Must Have Garden Tools for the Serious Greenhouse Gardener

If you are a serious greenhouse gardener, you are likely to have a few tried and true garden tools that you can’t do without. For beginning greenhouse gardeners, the choice of greenhouse gardening tools and accessories can often be overwhelming.  However, there are a few trusted garden tools that will make your greenhouse gardening hours easier and more enjoyable. Sharing your experiences with beginning gardeners can save them time, aggravation…and money.

Tools of the Trade
• Pots: garden pots come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and materials.  When you’re growing in a greenhouse, you will need to consider if your plant will be transplanted into the garden or if it will find its permanent home in a container. Seedlings you wish to transplant can be grown in a wide variety of containers. Make sure the pot has room for root development and that it has good drainage. You can find pots made of naturally decomposing materials, like Cow Pots, that you can plant directly into your garden to prevent transplant shock. If you are planning to keep the plant in a container, look for a pot that allows root development, like the Smart Pot, to save you from having to transplant often.

• Insecticide: While weeds are not usually much of a concern for the greenhouse gardener, insect infestations can be a different story. Keeping a good multipurpose insecticide on hand is always a good idea. A good organic choices Veggie Pharm Insecticidal spray. Yellow sticky traps and beneficial bugs are also great ways to rid your greenhouse of pests.

• Benches: Gardening benches help save your back and make greenhouse gardening more enjoyable. They also provide extra working space so you can fit in twice as many plants and pots. Greenhouse benches can be made of a wide variety of materials, and selecting one is mostly a matter of personal preference. Look for a bench that is sturdy, water resistant and has slats for good air ventilation.

• Heating/Cooling: Every greenhouse needs some way to control heating and cooling for the budding plants inside. Shade cloths, basic fans, a small greenhouse heater and thermometer are often all that is required to control the temperature of your greenhouse unless your area experiences very hot summers or well below freezing winters.

As your greenhouse gardening hobby progresses, you are likely to collect more and more gardening paraphernalia, but knowing what the essentials are can help you keep your storage shed from overflowing and your piggy bank from growing lean.