A small garden without petrol: the battery tools that keep it tidy

A townhouse garden, a terrace with planters or a 200-square-metre plot does not justify petrol machines: heavy, smelly, oil to mix and pull-starts. Battery tools do the same job at that size and live in a cupboard.

Battery trimmer: edges and long grass

What the mower cannot reach: lawn edges, along the fence, around trees and the grass between paving slabs. Light, instant start at the trigger and an adjustable head for corners. Safety glasses and closed shoes, always.

Electric pruning shears: fruit trees, roses and hedges

If you have a lemon tree, a couple of fruit trees, roses or a hedge, winter pruning with manual shears ends with a sore hand. Electric shears cut branches up to 3 cm with one click and come with two batteries and a case. They are also the best option for older people or anyone with weak hands.

Portable pressure washer: terrace, pots and tools

It draws water from a bucket, so it works on terraces with no tap. Cleans the terrace floor, plant pots, garden tools and the bike, and the car parked on the street too. Household use: dust, mud and soap; not for stripping.

Calendar for a small garden

• Spring: trim edges every 2–3 weeks, wash the terrace with the pressure washer.
• Summer: trim every 2 weeks, water early in the morning.
• Autumn: light pruning of hedges and roses with the electric shears.
• Winter: prune fruit trees, clean and charge batteries before storing.

When you need more

Large plots, thick brambles, branches over 3 cm or hedges several metres high: that calls for professional machinery or a gardener. For everything else, battery.

Battery care

Charge them when you finish, store them somewhere dry and cool and, if the tool will sit unused for months, leave them half charged.