Gardening can be done scrappy and DIY, or you can shell out big bucks for great products. No matter what your budget is, I have some garden essentials to get you going. Whether you're growing flowers or veggies (or both!), have a yard or are gardening in containers, there are things on this list that will make your life easier! Promise.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
Garden essentials for higher budgets
These are products that just keep on giving. Try them out and let me know what you think in the comments!
Lomi Kitchen Top Composter: $499 | This incredible composter was made by the company that makes Pela cases (compostable phone cases! I've been rocking them for 5 years!). A whole bin of food scraps can turn into a handful of nutrient-dense compost in just one day! Plus, you can even compost biodegradable plastics (like to-go containers or Pela cases) in the Lomi. This is well worth the price. Stock up on your compost in the winter and use it in large quantities in the spring, or top dress your garden beds and houseplants throughout the year.
Nutraponics Hydroponics Tower: $649 | If you are short on space but want a massive harvest, hydroponic towers are incredible. You can use them inside or outside, although if you are growing indoors I would recommend this model with built in grow lights. Because water is recycled through the tower, hydroponics systems typically use less water overall than in-ground gardens. Grow veggies, herbs, berries, or edible flowers!
Polycarbonate Greenhouse: $355 | Whether you're starting seeds or need a season extension, greenhouses are so helpful. I'm a fan of the polycarbonate varieties over plastic sheeting because of the durability. This one is 6'x8', perfect for someone growing on a large patio/deck or a medium yard.
Cedar Raised Bed: $329 | If you're a backyard grower with difficult soil (e.g. heavy clay or past contamination), then raised beds are a must-have. Raised beds can also be more accessible, and allow more control over soil quality. Cedar is one of my favorite materials because it is biodegradable at the end of its lifetime but also naturally rot-resistant, giving you a much longer lasting frame than other woods. This particular bed is also 2' deep which is fantastic for root veggies, or if you want massive deep-rooting tomatoes! You can add a cedar trellis to support climbing plants.
Garden essentials for middle budgets
If you are looking to spend some money to make your life easier, but don't want to break the bank, these garden essentials are for you.
Tumble Composter: $87 | If you have a backyard, deck, or patio, you can turn your kitchen scraps into nutrient rich compost over a few months. Plus, this brand is made with 100% post-consumer recycled plastic which we simply LOVE to see. You can use your home-made compost in your garden beds or houseplants!
Countertop Hydroponics: $109 | If you're limited on space, or just want to grow year round, then a countertop hydroponics system is a great investment. I've found that these smaller scale ones work best for greens, herbs, and strawberries. If you're looking to grow larger veggies like tomatoes or peppers, opt for a different growing system.
2 Galvanized Steel Raised Beds: $199 | These ultra-durable garden bed frames are more affordable than cedar but still high quality. Leave the bottom of the bed open so that plant roots can dig even deeper into the ground. I love the look when you have 2 steel beds and an arched trellis to support your climbing veggies! Think: tomatoes, peas/beans, cucumbers, even squash! You can also grow nasturtiums on a trellis as an edible flower and a pest-repellent.
Garden essentials for lower budgets
If you've got oasis dreams on a DIY budget, don't worry. Here are some of my favorites that you can use to get gardening on a shoestring budget.
DIY raised beds: ~$75/bed | To DIY a raised bed, you'll need 5 planks of 2x8x8 Douglas Fir lumber. Use 2 full planks for both of the long sides, and then cut the remaining one in 2ft sections for the short sides (two 2' lengths per short side). You'll end up with a 2'x8' bed that is about 16" deep. If you want to get cheaper wood, use Facebook Marketplace, NextDoor, or your local creative reuse center to see if you can find some. You don't even have to screw anything together! Simply drop your boards into these corners and you're good to go. To save costs on filling it, load up the the bottom layer with leaves, food scraps, and small twigs, then fill the top 6in with organic soil. (You can also use 3 boards, 1 for each long side, and the remaining cut in half for the short sides. It will create a 4'x8' bed that is only 8" deep, bringing the cost down to about $45 per bed.)
Self watering planters 6pack: $35 | If you're limited on space and gardening on a patio or countertops, these small self-watering planters are perfect for herbs and greens. The water reservoir at the bottom ensures they always have plenty to drink, meaning you don't have to worry about the soil drying out. Just check the water levels every week and refill as needed.
DIY vermi-compost: ~$40 - 55 | Vermicompost systems just mean that worms do all the work for you. If you have an old storage tub that's at least 8-14" deep, you're halfway there! Drill small holes across the top couple inches for air flow, and very small holes (1/4 - 1/8 inch) on the bottom for drainage. Fill the bottom few inches with leaves or shredded brown paper, then add kitchen scraps. Then you just need to buy some worms! Check out this article for more info on how to do this.
Essentials for every gardener
Whether you're a high budget baller or a scrappy DIY'er, these are my must-haves for eeeeeveryone.
2pack Jiffy Seed Starting Trays: $27 | These are my favorite seed starting trays, and they come with everything you need to get your seedlings to thrive. I've always had a ton of success with this. Save the tray and lid and re-use them the next year! You can buy refill soil pellets, or simply use a soil blocker and a seed starting soil mix (I'm a fan of making my own with finely ground organic compost, coconut coir, vermiculite, and perlite).
2pack 2ft Grow Lights: $28 | In the past I've used Ferry Morse grow lights and loved them, but they are getting quite pricey and these are a great alternative. These can easily be hung above your plants. You want to keep grow lights about 4-6 inches above your plants at all times, so using a chain or pulley system can allow you to easily adjust the height. A 2ft grow light is the same length as the seed starting trays, which is why I always recommend this length.
Neptune's Harvest Organic Fertilizer: $22 | I'm a big fan of water-soluble fertilizers that you can just add in to your watering can. I've had lots of success with Neptune's Harvest and this tomato and veg one is fantastic for the home gardener.
Big Foot Mycorrhizal Inoculant: $12 | Mycorrhizal fungi are incredibly important as they form symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationships with your plant's roots. The mycorrhizae break down nutrients in the soil into a form that plants can readily use, and the plants trade them carbon. With all of the chemicals used in agriculture and home gardening, these beneficial fungi aren't always present. This is my first season using the inoculant—I mixed it into my seed starting soil mix and so far my seedlings have been growing super well! Excited to use it on the farm by adding a sprinkle into the planting holes.
Clay watering stakes 10pack: $18 | ANYTIME you are gardening outside, whether in raised beds or containers, it is super beneficial to use clay watering stakes. Simply push them into your soil, and fill up old wine or other glass bottles with water, and tip them into the stakes. This will slowly release water into the soil throughout the day so that your plants always have enough moisture. In extremely hot and dry weather, you might find yourself refilling these 1-2x per day, but in more moderate temps (60s-70s) they can last a couple days or more.
I hope this list is helpful to all of my fellow gardeners out there! I'm using several of these products to support growing my flowers this season, and others I've used in past garden experiments. If you use any of these in your own gardens this summer, report back and let me know your experience!
Happy growing! 🌱
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