Things we use in our garden from setting up to maintaining the garden.
Pest Control - Plants Protection - Plant Support/Accessories - Fertilizer - Plant Starter - Organizer - Garden Tools - Drip Irrigation - DIY Tools
We shop both local and online stores. Locally bought items tend to be large and bulky and needed for immediate usage, such as lumber for raised beds, soils, and irrigation system. While we prefer supporting local businesses, we do online purchase, when it is more convenient and much cheaper (we are on a budget here after all). Plus, some items are only available online. I will edit the list as I go along to make it more comprehensive. Not all links direct you to Amazon, but when they do, your purchase there will support my seeds buying habit. For that, I thank you in advance :)
Andy made all the raised beds in our garden. He is getting to be quite a wood builder.
Pest Control:
Bliss Neem Oil - use together with Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap. Repel flying pests from laying eggs on the leaves, kill smaller caterpillars on the plants, treat for powder mildew, spider mites (not severe case). Require regular application.
Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap - use together with Bliss Neem oil.
HARRIS Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade - for ants, pillbugs and other exoskeleton bugs. Not an instant pest killer, so result takes time and not easy to follow up.
Beneficial Nematodes - This micro-organism is a natural controller for grubs. I was freaking out one time about grubs in our raised beds, as over infestation of grubs will damage and ultimately kill plants.
Sluggo - It is used by organic growers to manage slugs and snails infestation.
Egg Shells - Start collecting egg shells when you cook. Crush them (manually or use blender or food processor) and spread around the base of plants to deter snails and slugs.
Coffee Grounds - Unless you are using instant coffee, start saving the used coffee grounds. Scatter around the plant base to confuse ants - ants farm aphids! I know, right? It is so annoying.... Coffee grounds also good fertilizer to add nitrogen and increase acidity to the soil.
Plants Protection:
40% Sun Shade - protect plants from heat
Greenhouse Hoops - frame for plant covers
Freeze Cloth - To be used with the greenhouse hoops or make your own frame.
Mosquito Netting - Lightweight netting to protect seedlings from pests in the Summer. I use it to cover a metal shelves to germinate and harden seedlings.
Plant Support/Accessories:
Straight Garden Stakes (25 pieces) - 6' (72 inch) coated metal. It is economical to buy in bulk. But if you just start gardening, go to local stores to buy garden stake as needed.
4' Bamboo stakes - support plants, build short trellis for peas or beans
Tomato Cage - 54" heavy duty support
Cucumber/Tomato/Pole Beans cage - This is cute and I want it for my front yard!
Garden Fence - This can be used to create trellis (vertical, overhead), custom cage around plants, small arch (can be used to support frost cloth over raised bed), and of course, as garden fence.
Ground/Landscape Fabric Staple - Multi purpose: to hold down landscape fabric, to hold down/position drip irrigation lines, and to anchor support string on the ground.
Mason String - Use as vertical trellis, shade anchor line, or other use in the garden.
Plant Clips - For tomato (vertical growing) or other vining plants.
Metal Arch/Arbor - Different sizes. Mine is 8' at the highest point, 6' between the feet, and 2.5' wide of the arch. Check your local Armstrong for availability.
LED Fairy Lights - 100 LED spanning about 30' (even though it says 39' - that's because it includes the blank wire from the first LED bulb to the solar panel). We use this on the frame above the raised beds as seen here.
Grow Bags - Comes in many sizes (gallons) I find the 7 gallons hits the spot for what I need. It is not too small, and not too large for me to move around even when filled with soil. I use it to grow extra seedlings, or to giveaway a set of plants to friends.
Craft Grade Ice Cream Stick - Great plant marker, biodegradable. This works for me much better than plastic label strips. And they look more rustic :)
Fertilizer:
Blood Meal - Nitrogen heavy for leafy vegetables (12-0-0)
Fish Bone Meal - With 4-12-0 ratio it is a great source of organic phosphorus and calcium to promote flowering.
Neptune's Hydrolized Fish Fertilizer - I just started using this. Saw it recommended in a garden blogger site. It has 2-4-1 vs. a different one with 5-1-1 ratio.
Epsom Salt - Foliar fertilizers, means you can spray directly to the leaves. Can also be mixed with liquid fertilizer for slower ground absorbtion. Early applications to aid growth, late season application to boost production. And yes, this is the same epsom salt we use for sore muscles :)
Plant Starter / Germination:
Germination Tray - 10"x20" no holes. Perfect for bottom-watering seedlings. I also use Germination Dome with this. I used to search for cheaper trays (click on the link then scroll down to see similar items in Amazon), but ended up wasting money as they keep breaking (crack, split, melt). Bootstrap Farmer stuff is not cheap, but they last.
Germination Dome - Fits 1020 water tray. To maintain humidity and protect seedlings from pest.
Germination Cell Trays - These are larger cells, in which seeds can grow to a seedling. Use with germination tray for bottom watering.
Germination sets - 10x20 Tray, 50 cells tray and dome, 2 sets. Good quality product and a deal for 2 sets.
Heat Mat - For germination. If you live in an area where daytime and evening temp greatly varies, my suggestion is use "TIMER". Just a simple one attached to the power plug, so it will turn off in daytime and on when temp drop.
Electrical Timer - Set timer to heat mats or grow lights.
LED Grow Lights - I started using grow light this Fall and loving it. I got this pack because it comes with eight (8), 4' long lights. Easy to install and move around where I need them to be. Some are above small raised planters in the patio, some are installed in the green house shelves. Note: The aluminum housing gets a little warm after a while, but not to the point it is hot or burning.
Organizer:
Seeds Storage/Organizer - Saving seeds is fun and rewarding. My gardener friend recommended this storage system, which makes storing seeds simple and no clutter.
Resealable Plastic Bags - 2" x 3" Small resealable plastic bags to share seeds with friends. I recommend placing a small cut piece of paper towel to absorb any moisture that might be trapped in the bag.
Small Paper Envelope - 2.25"x 3.5" Small brown paper envelope to share seeds with friends.
Garden Tools:
Zero-G Watering Hose - After using many flexible hoses, which keeps breaking down on me, I finally found this! My garden has a lot of turns, and that is the main reason why I like using flexible hose. The hose jacket material on Zero-G is much tougher than the previous ones I owned.
14" Big Grip Garden Knife - Cultivator tool, one of the best hand tools I own, thanks to Mom's recommendation.
Pest Control Sprayer - I find this pressurized spray system and trigger lock very handy. Just pump to create pressure, adjust the spray nozzle, lock the trigger and spray away.
Garden Spray Wand (adjustable flow, 8 mode) - Make it easier to water the ground, without wetting the foliage much. I have both short and long wand. The longer wand is great for in ground plants. Shorter one is very convenient for raised beds.
Latex Coated Work Gloves - The grip of the latex surface is helpful when doing irrigation. I got mine quite inexpensive from Harbor Freight (plus I used their coupon).
Drip Irrigation:
1/2" Poly Drip Irrigation Tubing - This is the tube that connects to the water source (garden faucet).
3/4 in. Female Hose Thread x 1/2 in. Compression Swivel Adapter - To connect the 1/2" tube to the water source.
1/2" Compression End Cap - To end the 1/2" tube.
1/4" Poly Tubing - To connect emitter to the 1/2" irrigation tube.
Hole Punch - To make holes on the 1/2" tube, for the barb connectors.
1/4" Barb Connectors - To connect the 1/4" to 1/2" tube.
1/4" Emitter Tubing, 6" spacing - Create drip lines across raised bed or garden.
1/4" In-Line Shut Off Valve - Adjust water flow to the emitter (from the 1/4" black poly tubing)
Goof Plugs - Use the smaller side to end 1/4" tubes, including the 1/4" emitter hose. Use the larger side to cover holes made on the 1/2" tube.
Ground Staple - To secure hose, landscape fabric or trellis to the ground.
DIY Tools:
Wood Finish - Non toxic and food safe.
Staple Gun (Manual) - Although after I finally get a motorized one, there is no going back. But I get it, if you don't use it often and price is part of consideration, then manual staple gun would work just fine.
Milwaukee M12 Staple Gun - I LOVE IT! Andy got me this to line the planters (watch Lining Wood Planters) and it is life changing :) Well, for my wrist for sure. Note that you need to get the charger and the batteries for this as well - listed below. The batteries can be used across some other Milwaukee tools.
Milwaukee M12 Battery Charger - To charge M12 battery used with the staple gun above.
Milwaukee M12 Batteries (2) - You need this to use the M12 staple gun. Why 2? So you always have a charged battery handy and never get the workflow interrupted.
Plastic Sheeting 6 mil. - We always stock up on the clear ones (it is available in black) because it is thick enough and still lets lights in. We use this to line planters (watch: Lining Wood Planters) and green house coverings.
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