Tools

Things I like using in the garden

Below you'll find a selection of items to use, books to read and seeds or plants to get that I use in the garden & greenhouse. Wheter it's something to use in a DIY project or to reazd up on various things, or even to wipe your feet and something to tackle slugs nicely - I got you covered.

All images are my own to show you that I really use it. Anything show has been used or tested before I recommend it to you. These items are not affiliated.

Vertical growing does not only look nice, it's also a space saver of sorts. I tend to combine my 3 obelisks with my self watering pots in the greenhouse and grow luffa, cucumber and cucamelons on them. Pictured is the full length obelisk fully in the pot and soil. This provides a bit more stability. I grow a plant by each vertical bit, then go 1 quarter round before going up again - and repeat. This way I'm maximising the obelisk with those lengthy plants! They're fairly simple to assemble, bit of a wobble but once a full circle is build it does become easier. Also helps that you can keep segments out if hight is restricted.

Garden Obelisk

These plant pots from Ikea are so handy! I really struggle to stay on top of watering the greenhouse because one minute it's ok, the next it's as dry as a bone. With these I can see if there's enough water to hydrate my plants. I find that cucumbers, luffa and cucamelons are prone to root rot if they're too wet so having them in these pots helps me to prevent all that. Also great for indoor plants and going on holiday! They'er best suited for indoor growing as they don't have any holes in the bottom - just don't leave it out in the rain!

Self Watering Pot

This book by Peter Wohlleben will change the way you view trees, forests and woodlands. For instance, trees in parks or along the road or parking areas for supermarkets have been deprived of a social network most trees need to live full lives. Along with the mycelium network that trees use to communicate with each other or share resources there's a whole world out there that we know very little of.

The Hidden Life of Trees

A helpful little tool to help you figure out is the temperature is fluctuating too much between day and night, whether it's been below zero etc. You can set it to celsius or fahrenheit and you can even clear the latest recorder temperatures. It will display three temps at all times. The middle being the current temperature, the top shows how hot it has gotten to and the bottom shows how low the temperature has been.

Thermometer

A colourful doormat made of some rubbery type of material. It does fade overtime (mainly because it's in full blast of sunlight all day long) but it certainly helps to maintain a tidier floor space. It puts a smile on my face every time I go into the greenhouse - specially on gloomy grey days! *Fabulous Ferrous (cat) not included

Rainbow Doormat

One of the things I've found very effective in my ongoing battle with our slimy foes is this stuff, I got the concentrated version and just dilute as and when I need it. From what I understand is that this doesn't kill slugs, it just deters them - something unpleasant about it I guess. As it's safe to use it won't affect any predators of slugs either, and, it also ends up feeding the plants so triple win! I've used it on my dahlias, hostas & peas.

Slug Repelling Spray

Caribbean vibes anyone? These bamboo screens give a tropical vibe and protect everything inside the greenhouse against the scorching heat from the sun. Keep your greenhouse cool and look cool at the same time. Weather proof, you can control how much of the roof you expose, ideal!

Tiki Hut Hat Greenhouse roof shading

These castor wheels are brilliant. I've got 11 sets of this size so far (and a smaller set for my little stool). They can take up to 600kg in weight, two wheels have brakes, they drive smoothlythey can go inside (like in my greenhouse) and outside (like out front), I do live in South Devon, so no real hard frosts as further up country.

Raised Bed Wheels

This book by Vera Greutink is one of my favourite books on permaculture and all the things you can do even in the smallest of places and spaces. It has recipes and a full years worth of ideas on what to grow each month. It shows that a garden can be functional and beautiful at the same time.

Edible Paradise Book

If like me you suffer from slugs (or maybe even birds) from eating your fruit before you do, I would recommend using these organza bags. It takes a little to put them all on, but at the end you'll have perfect fruits wrapped as little gifts to pick. What's not to like?

Organza bags for fruit protection