Gardening & Outdoor Products I’m Loving
Today I want to share a few products I’m loving for gardening and enjoying the outdoors.
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Oh, the Watering Chores!
We only have 4 raised beds for veggies and I wanted to plant extras this year, so I resorted to container gardening. Containers have to be watered every single day, especially if you don’t get significant rain fall. These self watering terracotta spikes are simply amazing. I don’t know why and how they work, but I read the reviews and decided to give them a try. In the containers where I’m using them the plants have fared much better than those without. They work best with wine bottles, but since we didn’t have any, I ordered these. The only thing I would do different is to order colored wine bottles. If they are in the bright sun, the clear ones heat up and algae forms on the inside of the bottle. I’m going to be ordering more of these and I will order the blue wine bottles instead of the clear ones.
Also, along the lines of watering, I’ve become quiet attached to my long hose nozzle. One of the best ways to water is to water at the base of plants using the soaker or flood setting on your spray nozzle. This long hose nozzle fits the bill, so you don’t have to bend over to get to the base of plants. It’s also great for reaching hanging baskets that are up high.
Speaking of container gardening, these grow bags are simply awesome! They come in all different sizes. They take up practically no space to store. I have the 7-gallon size and some really big ones that I’ve had for 8 or 9 years and they are in great condition. If you are short on space, I highly recommend these.
Best Purchase This Year!
We purchased this Weed Torch this year and oh WOW, it’s so awesome! You know all those weeds that grow up between cracks in sidewalks, pavers and the driveway, well this gadget is amazing at getting rid of them. It basically burns the weeds. The hubs went over the driveway and sidewalks about 3 weeks ago and we’re still not seeing any signs of green popping back up. It does require a small propane tank, but we just picked some up at our local hardware store.
It really is the answer to getting rid of weeds in these areas without using chemicals, or other concoctions that will erode your pavement. Next, we’re going to try it around all the field stone borders of the flower beds. I don’t recommend using it around mulched areas though unless you want to catch your garden on fire. Lol!
A gardener can never have too many gardening shirts. I just got this one and its thin and soft. Just perfect for gardening.
Saving my Back and Knees
When I’m working on one area whether it’s weeding, planting or picking green beans, I’m loving this garden stool. I mentioned it in my post, Tips for the Aging Gardener, because I’d seen it recommended by several gardeners in gardening forums. You do need strength in your legs to get up and down on it, and you do need to have a sense of balance. The bottom is rounded and tips as you move, so you aren’t straining muscles as you reach. Plus, the seat height is adjustable. If you are looking for a way to make gardening chores easier on your back and knees, be sure to check it out.
Saving Tall Plants
The wind has been crazy this year and in order to survive, tall plants have to be staked. These little gadgets are the best thing I’ve found to stake plants. I’ve staked dahlias, delphiniums, lilies, snapdragons, tomatoes, cucumbers, hollyhocks, etc. etc and they work awesome! I use them with these stakes.
Dealing with Mosquitoes and Other Nuisance Bugs
With rain comes mosquitoes and gnats. I hate them, but I’m not about to let them ruin my joy of gardening! Here are the products I have in my arsenal that are working great for me. First, I slip these bracelets around each wrist and ankles, and I also wear one on my gardening hat. I also use one of these ThermaCELL Portable Mosquito Repellent units in the area I’m working in. Equipped with these two gadgets, the mosquitoes and gnats leave me alone. We also use the ThermaCELL units on our deck to keep the mosquitoes away. Before it gets to hot in the spring, I’ve resorted to wearing this safari looking hat. I’m not going to lie, it looks totally ridiculous and I only wear it in the back yard, but it totally works to keep the blood sucking gnats away from my head, face and neck.
Oh the Critters…
Are rabbits munching on your flowers? We seem to have a bumper crop of bunnies this year. I was hoping with our extra cold and long winter that the rabbit population would be adversely affected… it was not! If it wasn’t for this product, I would not have any lilies, liatris and many other flowers. Although I hate the smell, it’s worth it to save the flowers! Need more ideas for dealing with Garden Pests.
Adding Character to Your Gardens
Solar Lighting adds lots of character and ambiance to garden areas and I love adding solar lights to my gardens. I have these lights and I love them because they are glass and metal and they look and work great.
I received these solar mason jar lights as a gift and I love them. They’ve been outside for a few years (even through the winter if I don’t get around to bringing them in) and they are still going strong. They add so much character to my garden vignettes even during the daytime.
I have had lots of different shepherds hook-type plant hangers over the years, but I’ve always had a hard time getting them to stay upright or not bend with the weight of hanging baskets. I recently purchased these heavy duty shepherd hooks. You can tell a difference just by looking at the 5-prong part that goes in the ground compared to others that only have 2 prongs. Also they come in several different heights.
If you’re in the market for some good gardening tools, this is a good time to buy them too, as many have discounts and coupons available. Check out the post – Essential Gardening Tools.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Happy Gardening!