Over the years I have tried lots of different types of garden equipment and products and only a few have stood the test of time; earning a permanent place in my garden. Now I have them all in once place to share with you.
These are the items I would not want to garden without, and in my opinion are some of the best garden products available.
Garden beds
Vego Garden Beds are my raised metal beds of choice. They come in three heights, 11 inches, 17 inches and 32 inches and come in 7 colors. I have seven of the 17 inch beds in my yard. There are several size choices and the can be configured 9 different ways. The beds do not get hot to the touch. I have put my face up against the sides on a 95 degree day, which means they also don't heat the soil up either.
They are easy to put together, and if the dogs, husband and kids give me a good 25 minutes of uninterrupted time, I can knock one out in 25 minutes or so. First time customers can use code THEEVERHOPEFULGARDENER10 for $10 off their order.
I have filled the beds hugelkulture style and grown garlic, flowers, tomatoes, peppers, swiss chard, lettuce, dahlias, cucumbers, strawberries, celery, ground cherries, and more in them with wonderful success.
Retractable Hose Reel
I own two Hoselink Retractable Hose Reels. I have one in my driveway and one in my garden. The hose reels come in two colors, black and beige and two lengths, 82 feet and 50 feet.
All Hoselinks have a 2 year warranty, 30 day money back guarantee and free delivery.
The hose is very durable and the great thing about hoselinks is that you can order indiviciual parts if anything were to need replacing. No more throwing out an entire hose if one piece fails.
Seeds
My favorite source for garden seeds is Pinetree Garden Seeds because they have an extensive collection, great prices and it can be a one stop shop so I don't have to pay multiple shipping fees from multiple seed companies to get everything I want to grow.
Pinetree carries a great selection of vegetables, flowers, natives, microgreens,
Pinetree has given me a discount code to share with you. Code EVERSPRING15 will give you 15% off your order on everything but gift cards. This is a one time use code and will expire on 3/31/25. (don't worry, I will have another code for fall)
Compost Thermometer
My favorite compost thermometer is by Reotemp. It is durable and has lasted years outside in the elements in my compost pile. I particularly like that the thermometer outlines the "steady, active and hot" temperature ranges for a thermophilic pile.
Bokashi Bran
If you Bokashi Compost or are thinking of trying it, I have two sources of Bokashi Bran that I highly recommend. These are the two brands I use. If you would like more info on what exactly bokashi composting is and its benefits, check out this post.
Garden of Oz is located in Colorado and is a small, queer owned business. They sell bokashi kits, bokashi buddies, bokashi bran and all the accessories.
SD Microbes is another great option for all things Bokashi. I use their Bokashi Bran and well as one of their Airscape Lids.
Pitchfork
When it comes to composting and turning the pile or shoveling the pile into a wheelbarrow for spreading, a good pitchfork makes the job so much easier. I prefer a long handled pitchfork with lots of close spaced tines. I have tried pitchforks with just a few, widely spaced tines and the compost just falls between the tines.
Growbags
These growbags have been the best I have tried and at an excellent price point. They are sturdy and the handles don't tear even when lifting a full bag to move it around the garden. The 7 gallon size is my preferred size; anything bigger and I struggle to move it and anything smaller and I worry about what I can plant there. It is the size I like to grow a tomato, a pepper, potatoes, etc.
GrowOya
I use GrowOyas in my raised metal beds for irrigation. They are especially helpful when I am out of town in the summer.
My tubing and emitter irrigation I have in my low brick beds did not have enough water pressure to make the jump into the 17" raised beds. The Oyas work really well.
They come in three sizes depending on your bed size/configuration.
The Growoya is made of terra cotta and depending on your climate may need to be brought indoors during winter so that it does not freeze and crack.
Overalls
My go-to overalls are the Duluth Trading Company Women's Heirloom Gardening Overalls. They have the right amount of stretch for gardening chores and pockets for days. I discovered two additional pockets a month after owning them. I wear my overalls every time I'm in the garden and working with the compost. I put them through the wringer and they have stood up over the years. They also clean up great when I toss them in the washer.
I have the green color which I love. I don't recommend ordering the pink ones because when I bought them, they were see-through and not true to the color shown on the website. UPDATE: Duluth no longer offers the pink color. smart move. And I have since purchased a second pair with the mushroom pattern because I love these overalls so much.
I am 5'10" tall and I am wearing the medium with a 29 inch inseam. They were out of stock of the longer inseam when I purchased them, but I would get the longest inseam if I ordered another pair. UPDATE: I did order another pair in the 31 inch inseam and they both work.
Artline Garden Markers
Artline Garden Markers put sharpie markers to shame. I have not had a plant label with sharpie last an entire garden season and still be legible at the end of the season. Artline markers stay legible and I remove the ink with comet and a stiff sponge to reuse my labels.
Plant Labels
I like these 6 inch plant labels because they are easier to see in the garden once plants start growing. Many of the labels I have tried have gotten brittle and broken, but these remain intact and have lasted years. I use the artline markers on them and they do not fade like other labels.
Potting Mix
Hands down the best potting mix I have ever tried and used is Fox Farms Coco Loco. It may be difficult to find near you, but their website has a retail locator that you can find here to see if anyone sells it near you.
Coco Loco is peat free which is important to me, has TRIPLE washed coco coir, and wonderful nutrients like crushed oyster shells, dolomite lime, bat guano, worm castings.
Everything I have ever grown in Coco Loco has done well. It is the only potting mix I use for soil blocking. ( I just sift it. I don't need to add anything else)
Micro Green Seeds
True Leaf Market has the best selection of micro green seeds I have found in one place. They even carry canteloupe micro green seeds which are hard to find.
Some of my favorite micro greens to grow are kale, spicy salad mix, rambo radish, peas, canteloupe and basil.
True Leaf's seeds are beautifully packaged and reasonably priced.
1020 Trays
Every gardener that starts their own seeds needs some good, sturdy 1020 trays and the best I have used have been Bootstrap Farmer.
I can carry an entire tray of seedlings with one hand (if my arthritis is not acting up) because the trays do not bend.
I use the Bootstrap 1020 trays for all my seed starting, microgreen growing, soil blocking and corm sprouting.
Soilblocker
The only soil blocker I use these days is the Swift Blocker series. Swift Blockers are american made by a husband and wife small business in Michigan.
Swift blockers are ergonomically designed to be easier on your wrists and hands than traditional soil blockers. I have both carpel tunnel and arthritis and the Swift Blockers are so easy on both conditions.
You can purchase different blockers that make different size and number of soil blocks. I have the three Nano blockers; the Nano 4 makes four 2.5" blocks, the Nano 9 makes nine 1.5" blocks and the Nano 25 makes 25 0.9" blocks.
For those growers that grow on a larger scale, Swift Blocker makes commercial size blockers as well. There is a Swift Blocker 50, 72, 128 and 200.
Disclosure:
This post contains affiliate links. I make a small commission from purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me to continue to provide gardening and compost content. I never share products that I have not tried myself and use in my garden or home. Every purchase is appreciated.
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