As the owner of a small courtyard garden in London, there is one gardening tool I recommend above all others: a potting mat. Right now, IKEA is selling a striking version for £1.50 that I'm telling houseplant parents and small garden owners alike to pick one up.
A potting mat is essentially a foldable, waterproof, plastic sheet with high sides that will contain all the mess of sowing seeds and potting up plants. When you've finished planting, you can pour leftover compost back into the bag, rinse the mat off and fold it away.
I first discovered how useful potting mats were when I invested in this £6 potting mat from Amazon about three years ago to help pot up some window boxes and houseplants indoors. I thought I'd get rid of it when I finally became the owner of both a small garden and a dedicated potting bench last year, but I now use it more than ever to pot up my container garden ideas without getting compost all over my patio.
I'm so sold on the merits of one, I'm planning to pick up the smaller IKEA DOFTRIPS potting mat as well, to contain any mess on my potting bench/outdoor table this spring.
IKEA potting mat
The IKEA potting mat has been launched as part of the new DOFTRIPS collection and is one of the cheapest and prettiest potting mats I've seen. It features a bright red and pink stripe, which I can't resist to add a touch of dopamine colour to my gardening chores.
The IKEA mat is smaller than the potting mat I currently have, measuring 56 x 56 cm, which is why it's the perfect companion for sowing seeds or potting up small plants on a potting bench or garden table with minimal mess. It also doesn't have the faff of poppers at each corner as the larger potting mats do, so it's ready to use in seconds, but still folds away into nothing.
Soil scoop
I'm also planning to pick up the £2 DOFTRIPS soil scoop at IKEA. I can't be the only person who gets frustrated trying to scoop compost out of a bag into a pot?
The clever scoop is made out of powder-coated steel and is designed to make it easier to distribute soil without unnecessary spills. It also has a flat bottom to level out the soil around the plant.
Currently only the soil scoop is available to purchase online, so you'll need to go instore to pick up the potting mat. Both tools are limited edition and look to be selling out fast, so if you miss out of them here are a few alternatives you can pick up online.
Alternatives
This is the potting mat I have used for years. It's the perfect size for tackling everything from houseplants to potting up small trees for outdoors, and the buttons make it easier to pour any leftover compost back into the container.
If you want something slightly smaller for potting up seedlings this vegan-friendly leather potting mat is just as durable as the plastic versions, but twice as good looking. Instead of folding flat it can be rolled up when you've finished using it.
Gardena is one of our go to brands for hardworking and durable tools. This mat measures 80cm x 80cm, but it comes in two larger sizes for larger potting up projects.
These little plastic scoops are actually designed for kids to use and are purposefully designed to make digging easier for smaller hands, but they'll work just as well for adults too.
