IN THIS ARTICLE Garden Gloves | Watering Can | Garden Trowel | Pruners or Snips | Garden Knife | String or Twine | Plant Supports | Pesticide | Fertilizer | Potting Soil
Whether you’re going ornamentals plants, fruit or vegetables in your balcony or patio container garden, there is an essential set of gardening tools and supplies you should have. They make taking care of potted plants much easier.
The essential tools for your container garden are Gloves, Watering can, Trowel, Soil Scoop, Pruners, Garden Knife, Pesticide, String, Plant Supports (stakes or frame), and Fertilizer. That simple!
A pot or container garden is relatively simple compared to a whole back yard. As container gardeners, we don’t need a whole storage shed filled with tools and supplies. All we need a small simple set of tools and supplies that you can store in any cupboard.
Over the years I’ve worked out my list of tools and supplies I need to manage my container garden successfully. Below is a paragraph or two about each tool, where I outline why I think it’s essential. You’ll also find links to good examples of each tool or supply. One lesson I have learned, is to always buy the best you can afford, better quality will almost always last you longer and will mean less waste in landfill.
Must Have Garden Tools
Gardening Gloves
You must protect your hands while working with soil or compost by using a good pair of gardening gloves. The gloves keep your hands from getting muddy, keep harmful bacteria away from your skin, and protect your hands from sharp objects. They also make for easy cleanup when you’re done. Below are examples of good quality Garden Gloves for men and women. Take a look at our article “Best Selling Gardening Gloves For Women This Year” for details about gloves designed for women.
Garden gloves we recommend
Watering Can
Even if you have a garden hose nearby, you still need a watering can. A watering can lets you water the soil and not the plant. It gives you much greater control over where the water goes. Better for the plant and less water wasted. You can also add fertilizer to your water, like Liquid Seaweed Fertilizer. Don’t forget to consider can size when thinking about storage space. Always get a good quality watering can as it will last longer. Here are some examples of good quality watering cans.
Watering Cans we recommend
Hand Trowel Or Garden Trowel
The garden trowel is a pot and container gardener’s essential tool. With a Trowel you can fill pots, dig holes, dig out weeds, and empty pots. You should have more than one Trowel as different shapes are good at different tasks. For example, get a Trowel with a scoop shape for filling pots, a narrow and pointed shape to plant, and a broad shape for digging out old soil. Over the years, I’ve found stainless steel Trowels to last the longest. Take a look at the range of Garden Trowels below to get some ideas.
Garden Trowels we recommend
Pruners Or Snips
Every gardener needs a good sharp safe cutting tool. There is always a stray or broken branch to cut, flowers to deadhead, branches to thin and shape, or a thick root to cut. Your Pruners need to be sharp, safe, and easy to handle. My advice here, buy the best tool you can afford. They will stay sharp for longer and give you many years of use. All three tools below are good quality examples, I hope they give you some guidance.
Pruners or Snips we recommend
Garden Knife
A Soil Knife or Garden Knife is another essential tool for your kit. Perfect for sneaking a planting hole into an established container or cutting string or twine as you tie up your plants. A soil knife usually comes with one serrated side and one smooth, so you can slice overgrown roots, or cut thick string. It can get into all the places your Pruners cannot. Take a look at the range of Garden Knives below to get some ideas. Again, buy the best you can afford, you won’t regret it.
Garden Knives we recommend
String Or Twine
String or Twine is an essential tool for all gardeners. String enables us to support plants, tie in plants, and train our plants. Garden String enables us to mark out rows, hang up bunches, and carry out all manner of garden tasks. No gardener can do without it. There are all sorts if string available, try to buy something that is good for the environment, made from a biodegradable source like Jute, Hemp or Sisal. Use string that is at least 2mm thick as it’s easier to handle (especially with my fingers!) and more gentle on delicate plants. String is also essential when working with plant supports like frames, trellis and canes. Take a look at the range of Garden String below to get some ideas. These are examples of string made from biodegradable fibers.
String and Twine we recommend
Plant Supports
Container gardening means taking advantage of vertical space as much as possible. Many vegetables need support as they grow and so you can train them to take advantage of the space you have available. It’s a good idea to have a range of plant supports like frames, trellis, and canes. This gives you something to support each plant you choose to grow. Vining crops like Beans and Peas will need a trellis to grow up. You can train Squash and Melons to grow vertically up a frame or cage. Some crops need support only near the end of the growing season. Take a look at the range of Plant Supports below to get some ideas. Unlike other garden tools, these are not expensive, so make sure you have a few extra!
Plant Supports we recommend
Tomato Cages, Cucumber Plant Support Stakes Trellis for Climbing Potted Plants Indoor Houseplant Outdoor Garden Heavy Duty Support H47.2” (3 Pack+9 Connecting Rod+20 Clips)
Pesticide
Lets face it, most of us will need some kind of Pesticide at one time or another. If you’re going to use one, then be sure to get a Plant-safe (preferably organic) pesticide. These are very effective and easy to use. Make sure to follow all instructions on the package as some brands are not suitable for food producing plants. If possible, try to take the pest off of the plant and help them find a new home. If pesticide is necessary, one option is to remove the pest and spray it with the pesticide on the ground. That way no spray is left on your plant. Spray Pesticide on the plant as a last resort. Take a look at the range of Plant-safe Pesticides below to get some ideas. It’s always a good idea to do your own research to find what is right for you.
Pesticide we recommend
Fertilizer
Plant fertilizers, either in liquid or pellet form, are always useful to have around. You can purchase specific fertilizers for each type of plant, such as citrus or rose fertilizers, but most gardeners just need is an all-purpose plant fertilizer. Find a brand that uses good quality organic ingredients and follow the instructions on the label. Below are three good quality fertilizers I have used. I hope these give you some good ideas what to look for yourself.
Fertilizer we recommend
Potting Soil
Choosing the right Potting Soil mix for your container garden is not all that difficult, when you know how. Potting soil does not actually contain any garden soil. It is a manufactured blend of organic and mineral ingredients. Manufacturers have created Potting Soil blends designed to meet your specific container garden needs. As a rule, always find a brand that uses good quality ingredients, you can read our article “How to Choose the Best Potting Soil for Your Container Garden” for additional insight into what makes a good quality Potting Soil. Below are three good quality All purpose Potting Soils I have used. I hope these give you some good ideas about what your should look for.
Conclusion
These are my thoughts on the essential tools for container gardening. You may find other tools to be helpful, but these gardening tools are the must-haves for most patio or balcony container gardeners. The tools do not take up a lot of space you can store them in a corner of any cupboard. You can even put some of the tools on display, especially if you purchase more attractive garden tools. The most important thing however, is these tools will make your container gardening easier, faster, and more successful. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject, so don’t hesitate to write.
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