Garden Carts: Making Yardwork Easier

Big bags of mulch can get heavy after carrying them across your yard for the 8th time. Not to mention, you still have to transport all of the plants and flowers that you need to their homes! There are a lot of great uses for the garden cart. Garden carts have a way of allowing us to work smarter instead of harder. Let’s take a look at how this simple cart can make your life easier.

What Are Garden Carts Used For?

Garden carts are built for a variety of uses. Here are the most common reasons you may want to purchase one. 

• Planting – A garden cart is an easy solution to planting different types of trees and flowers. You can transport these types of flora in your garden cart to their new home. Take your garden cart to the store or nursery to put your new plants inside right away!
• Landscaping – Creating a new retaining wall or putting stones around your garden? A garden cart is more stable than a wheelbarrow and thus offers more support. It also does the heavy lifting for you, so all you have to do is pull your items along. 
• Mulching – Mulch is something that seems to be everywhere when you are finished. Why not use a garden cart to transport the loose mulch or bags to any spot on your property. Keep the weight down and the pristine mulching job at an all-time high!
• Spring Lawn Care – For all of the winter twigs and sticks that have fallen into your yard, you could use a garden cart to carry them away. Remember that stump you haven’t cleared out yet? Let a garden cart help you haul it away from sight!

How Many Wheels Does A Garden Cart Have?

A garden cart can have either two or four wheels. The two-wheeled cart will have two handles on the front for lifting and pulling/pushing. The four-wheeled cart will generally have one handle to pull just like a traditional wagon.

How Do You Change A Tire On A Garden Cart?

Here are 2 ways that will allow you to change the tires on your cart. Depending on the style of tires, you may need to adjust a few steps, but the overall process is relatively similar.

What Is The Difference Between A Garden Cart & A Wheelbarrow?

Wheelbarrows allow for easier maneuvering, while garden carts have a longer turn radius. A wheelbarrow only has one wheel, while a garden cart has 2-4. A garden cart also allows for heavier loads because of the lower center of gravity. 

Both are used for similar purposes. The general rule of thumb is to consider terrain, capacity, and what your job is to figure out which one is better for you.

How Much Can A Garden Cart Carry?

The average weight a garden cart can carry is 700 lbs. That encompasses a range from 200 lbs to 1,400 lbs. Generally, the more weight a cart can handle, the higher its price will be.

Garden Cart Types

Depending on your use and need of your garden cart, there are actually multiple types/styles to help. Each one contains something new or different to allow you to get your specific job done faster and easier.

Garden Cart With Seat

Gardening can be unreasonably tough on your knees and back. We have spent long days outside trying to get our yards in order, only to come back in and feel sore for the next two days. The garden carts that come with a seat are perfect for having a place to do your work from. Taking the weight off of your knees and back from time to time will allow you to get more work done!

Dump Garden Cart

Dump garden carts allow you to dispose of the materials you have collected quickly. The simplicity of raising one side to let everything to fall out can be much easier than shoveling it all out or having to tip your whole cart. 

Dump carts can tip themselves depending on the weight load and what materials you transport. A non-functioning dump cart that has a tough time staying upright can be frustrating.

Utility Garden Cart

A utility garden cart offers features that a baseline model will not provide. The main differences are bed size and load rating. With a utility cart, you can carry heavier and more oblong items. If you are just doing traditional gardening and yard work, you may be okay with the standard cart.

Rolling Garden Cart

A rolling garden cart is another name for a 2 or 4 wheel garden cart. Some garden carts have a “wheelbarrow or bicycle” wheel in the front. A rolling cart makes it that much easier to transport all of your materials to their final destination.

Vertical Garden Cart

These garden carts are commonly used as the beds for your plans. While they have handles and wheels, they are generally positioned to be stationary. These accent pieces can make a beautiful starting home for herbs, flowers, or veggies.

Covered Garden Cart

A covered garden cart can be a great way to add more protection to whatever materials you are hauling. If you need to keep dirt, mulch, or other things from getting wet, this could be your cart. Some could also hold your children. It might sound weird, but there are some covered cloth carts that your kids can sit in while you are outside working.

Garden Cart Tool Carrier

A tool carrier version of the garden cart can be the perfect solution to that pile of tools you have in your shed. This garden cart actually comes with an organizer that allows you to create your own system for housing your tools. While this cart is convenient, it stands upright with two wheels, so it will not be able to double as a carrier for anything else.

Garden Carts: Metal vs Plastic

Which is better? Metal or plastic garden carts. Each comes with its own set of pros and cons!

• Metal
  • Pros: Durability, generally larger, generally can carry more weight
  • Cons: Maneuverability, rust, price

• Plastic
  • Pros: Price, Maneuverability, Light-weight
  • Cons: Durability, Shallow Bed, Load Capacity

Garden Cart Wheels

Finding the right garden cart wheel can make or break your experience. You could love everything about your cart, but if you have a tough time moving it, that could be the end of your relationship. Your wheels should depend on your load capacity, materials, and the layout of your yard. If your terrain is rough, you are going to want more durable wheels.

Garden Cart Sizes

Garden carts come in a variety of shapes and sizes. A 26” x 48” cart is one of the most functional sizes you can buy. This offers a good load rating from 1,000-2,000 lbs and a good bed size for your materials. 

Smaller garden cart sizes include 20” x 22” and 27” x 15”. You are going to want to tailor your garden cart size to the reason you have purchased it. (If your goal is to haul tree branches, a tiny garden cart may be the wrong way to go).

Where Can I Buy A Garden Cart

Garden carts are generally sold in any home store such as Lowes or Home Depot. A few on Amazon could measure up for what you want as well. More commonly, small businesses also specialize in these carts…like us! If you are interested in one of our garden carts, let us know! 

Need to do some more research? Check out all of the details and information behind the garden carts.

Garden Cart Conclusion

A yard is a yard, no matter the size. I think Dr. Suess wrote that. But in all seriousness, a garden cart can be the vehicle you need to get your yard in order. Whether for cleaning, planting, hauling, or anything in between…make your life a little easier with the addition of a garden cart. 

If you have any questions or need help during your process of finding a garden cart, let us know! We would be happy to assist and talk through your specific needs! Happy hunting!