more into gardening, [you can add more garden tools to this list](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/gardening-essentials-tools-for-maintaining-a-home-garden): long handle loppers, a pitchfork, garden scissors, a hand-held garden trowel, a digging fork, and a leaf rake. A wheelbarrow and a garden heavy-duty hose (rather than a watering can) are also immensely helpful.


Grow your own food with Ron Finley, the self-described "Gangster Gardener." Get the [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com/) and learn how to cultivate fresh herbs and vegetables, keep your house plants alive, and use compost to make your community - and the world - a better place.
Being a good gardener requires more than just a green thumb. “Gangsta Gardener” Rob Finley shares his list of six must-have gardening tools.


Being a good gardener requires more than just a green thumb. “Gangsta Gardener” Rob Finley shares his list of six must-have gardening tools.


Ron Finley’s 6 Essential Gardening Tools

<a href='https://www.masterclass.com/classes/ron-finley-teaches-gardening' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/classes/ron-finley-teaches-gardening","linkCopy":"Ron Finley","category":null}'>Ron Finley</a> comes from a place where much of what grows must force itself through cracks in the concrete. The “Gangsta Gardener,” as he’s known, hails from South Central Los Angeles, a neighborhood so often portrayed in film and on television as a harsh landscape of poverty, gangs, and endless drive-thru fast-food joints. Thanks to Ron, South Central is now also becoming known for its communally-managed organic fruit and vegetable gardens.

At a minimum, you’ll need to invest in a sturdy shovel and a pair of gardening gloves when you start your garden. But there are several other gardening tools of the trade that Ron relies on.<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Battery-powered or rechargeable cordless drill: A drill can be useful for making drainage holes when converting found objects to planters. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Hand pruners: Use pruning shears to cut stems and branches up to half an inch in diameter. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Hori hori: Use the stiff serrated blade of this narrow hand trowel to divide clumps of roots and make the process of weeding garden beds more efficient. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Kitchen knife: Your standard kitchen knife can be useful for making precise cuts when harvesting vegetables. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Potting soil scoop: This lightweight hand tool is an easy way to fill pots and planters. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 6. Pruning saw: A pruning saw small saw designed to access tight spaces when pruning trees and shrubs. </li></ol>As you get more into gardening, <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/gardening-essentials-tools-for-maintaining-a-home-garden' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/gardening-essentials-tools-for-maintaining-a-home-garden","linkCopy":"you can add more garden tools to this list","category":null}'>you can add more garden tools to this list</a>: long handle loppers, a pitchfork, garden scissors, a hand-held garden trowel, a digging fork, and a leaf rake. A wheelbarrow and a garden heavy-duty hose (rather than a watering can) are also immensely helpful.

Grow your own food with Ron Finley, the self-described &quot;Gangster Gardener.&quot; Get the <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/","linkCopy":"MasterClass Annual Membership","category":null}'>MasterClass Annual Membership</a> and learn how to cultivate fresh herbs and vegetables, keep your house plants alive, and use compost to make your community - and the world - a better place.

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Being a good gardener requires more than just a green thumb. “Gangsta Gardener” Rob Finley shares his list of six must-have gardening tools.