There's nothing like a series of sunny days to wake up my inner gardener. And apparently, I'm not the only one who has this reaction, as evidenced by my inbox these past few weeks.

DEAR MARY: I just moved into my first home after living in an apartment for the last 10 years, and I really want to get started with a small tomato and herb garden. Do you have any suggestions for some tools that I should purchase to get started? Thanks for your help. I love your column and read it daily. — Asher

DEAR ASHER: I've got gardening on my mind, too. We are enjoying our first spring here in Colorado, which has introduced me to the phenomenon of spring fever! I can't wait to get my hands dirty and my garden planted.

With that in mind, here's a list of my favorite inexpensive yard and garden gadgets and gear. While this may look like a sizable investment, it's not likely you will need all of these items on day one. Just hang onto this list as you look to furnish your garden shed over the coming months and years. I'd rather see you spend a few more dollars on good-quality tools in the beginning than find yourself having to replace poor-quality items every season. I've been there, done that, and I wasn't very happy about it.

GLOVES. I tried out so many pairs until I found the gloves that work for me. Atlas Touch Gloves are awesome. Made of cotton with nitrile coating (similar to vinyl) on the palm and fingers, these gloves fit so well and are so flexible I can easily open a can, pick up a small pebble or even take a call while wearing them. A pack of six pairs in a size small is just $22 ($3.66 a pair). The large size costs $15 or $2.50 per pair. These gloves are machine washable, too. Best garden gloves ever.

TROWEL. You need a good trowel for digging, cutting and scooping dirt. It needs to have a wide, sharp edge to cut through roots and grasses in a single pass. The handle needs to be smooth and easy to grip. Few trowels I've tried meet all of that criteria at a price I'm willing to pay, but this one does. The Wilcox 14-inch Garden Trowel is perfect in every way. The blade has a ruler that helps me make sure I'm planting seeds, seedlings and bulbs at a uniform depth. And it costs less than $20.

WEEDER. The Hula-Ho Weeder is almost magic. Known by some as the weeder with a wiggle, you'll think this thing broken the first time you pick it up because the self-sharpening blade is loose. But that's the magic: It moves back-and-forth. It will forever change the way you weed, aerate, mulch and cultivate your garden. I have the luxury of having two of these babies: one with a 14-inch handle ($12) and a full-size one with a 54-inch handle (about $14).

SHOVEL. To me, the right shovel is like having the right vacuum. I use my Shark vacuum daily because it fits and it works. Same with my shovel. It has to fit my hands without giving me splinters. The Bully Tools Round Point Shovel with a closed handle is without doubt the best choice. And at about $45, it's a great deal. I love the fiberglass handle that will not rot, splinter or require any kind of maintenance. Hint: I keep my tools in a bucket of sand. Once I hose off this shovel (and all of my tools for that matter), I plunge the end of it into the sand before hanging it up. That keeps the blade edge sharp, leaving a light coating of oil that prevents rust.

PRUNER. Great for cutting branches up to one-half of an inch thick, these are bypass shears, which cut like scissors and make cleaner cuts. I'm sold on Fiskars Traditional Bypass Pruning Shears. This pruner cuts stems and light branches with ease. And it has a self-cleaning sap groove that keeps the blade from sticking even when I need to cut through icky sticky stuff. My Fiskars pruner is at least 10-years-old and still going strong. It goes for about $12.

BOW RAKE. A strong rake is an absolute necessity for combing rocks and clods out of a bed and leveling the soil for seed sowing. I suggest that you spend a bit more to get a great heavy-duty rake like the Truper 31380 Tru Pro 60-Inch Bow Rake with a fiberglass handle. It will last a lifetime, carrying you through even the biggest jobs, like raking rocks or pulling roots and vines when its time to winterize the garden. It costs about $33.

REEL MOWER. Hands down, this is the best lawn mower if you want to mow the old-fashioned way and get a little exercise while you do it. The Scotts Great States 20-inch mower is without a doubt the best in the push mower class. This little machine cuts through grass (notice I didn't say tears through grass) like its butter. It makes the cleanest cuts ever, is easy to adjust for mowing height and makes the cleanest cut ever, which promotes healthy grass. If you have childhood memories of a reel mower that gets jammed up and is nearly impossible to push, let those memories go. Push mowing has never been easier or cheaper. This costs about $120.

LEAF RAKE. I hate it when the tines on a leaf rake get clogged and I have to stop, reach down and pull all the debris out. The reason I love the Ames True Temper Kodiak Leaf Rake is that the tines have a spring base to prevent that from happening. And the handle is 54-inches, which allows you to reach far behind bushes and around hedges. This one goes for about $24.

GARDEN KNEELER. If the thought of kneeling in your garden as you tend to routine gardening chores makes you wince in pain, relax. What you need is an excellent kneeling pad that is thick enough to provide comfort, and large enough to kneel on effortlessly. You will find that in InSassy Garden Kneeler Wave Pad, which costs about $8.

For links and more information on these amazing garden products, please visit my website.

Mary invites questions, comments and tips at [email protected], or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website and the author of "Debt-Proof Living," released in 2014. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Keith Rowley