It's true that all you really need for a successful garden is a few seeds, some water and a little dirt (and even the dirt is questionable these days!). But there's nothing wrong with having the right tool for the job, especially when it comes to pruning, trimming and taming the great outdoors! Check out our 8 great favorites and add your own to the list after the jump!
Roundup: 8 Great Outdoor Essentials
1. Swan Drinking Water Safe Hose: for $22.98 from Lowe's. Made specifically to keep the harmful chemicals out of your water, we love this Swan hose from Lowe's (and not just because it rhymes) and we love cold drinks after an afternoons worth of work and the hose is the best place for them!
2. Corona Heavy Duty Bypass Pruner: for $25.99 at Ace Hardware. Corona pruners are what the pros use. Their blades stay sharp and strong which means crisp clean cuts and little maintenance.
3. American Lawn Mower Co. Deluxe Light Reel Mower: for $119.99 at Ace Hardware. For those with grass to mow, check into a Reel Mower. We've been using them for years and even if you aren't into mowing your whole yard with them they are still perfect for those tight spots around and near flower beds.
4. Home Gardner Gardnerr Gloves: for $9.99 at Home Depot. Gloves are a great way to keep your hands clean while offering them a little bit of extra padding to repetitive tasks such as raking, or mowing.
5. True Temper Landscaper Wheelbarrow: for $69.99 from Home Depot. Now, sure you can haul mulch, rock, soil and other gardening mediums bag by bag. But there's a difference between using your gardening time as a workout and ending up on the couch with a bad back. You might prefer a wheel barrow or a gardening cart with 4 wheels, but either way you look at it, they can be your back's new best friend!
6. Re-Useable Velcro Plant Ties: for $9.95 from Gardener's Supply. They are lightweight enough to hold even delicate stems and blossoms in place, while having the durability to hold heavier branches and trees. Plus, they are reuseable from year to year and can even be used to help hold other things, like Christmas lights up!
7. Mechanical Water Timer: for $11.49 from Do It Best. Need to water but don't have time to do it on your schedule? Water timers are great ways to let your gardens soak while you're away (or sleeping!) without fear of flooding or wasting water or money! You can also find digital varieties, but we've always been a big believer in the simpler the better.
8. Stretch Knee Pads: for $ 19.95 from Gardener's Supply. We've never been a big fan of those foam kneelers (we usually set them down and forget to move them as we work), but we aren't big fans on stain fighting either. Knee pads can be a great alternative and even if you look like you're ready for a game of volleyball, they get the job done!
Do you have a tried and true garden product you just can't live without?
Let us know in the comments below!
Comments (15)
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After breaking two inexpensive garden border forks, I finally invested in good quality (that will be replaced, in perpetuity, if it breaks), and found that a better quality tool makes a huge difference in terms of practical gardening.
Also my wide brimmed hat, some Sunscreen, a large bucket to haul my small supplies around (hand tools, organic fertilizer, plant ties, seed packets), and my Womanswork gardening gloves (flexible and washable):
http://www.womanswork.com/
view Rucy's profile
The very best gardening gloves? The 370 EC Atlas. Durable, comfortable but allows for a lot of dexterity and sensitivity. Their women sizes really do fit small women hands.
view Trii's profile
We have a marvelous old reel land mower we got from our neighbors when they moved into a retirement home. It still works well but desperately needs to be sharpened. In Idaho Falls where we used to live and Amarillo where we do now we still cannot find anyone to sharpen them. Any ideas or recommendations? I'm half tempted to ship it off to be done even if it will cost more.
view angelalds's profile
I opted to have the blades on my rotary tiller sharpened, and just sat down with the yellow pages and called everyone in the Sharpening Services section, only about 1 in 5 of those I called handled mower blades or rotary blades but it worked and I found a couple options within driving distance. You might consider doing a Google search on Sharpening Services or Blade Sharpening Services, for your telephone area code, and begin calling... worth a shot?
view Rucy's profile
Shovel. Can't garden without one. (I planted 24 hostas this weekend alone...)
view SherryBinNH's profile
The pros I know use Felco pruners. They're more expensive but very good quality.
view aaakid's profile
Re: Angelalds - you can get a sharpening kit for your reel mower and do it yourself. http://www.cleanairgardening.com/reelmowshark.html It isn't very difficult to do once you get the hang of it, and works quite well to keep the mower sharpened. The trick is finding a sharpening kit...they can be purchased online, or if you have an old-timers hardware store nearby they might carry it.
view michelle123's profile
Angelalds, I second the thing about the sharpening kit, but depending on your comfort level you might be able to do it with a small angle grinder. My husband sharpens ours and it does the trick.
view pxlchk1's profile
Pros use Felco and Barnel pruners, there's no comparison. Coronas are great for the price, I have several, but my felcos are like a lightsaber.
Knee pads are an abolute necessity.
I'm glad to see the velcro ties, they are my favorite thing in the last few years. Delicate enough for staking new growth, and secure enough for tree saplings and even training climbing roses on a trellis.
Lastly, the best gloves I've ever used are from West County Gardener. The landscaper gloves are so comfortable, breathable, have competely impenetrable kevlar on the palms and fingers (I've jammed my pruners in them to test) and even a clever swath of terry cloth to wipe your brow. They are even machine washable. The rose gloves are ultra-suede, comfortable and also machine washable.
view djftex's profile
Awesome thanks! We've done the phone calling and searching a million times it seems but the sharpening kit and angle grinder sound great! Thank you very much!
view angelalds's profile
We have a reel mower too that we bought from http://www.leevalley.com/ almost three years ago - it's great! You can also buy sharpening kits there and if they have a shop in your area you should check their workshop calendar, we attended a free how to sharpen your reel mower demo.
Since buying a reel mower I find that gas and electric mowers are quite loud, I can't see myself ever switching back!
view Jennifer Squires's profile
I don't know that K-Mart carries it anymore, but I have a Martha Stewart Japanese weeder. The price was great, but the tool is amazing. I'm sure you can find another in a different brand. The blade is triangular, and the balance is like a hammer - you don't have to use much muscle behind it. It works as a weeder, digging holes for seeds, tilling the soil - you name it.
view magicsbm's profile
My stainless steel Hori Hori knife is a godsend as are my Slogger gardening clogs.
view Seaside's profile
Tubtrugs! Also, a pick-axe comes in handy sometimes too.
view BonivaGScott's profile
My husband bought a reel mower because gas and electric mowers make his allergies go crazy. He says it's not any more difficult to use than a traditional gas mower, as long as he doesn't let the grass get too high between cuttings. I wonder why more people don't use them? He's not exactly on the green bandwagon, so he just rolls his eyes at me when I mention that aspect.
view Brandyjane's profile