Winter is a quiet time in the garden, but there's plenty to do in the realm of planning. Not only is it an opportunity to dream up what your garden will look like next year, it's also prime time to get together those tools you often forget to buy.
I'm not talking about the essential gardening tools you likely already have in your potting shed, but rather those smaller items that may not take priority in the midst of the busy growing season.
From storage solutions to gadgets to make pruning and planting more convenient, there are so many tools every gardener needs but neglects to buy. Not sure where to start? Look no further. The Gardens team here have compiled a hand-picked selection of tools we swear by to make yard work much easier.
9 Tools Every Gardener Needs But Neglects to Buy
Many of the below tools also make great gifts for gardening enthusiasts, especially considering they probably haven't thought about purchasing them for themselves.
If there's one product all of us on Homes & Gardens' Gardens team can't recommend enough, it's a soil moisture meter. You simply insert the probe into ground or pot soil and it identifies how wet it is. This means you will never have to guess if it's time to top up your plant's water again.
Whether you make your own compost or have purchased potting soil, it can be a good idea to sieve it to remove rocks and twigs, and break down large chunks. It leaves behind a fine growing medium, improving aeration and water absorption, and reducing the likelihood of compaction.
Every gardener with a kitchen garden needs a garden hod like this. The mesh trug makes it easy to rinse and drain homegrown goods. This garden hod is beautifully crafted from wood, making it a lovely gift, too.
It can be a pain to clean rusty garden tools, which is why finding a good storage solution is key. This galvanized steel trash can is perfect for keeping tools, hessian bags, and other garden essentials dry, clean, and protected from weather and pest damage.
Constantly kneeling and bending your back in the yard can be fatiguing, which is where this 2-in-1 kneeler bench comes in. Flip it one way to use as a kneeler for low-level yard work and flip it the other to turn it into a bench for mid-level work. It also comes with a caddy to hold tools.
Whether you're pruning roses or tending to a bare-branched shrub, the risk of thorns and spikey stems scratching you is everywhere in the yard. These thorn-proof gloves have long sleeves to protect hands and arms, with a charming lemon print.
Collapsible garden bags are more valuable than you might think. You can use them to collect leaves, chuck weeds into, and even to compile composting materials. When you're done, simply flatten them down for space-saving storage.
This garden tool sharpener is perfect to keep in your pocket or garden apron while working in the yard. It's made of heavy-duty tungsten steel alloy, sharpening pruning shears and garden knives finely and quickly.
A hori hori knife is one of the best Japanese garden tools to have. It has a depth marker and can be used for everything from digging, weeding, trimming plant roots, and more. This hori hori also comes with a cover to keep it in top condition.
There's no denying these are all tools every gardener needs but neglects to buy. No matter which you decide to treat yourself to, make sure to clean your garden tools after every use to keep them in pristine condition for years to come.
