If you are looking to start a garden, no matter where you live, there are a few basic tools you will need to help you grow all the food or flowers you want. These are some of the basic supplies you will need to start gardening today.
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The beginner gardener
No matter where you are in your gardening journey, you were a beginning gardener at some point in your life and many more people than ever are interested in gardening and growing their own food and/or flowers. Many people save money on landscaping and food by cultivated their gardens on their own. Given this, many new gardeners do not know what they need in order to get started. Here is a simple list of the great things you need or might want to consider as you grow your garden.
Initial assessment
There are many things you will need to consider when determining what you need to start a garden. If you live in an apartment, you space might be extremely limited (maybe only a windowsill) and you will not be able to grow entire crops for eating all year unless you supplement with lighting. Definitely consider the space.
However, no matter how much space you have, there are a few basics you need if you plan on using traditional soil and water (as opposed to aquaponic growing, which is soil-less). But first, review your area. Assuming you have some outdoor space, will you put your garden (1) in the ground, (2) in raised beds, or (3) in containers. For each of these, there are almost endless possibilities but there are a few things to start with.
Gardening supplies
There are tools and equipment you will need to begin your first garden. None of them are required but they are mostly there to at least get started in an efficient way. No one wants to move 50 lbs of soil with just their hands. Here are some of the most simply basics you will want to have on hand:
With any soil, you will need the ability to at least lightly move the soil apart to plant seeds. Including, moving soil from one spot to another or add or remove compost. Having a mix of containers you devote to gardening will help you but it does not have to be all new items. You can use used buckets, bowls, etc.
For a larger garden, there are a few more items you may want to consider. Below, you might be interested in more earth moving supplies and other supplies that are more suited to a larger growing area.
Indoor gardening
If you are working with a restrictive growing season or you just want to get a jump start on the season, there are a few items you will need to get seeds started indoors such as in a spare room, greenhouse or other protecting area. You may even be growing lettuces or herbs indoors full time and will also need these things as well as a few permanent pots for these items.
- Seed starting tray
- UVA/UVB lights for plants
- Seed warming mat
- Metro racks
- Multiple outlet surge protector
- Fluorescent lighting housing
- Chain to hang lights
Bare minimum gardening supplies
At this point you might realize that you can actually do a great deal in your garden with very little extra gardening equipment. Most gardening supplies simply make it easier to garden rather than a requirement to be able to garden. In fact, if you are looking for a way to be greener and use or re-use items that will simply live in a landfill, assess what you have around you.
For example, a simple pair of scissors can do all of the following in the garden: poke holes for seeds, trim tomato plants, cut pests in half, dig small rows in a raised bed, cut string needed for trellis and so on. If you have a pair you are not using go ahead and repurpose. Here is a list of items that can live on in a new way for your garden:
- Plastic food containers – drill holes and use the lids as a water catch, these can be small plant or herb garden containers.
- Milk jugs – simply make an cut around the main mouth but leave the handle and just like that you have a small shovel to move around dirt
- Toilet paper rolls – cut in half and cut the ends to fold in and use as seed starter containers
Any helpful tips that you have for gardening supplies or things you have liked to have for your garden, please leave me a comment! I would love to hear what others have used to help grow their own food.
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