6 Essential Gardening Tools and Supplies to Kick-start Your Home Gardening Journey
Updated: Jun 8, 2022
It’s without a doubt that ever since Circuit Breaker most of us have cultivated and shown interest in gardening whilst setting up our very own gardening corner in the house. Not only does having greenery around the house beautify the space, but growing plants also help to reduce stress and anxiety, especially if you’re feeling a tad cooped up indoors these days.
Starting your own home garden can seem to be daunting for those with a budding green thumb. You don't need much to get started and in this article we’ll show you how you can start by using simple gardening tools and supplies that can be found almost anywhere. A quick search from online or local nurseries for plant ideas can help to kickstart your home gardening journey.
1. Repurposed Plastic Crates
Instead of growing your vegetables, herbs, and flowers in expensive flower pots, you can grow them in stackable, repurposed plastic crates. The humble plastic crate allows you to grow your produce in a small yet neat space. It also allows you to unleash your creativity when designing possible variations when arranging your produce when it flourishes.
You can either stack your planted crates on their edges, checkerboard-style or make a living wall of containers. Another popular option is that instead of planting your crops in the open space of each crate, you can make hanging planters out of these crates by attaching s-hooks to the top edge of the crates. With this method, you can double up these crates for storage, and can also use them to organize your plant babies — your imagination is the only limit.
Shop the repurposed plastic crates here on Shopee and Lazada.
2. Plastic Container Pots
Tubs and half barrels overflowing with beautiful flowers add aesthetic appeal to any home garden, however, gardening containers and pots serve a practical purpose too. Unlike the repurposed plastic crates above that require a bigger garden space to grow your plant babies, container gardening is suitable for those with little or no garden space.
Container gardening also adds versatility to gardens large and small. Plants lend instant colour, provide a focal point in the garden, or tie the architecture of the house to the garden. A pair of matching containers on either side of the front walk serves as a welcoming decoration, while container gardening on a deck or patio can add colour and ambience to outdoor sitting areas.
Shop the plastic container pot here.
3. A Gardening Trowel
A gardening trowel is an essential gardening tool to kick start your home gardening journey. You’ll need this for adding gardening soil and fertiliser, repotting plants and picking out weeds. Our advice when it comes to buying a gardening trowel is that there’s no need to splurge on a fancy one as most of them are made up of stainless steel and have a tendency to break or rust easily. Make sure that your gardening trowel is properly cleaned and stored after use, it will help to prolong its lifespan.
Shop the Gardena’s gardening towel here.
4. A Misting Spray
Having a misting spray allows you to control your water flow and pressure when you are watering your plants. Using a watering can for plants provides a good dousing but might damage young saplings and make a mess from the splashback.
A misting spray will assuage these concerns. With a misting spray, you can control the aerosol droplets which create a less physical impact on your plants. For plants like succulents and air plants that do not need frequent watering, a misting spray will be ideal.
Shop the misting spray here
5. Organic Fertiliser
Now that you have got your plants and tools assembled, the last thing that you need to let your adopted plant babies flourish is a good fertiliser. The great thing about organic fertiliser is that you don’t have to worry about your vegetables or flowering plants being contaminated with harmful chemicals — plus, it saves you money.
Less is actually more when it comes to fertilising your plants. While the amount and frequency depend on what you’re growing, be sure to not overdo the application to your plants as it might cause damage to them.
Insect Feed Technologies’s Black Soldier Fly Organic Fertiliser also known as frass is the remaining product from our growing Black Soldier Fly (BSF) where their poop serves as a soil amendment. The soil amendments help transform poor soil into perfect growing conditions for plants by improving the soil texture and nutrients content.
Our all-natural fertiliser (frass) contains a nutrient-dense blend of N-P-K and minerals. With Singapore Food Agency (SFA) approved license of the strictest hygiene and traceability, our larvae are fed with a diet composed of pre-consumed human-grade consumptions by-product from soybean.
Shop the Insect Feed Technologies’ Black Soldier Fly Organic Fertiliser here on our website, Shopee or Lazada.
6. Liquid Gold Microbes
Plant fertilisers come in many different forms and compositions. They all contain nutrients that make for healthy plant growth, but some are complete plant foods that supply all sixteen essential nutrients, while others target specific needs or deficiencies. While Insect Feed Technologies’s Black Soldier Fly Organic Fertiliser contains a nutrient-dense blend of N-P-K and minerals to help boost your plant growth, it is important that our plants avoid developing any fungal diseases and more.
Specifically for home gardening plants, the Jacko Agri Liquid Gold Microbes help to rejuvenate the soil and allow the plants to maximize photosynthesis for their fullest growth. Besides that, it also helps to prevent treating any plant and fungal diseases.
Shop the Jacko Liquid Gold Microbes here on Shopee and Lazada.
Gardening can be a therapeutic practice to weave into an otherwise hectic lifestyle. While you’re at it, use the houseplants to decorate your workspace and bedroom to keep your spirits up and improve the air quality indoors. You don’t need fancy tools or lots of space to get started but you’ll need a little bit of time and effort to sow and reap your rewards. Get hands-on and start gardening!