Great Gardening Gear
Linking to some of my favorite garden tools & supplies.
In The Garden
Garden Gloves
I used to never use garden gloves—I hated them and how they restricted my ability to really “feel” what I was doing. As my commitment to gardening and ongoing projects grew, I found myself with terribly dry, cracked hands and permanently dirty fingernails. I finally broke down and started trying to wear garden gloves, even if just on occasion. I have tried a few different brands/types of gloves, and my favorite, hands down, are Atlas Nitrile Garden Gloves. You can find them in four packs and six packs and they last for several seasons. As mine get dirty, I toss them in the washer and air dry them.
Plant Supports
I support many of my plants to protect against wind and flopping with a number of sticks and stakes. I have to admit, though, that I haven’t always done this. I still remember the disappointment I felt, when I came home from work one windy day and found all of my stately and much anticipated 3-4 feet tall delphinium spikes flattened—I learned my lesson that day! Now I stake, cage, and prop up plants however I can. I like these coated green plant props because they are low profile and very convenient to stick in the soil and hold up a heavy flower head. What I use most often though, are inexpensive bamboo stakes or rebar stakes that I have spray-painted with forest green Rustoleum and jute/twine or plant velcro. I love the plant velcro and always have some on hand.
Hand Tools
Hand tools should be in every gardener’s arsenal. My three favorite tools are:
Kneeling Pad
My mother-in-law gave me a $3 kneeling pad from the Dollar General a couple years ago. It quickly became the best thing I never knew I needed. It was essentially a one inch thick piece of foam, perfect for cushioning your knees (or butt) in the garden. I used it until it was filthy, worn out, and torn. And then I upgraded to a thicker, nicer one. It sits in my garden bucket, always at the ready, along with my gloves and hand trowel.
Sprinkler
Raised Bed Corners
Watering Can
Do yourself a favor and buy a good watering can. A good watering can will last you a long time. Seriously, I learned to garden using a galvanized steel watering can that I got from my grandaddy. A good watering can will have a large capacity & a sturdy handle, will resist rust & corrosion, and won’t leak. Cheapies tend to have leaky spouts and handle blowouts.
Espoma Fertilizer
I love the Espoma line of slow release fertilizers. I use them in almost every planting hole. They are organic and custom-blended to what you are planting. I use TomatoTone in the vegetable garden, PlantTone for most perennials, HollyTone for shrubs and berries, BioTone Starter Plus for new plantings, and Bulb Tone for flowering bulbs. I have tried many, and still have yet to experience any adverse effects. The formulations are a bit smelly—like most organic fertilizers, but the earth worms in my soil love them!
Seed Starting Supplies
AgroBright T5 Grow Lights
If you are wanting to achieve the best success with starting your own seeds, I highly recommend utilizing a grow light.
Pro-Mix Potting Soil
Heavy Duty 1020 Plant Trays
Garden Marker
You can buy plastic plant labels, which is what I do, or you can be totally eco-friendly and repurpose your plastic yogurt, sour cream, and milk containers in to plant labels by cutting them into segments. Either way, plant labels with Sharpie marks always fade in the sun and elements and