Garden Essentials for the New England Gardener
After 25+ years of intensive gardening, I have accumulated quite an inventory of books, tools and other items necessary to tackle just about any residential gardening project. I'd like to share my favorite items and offer easy Amazon shopping links below.
Full disclosure: I participate in the Amazon Associates program, and will earn a small commission if you click through any of the “buy on Amazon” buttons below and choose to make a purchase.
Okatsune Bypass Pruners
Unlike other pruners in my tool bag, these Japanese pruners continue to work smoothly year after year. They are comfortable to grip, make precise, sharp cuts and can be easily opened and closed with only one hand with just a flick of the latch on my thigh.
Garrett Wade Pruning Saw
Cut back large clumps of dried ornamental grasses and prune small to medium tree and shrub branches with ease. Smooth folding mechanism protects sharp teeth and makes for a compact tool to easily fit in the garden bag.
A.M. leonard 24" soil moisture meter
Professional moisture meter reaches deep to the bottom of tree and shrub root balls, accurately measuring soil moisture. This tool is an absolute must-have to maintain proper soil moisture levels for new large plantings. It's more accurate than your finger!
plant twist clip ties
These little clips are an ingenious approach to keeping plants upright. I find them particularly useful for propping multi-stemmed plants. By ‘daisy-chaining’ the ties together and connecting each end to an opposite stem, plants keep each other upright but can still move freely in the breeze.
Pro Plugger Bulb Planter
I have a few different bulb planters, but this is my ‘go-to’ tool. It makes quick work of planting dozens of bulbs, even in hard-packed soil. Dig cleaner, deeper planting holes for better blooming bulbs next spring!
GardenMate 3-pack, 23 gal. waste bags
Save money with these reusable garden bags. Lightweight and collapsible for easy storage. Perfect for collecting lawn and garden clean-up. (Note, we still use paper lawn bags when collecting excess lawn clippings that are not being turned into compost.)
gardman grow through plant support
Grow through plant supports will keep your tall perennials looking their best all season long! If you place this grow through over young peony shoots and gradually raise it up as they grow, you’ll never struggle with floppy peonies again!
Landscape Flags
Landscape flags are super handy during bulb planting season. I use them to visualize where I want specific groupings of bulbs and also as a ‘bread crumb’ of where bulbs have been planted. They are reusable!
sago brothers plant and flower clips
Tidy up the unruly children in the garden with these plant clips. I use them to secure tall plants to garden stakes and to train climbers up a trellis. They attach easily and can quickly be adjusted as plants grow. No matter how many I have, I always need more!
Tubtrugs 6.9 Gallon Plastic Flexible Tub
I have a half dozen of these in various sizes and all of them are in use. They make great carryalls for tools and gloves. Use when digging up, dividing and transplanting perennials. They even work great as “watering cans”. Fill with water and easily carry in one hand with the flexible sides and handles.
The following electric and battery powered lawn tools are highly effective and do their job without the nasty gasoline emissions which is important for sustaining wildlife in The Big Little Garden (click on photo for more details on Amazon.com)
worx Leaf Mulcher
Instead of hauling bags of leaves to the curb every Fall, we shred them and return the nutrient-rich mulch to the garden. A 3-6" blanket of leaf mulch is a great way to insulate tender perennials and newly planted shrubs and trees. Native bees also appreciate the opportunity to nest in lofty mulch over the Winter months. In the Spring, I gently pull the mulch away, leaving 1-2" in place to decompose and become that year's natural fertilizer.
EGO String trimmer
We purchased this at the same time as the EGO lawn mower and are really happy with it. It's quiet, edges very well and doesn't spew gasoline fumes all over the garden, which is a must. The "power-load" feature makes refilling the string a snap. A neighbor recently borrowed our trimmer and was highly impressed with its performance. It uses the same rechargeable battery as the EGO lawn mower detailed on this page.
EGO 21" Lawn Mower
We love our battery-powered lawn mower. It's light-weight and easy to use, and just as powerful as our old gas guzzling mower. Bag or mulch grass clippings. This unit is so quiet, neighbors can't even hear it when running. Rechargeable battery is good for two mowings and recharges quickly. I love how it folds and can be stood on end for easy storage!