26 Products That Helped Reviewers Transform Their Gardening Skills (and We Have The Pics To Prove It)
And a crack weeder tool that'll go where the larger weeder (and your hands!) can't.
A dog spot repair if your puppy has a favorite pee spot and it shows... This stuff will get new grass growin' in no time so you can get back to hosting BBQs.
A pack of four plant supporters can perk up any slumped plants right back up while blending in enough so they don't look super obvious.
A Hori Hori Japanese weeding knife made of stainless steel with measurement markings on the blade to make sure that you're going as deep as you need. (That'll especially come in handy for planting stuff in the ground you want there.)
A pack of Miracle-Gro water-storing crystals that'll help you get your watering levels juuuuust right so you don't over- or underwater your plants. All you have to do is mix in said crystals with your regular soil and they'll absorb water and hydrate your soil as needed.
A variety of sunflower seeds that might just turn your backyard into the #1 destination for pics this year.
And a pack of wildflower seeds can help transform empty spots in your garden beds and yard without having to map out which kind of plant goes where. It includes 30,000+ seeds total with 23 varieties to help you fill in some gardening gaps.
Some colorful flower pots with draining holes and hooks so the plants inside can ~thrive~ while they sit there looking pretty. (Don't worry, artificial flowers will thrive in there too.)
Cloning paste for orchids and other houseplants that you're about ready to declutter. Apply its lanolin and vitamin-rich formula to nodes to encourage new growth, which both you and your plant deserve.
Sticky plant traps in case acquiring some new indoor plants also came with a bunch of gross gnats. It happens! But you can also deal with it.
Scotts Green Max Lawn Food, which is really just fancy talk for fertilizer, plus 5% iron for a faster greener process. If your yard is looking a little more yellow and brown than green as of late, this is worth a try.
A pair of stainless-steel gardening shears that'll help you get in there with precision for all kinds of tasks like harvesting a few tomatoes while keeping the stem intact, deadheading daylilies, trimming zucchini plants, and even cutting through THICK stalks. But they're super lightweight!
Or some Fiskars long-handled loppers to help you reach and trim overgrown stuff so your backyard gets back to looking like a garden instead of a jungle in Jumanji.
A pack of reusable Velcro garden ties can help your tomato plants (and tons of other plants) out of their sophomore slump. They'll help you attach stems to cages, trellises, stakes, and other structures without causing any damage. And they're adjustable so you can make adjustments as your plants grow.
A wooden wall-mounted trellis here to support your growing climbing plants or hanging planters. If your backyard doesn't have as much space for foliage, this is a great way to get in some more greenery out of basically thin air.
A pack of the 20 most popular vegetable seeds that'll help you make good on the threat that you're going to start growing your own after getting grocery store sticker shock.
A seed and seedling spacer tool with color coding can do all the math you need to space out your seeds for success. All you do is press it in the soil, poke holes with the dibbler, and then plant your seeds.
A soaker hose to help you *evenly* water your garden beds for barely any effort.
Joyful Dirt organic concentrated plant food and fertilizer you can mix in with your water or sprinkle directly onto your plant's soil to help give your lil' plants an energizing dose to grow their biggest and brightest. Everybody needs a little help sometimes, including your plants!
A pack of three rolling plant caddies that'll help you scoot your plant babies around as needed, like making sure your geranium doesn't get swamped in a summer downpour. Each of these bad boys can hold up to 80 pounds!
A cordless grass trimmer can let you touch up little parts of your garden and places where your regular lawnmower can't go, like around pavers and garden features. A little trim can make quite the impact!
Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food to help cover your outdoor *and* indoor plant food bases so all the work you've lovingly put into your greenery will pay off beautifully.
Fabric grow bags with handles so you'll easily move around your growing darlings as needed without them toppling over or you losing any precious soil. The non-woven fabric lets your plants breathe and prevents overwatering and circling root structures. Plus, they're reusable!
Or some Miracle-Gro tree and shrub plant food spikes in case you need a little more muscle for the bigger garden features. They also come in a fruit and citrus version in case you're lucky enough to have an orange tree that's seen better days.
Liquid Fence deer and rabbit repellent can help deter local (though cute) pests from snacking on your gorgeous plant beds. It basically just makes all the stuff you spray it on smell really gross to them.
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Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Column: On an August anniversary, memories of the atomic bomb from a crew member who dropped it on Nagasaki
I was sitting with an old soldier named Ray Gallagher. He held in his hands a small doll. The doll's name was Marianne and it was the doll that he took with him to war. It had been given to him by his niece, Margaret Gillund, and on Aug. 9, 1945, Marianne and Gallagher, an assistant flight engineer, boarded a plane named Bockscar along with 12 other men and a bomb called Fat Man and headed for the skies over the Japanese city of Nagasaki. They dropped the atomic bomb. In an instant, tens of thousands of people were reduced to ash. This was three days after another plane, the Enola Gay, and its crew dropped an atomic bomb named Little Boy on Hiroshima and, in an instant, tens of thousands more were ash. Accounting for those who died from the effects of radiation, it's estimated that as many as 70,000 died in Nagasaki and 140,000 in Hiroshima. T.S. Eliot famously called April the 'cruelest month,' but for me and many others, August grabbed that title in 1945 when the world was changed. Or, as Kurt Vonnegut put it in his 1963 novel 'Cat's Cradle,' 'The day the world ended.' Those who fought in World War II, or who worried for their loved ones who were fighting in WWII, are a diminishing crowd. And soon there will be none. But there were plenty in 1995 when I met Gallagher. He had come to the Union League Club to talk to some kids about the war. They were from local schools, gathered on a frigid Saturday morning to hear Gallagher say, 'War is awful, oh God. There's so much to be lost. When you go to war, you're not a hero. Everybody who goes to war would like to be brave. But you can be a coward. The whole idea of war is to get in and get out. Even now, when I enter a room, I'm looking at the windows and the doors … looking for the way to get out.' He came home from the war late in 1945, married his wife Mary, had two children, and settled into a quiet life in the Gage Park neighborhood and a long career with General Electric. (My father, a Marine, came home from fighting in the Pacific, too). There was a documentary film crew in the library. 'This is living history,' whispered a teacher in the room. It was the 50th anniversary year, memories from white-haired soldiers filled the pages of newspapers and TV screens. But by 1995 it was becoming increasingly controversial to mark the bombings with celebratory flag-waving. The dropping of those atomic bombs ushered in the chilling concept of doomsday, and in the ensuing decades, the dropping of the bombs ceased to be what Winston Churchill called 'a miracle of deliverance.' The film being made was called 'The Men Who Brought the Dawn.' Its director and producer, Jon Felt, said, '(We work to) put the viewer into the context of the times surrounding World War II and its final days, and hope to inform the public about the attitudes and personalities of the men who flew these missions. We do not get involved with ethics or moralities, politics or judgments. It is focused on the deeds of men.' Gallagher is in the film. He died in 1999, but is in my memory every August. He was 73 when I met him. Not a trained public speaker, he told what was essentially a series of anecdotes, random but potent. Eventually, it came time for questions, and a forest of tiny hands rose. 'Did the doll give you any luck?' asked a girl. 'It gave me the feeling of home,' Gallagher said, the doll cradled in his gnarled hands. 'If I wasn't thinking of home at the time all I had to do was look at Marianne. She always told me, 'You still have a home.'' Marianne went with him to an air base in Utah. He carried the doll with him on every training mission and to the island of Tinian in the Marianas, base of operations for the 509th Composite Bomb Group. Marianne was there in the sky over Nagasaki. After the bomb was dropped, after the war was over, Gallagher came home. Marianne came too and when Margaret Gillund grew up and became a school teacher, and when her history classes got around to World War II, Marianne went to school and was used as a powerful show-and-tell. Gillund was there at the Union League Club, along with Gallagher's wife. They heard him answer the question, 'Do you have regrets? Do you feel guilty?' Answer: 'I'd be lyin' if I didn't say I did. My wife Mary and myself have been invited back to Japan many times. I wouldn't go. I think we done a lot of good but we done a lot of bad … But we done what we were supposed to do.' Felt, the filmmaker, whispered to me, 'Ray is the most human gentleman I know.' Another question: 'Fifty years later, is it appropriate to reassess the decision to drop the bombs?' Gallagher answered: 'If someone hit you with a steel pipe would you shoot them with a gun? You had to live those years and walk those miles.' At the program's outset, Felt tried to help the kids' understanding by offering some musty statistics. He told of a Gallup Poll taken in late August 1945, weeks after the bombings. The poll asked people whether they approved or disapproved of the decision to drop the bombs. 'Eighty-five percent approved,' said Felt. He called an end to the question-and-answer session and asked that the kids remain in place so the crew could film a few more shots. Gallagher took a sip of water and received a loving pat on the back from his wife. One boy shouted, not a question but a statement: 'You were a killer.' Gallagher said, 'We had to drop 'em. There was a monster loose and that monster was war and we had to kill the monster.' With that, he removed himself from the wooden chair in which he had been sitting for three hours. He started to walk toward his wife and niece but stopped, turned around and walked back to a table on which the doll Marianne had been lying. He picked up the doll and asked, 'Was it OK? Did I do good?'
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Managing Japanese beetles, invasive plants in P.E.I. gardens
The summer weather is here and so are the many pests that loiter and invade the natural environment in P.E.I. Chase Guindon, co-ordinating operator for P.E.I. Invasive Species Council, told The Guardian in a phone interview on July 17 about the common insects and plants found around Islanders' home and how to deal with them. These beetles are known to cause annoyance and problems to people's yards in the summer, Guindon said. 'A few years ago, we thought Charlottetown was the nucleus for it, but it's fairly common across P.E.I. now. Especially in gardens and things like that,' he said. The beetles are known to feed on the foliage of plants and damage them, which can sometimes lead to killing the entire plant, Guindon added. To mitigate these beetles around people's backyards, residents have been hanging liquid-sprayed bags around their gardens to trap them, he said. But Guindon said it's a catch-22 situation. While the traps can be effective against keeping those beetles off of people's plants, they can also act as a beacon to those bugs, he said. 'If people are going to use them, we recommend putting them far away from people's plants because it will attract more to their yard,' Guindon said. Effective use of beneficial nematodes can mitigate these Japanese beetles by parasitizing them, he said. 'It can be purchased online, and it kills the larvae itself. Which is ideal because traps are just capturing the beetles likely after they've already laid eggs,' Guindon said. This ground cover invasive plant is one very common to P.E.I., said Guindon. 'But once it gets into woodlands, it just causes serious damage to the understory of a forest, prevents forest regeneration, limits biodiversity and creates an unhealthy forest,' he said. Along with periwinkle, goutweed is also a common invasive plant that is found on P.E.I., Guindon added. 'It's got green leaves with white edges that make it stand out and likely a popular plant for people to buy and purchase as well,' he said. In dealing with these common invasive plants, they are similar because both are ground cover plants, Guindon said. As both plants are known to convey a dense, deep underground root network, simply pulling on them will not get rid of them, he said. To mitigate the further spread and growth of these invasive species, Guindon said homeowners should first gather as much above-ground material as possible. As the roots still remain underground, covering the ground with a tarp after the picking process is effective for wearing down those nutrients yet stored in the root system, he added. It is the best practice for people to not let invasive species reproduce, Guindon said. 'If it is going to seed, clip those seeds and put them in the trash so they're not spread by either wind or wildlife, where it is going to cause those ecological issues,' he said. Yutaro Sasaki is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter, a position funded by the federal government. He can be reached at ysasaki@ and followed on X @PEyutarosasaki . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Buzz Feed
3 days ago
- Buzz Feed
30 Must-Have Products Expert Gardeners Love
A seeding-start kit so you can finally sow all those seeds you've been holding onto. This little setup comes with everything you need to start a whole lineup of veggies, herbs, or flowers before sending them out to thrive in your garden. The kit has space for up to 72 seedlings in cells measuring 1.5" x 1.5" x 2" each. Entire tray is 10" x 20" x 5". Recommended for use with a heat mat to promote germination. Once sprouts emerge, use a plant grow light or place near a well-lit review: "As an avid gardener, I've found this kit to be an essential tool for starting seeds and nurturing young plants before transplanting them into the garden. Each cell is sturdy and well-designed, ensuring proper airflow and drainage to promote healthy root development. The included greenhouse dome helps retain moisture and warmth, promoting optimal germination and seedling growth. Incredibly user-friendly, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced gardeners alike. The included growing medium is pre-fertilized and ready to use, eliminating the need for additional soil amendments and saving time during the planting process. Highly recommend." —Blondie16Get it from Amazon for $14.69. A weed-puller tool to easily remove weeds from your garden or lawn. It's the bestselling weeding tool on Amazon, and for good reason! The same family-owned small business has been making these since 1913, and 46,000+ reviewers have given the product 5 stars. A seed and seedling spacer tool that'll show you exactly where to put your seeds. The color-coded square helps you space out seeds just right, so your veggies grow in neat little rows instead of chaotic clumps. Just press into the soil, poke holes with the included dibber, and plant. A pack of Miracle-Gro water-storing crystals to keep your outdoor plants perfectly hydrated, without you having to guess if you're overwatering or underwatering. You mix it in with your regular soil, and the crystals swell to absorb water and then release it later. A pair of breathable bamboo gloves that'll make you feel like a gardening pro. They're breathable, flexible, and grippy enough to keep a solid hold on your tools (or that stubborn weed that refuses to budge). Plus, they're made from bamboo, so your hands stay cool and comfy while you work your backyard magic. Or a pair of gardening gloves with extra-long sleeves so you don't have to stress about poison ivy, thorny branches, or mosquito bites while you're out there doing your thing. Bug season is no joke, so it helps to stay covered. These'll also save your arms if you accidentally brush up against something prickly. A crack weeder tool to make your pathways, driveways, and patios like new again. The uniquely shaped head allows the tool to fit into tight cracks and grab weeds by the roots for easy removal. A 3D-printed spout that'll turn your empty milk jug into a fully functional watering can. It's lightweight, easy to fill at the sink, and a genius little upgrade for anyone trying to green their garden and their habits at the same time. Granny Geeks is a woman-owned small business based in Georgia that makes 3D-printed garden review: "Such a clever item. My hose is hard to use so I can fill a jug in my kitchen sink and still have it water my plants well! I loved it so much, this is my second (one for indoor plants which require distilled water and one for my outdoor plants)!" —MelissaGet it from Granny Geeks for $5.99 (available in five colors). A pack of the 20 most popular vegetable seeds to basically turn your vegetable beds into your own organic produce market. From beets and cucumbers to cabbage and okra, there are enough seeds to grow plenty of produce year round. A Nisaku Hori Hori weeding knife that'll help you dig, weed, and slice through stubborn roots. It has both a straight and serrated edge for tackling different tasks, plus inch markings to help you plant at just the right depth. A vertical planter so you can grow herbs, strawberries, or flowers without giving up your whole patio. Just stack the five tiers, fill with soil, and plant up to 20 things in one tidy, compact tower. A battery-operated 2-in-1 handheld hedge and grass trimmer that'll help you clean up messy garden edges, trim back overgrown shrubs, and neaten up any rogue patches of grass. It comes with two blade attachments you can swap out depending on the job, and it's lightweight enough to use one-handed. A pair of stainless-steel gardening shears for clipping cuttings and deadheading. Folks say they're lightweight and easy to use, and despite their size, can cut through really thick, tough stems. A galvanized steel planter bed for neatly planting all your veggies and fruits. It has an open bottom, which provides good drainage and keeps weeds away from your soil. Promising review: "Pretty straightforward to build. I have 6 of them in my garden and have had them since March 2023. It's now January 2025 and they are still holding up pretty well." —Dylan"For the past 40 years have always had a garden in the ground. So tired of weeds taking over. Decided to try raised beds. Love this. Easy to assemble." —Amazon CustomerGet it from Amazon for $49.99+ (available in two sizes). Or a raised garden bed that removes the need for bending or kneeling, preserving your back and knees as you tend to your garden. It's made from Chinese fir, a great wood for outdoor furniture and construction because it doesn't warp out of shape when it gets damp or wet. Promising review: "This is my third raised bed. It is very easy to put together, especially after the third time. It is very sturdy; the one I bought three years ago is still standing tall. I like the drainage holes. I do deep watering, so I never worry about the bed being waterlogged. It is easy to move when it is empty, not so much when it is full of dirt." —AnitaGet it from Amazon for $64.99+ (available in three sizes and three finishes). A 21-inch Ryobi self-propelling lawnmower because yard work is way more tolerable when your mower doesn't sound like a helicopter. This one's battery powered-powered (read: quiet), and the charge lasts *forever* — I did both my front and back lawn with juice left over. It's a very worthy investment if you want to maintain a pristine lawn all year long without a lot of effort on your part (self-propelling really is awesome). My house has a lot of lawn: over 3,000 square feet. When we first moved in, I bought a cheap battery-powered mower that could barely handle either the front or the back yard on a single charge. Not ideal. This Ryobi mower is the total opposite. I can mow both the front and back with charge to spare. A "command center" lets you activate turbo mode and lights, and adjust the self-propel speed right from the handle (great for slowing down when you're trying to mow a corner). Turbo mode gives you an extra boost for tough patches, and it comes with a grass catcher bag, though I always keep mine on mulch mode because it's better for the lawn. The handle folds down for easy storage. Bonus: the 40V battery works with over 85 other Ryobi tools, which I love because it means I can expand my collection without collecting a bunch of different batteries. Promising review: "I have about 1,500 sq. ft. yard and I have mowed it four times and the battery is at 50%. It does great on a 25% incline slope. It has so much power that I had to lower it to 50%. Best lawnmower I have ever owned. Highly recommend." —RchoHomeOwner Get it from The Home Depot for $549. A seven-piece garden tool kit if you're new to gardening and want a one-stop shop for all your needs. This kit has a folding stool so you can sit comfortably while you work, and all the tools you'll need for basic gardening tasks. The seven-piece kit includes a weeding fork, cultivator, weeder, transplanter, trowel, folding stool, and tool review: "This stool is extremely convenient. I hate squatting in the garden and flailing around trying to find my tools when I need to dig something up. This has several small pockets for the small tools it comes with, plus a large pocket in the middle where I keep my larger clippers and gloves. Since I have things stored inside now, I don't fold it, but before that, the folding was great because it takes up almost no space in my shed. Can't beat the convenience of using and storing all of these things in one compact package. The tools themselves are decent, too. The shovels are flatter than I am used to, but it has actually come in handy in some areas, like around my stone wall." —MollyGet it from Amazon for $36.99 (available in two colors). A pair of Fiskars 28-inch tree trimmers so you can finally cut back those rogue branches without feeling like you just did CrossFit. They've got power-boosting levers that make it way easier to slice through thicker limbs, and the blades stay sharp and gunk free. Or a pole saw if you're done playing the ladder game every time a tree branch misbehaves. It extends anywhere from nearly 8 feet–27 feet (depending on the model you purchase), letting you trim high limbs from the ground. The sharp, triple-cut blade makes quick work of branches, and the lightweight design won't destroy your arms in the process. A bottle of organic Joyful Dirt concentrated plant food and fertilizer for indoor or outdoor plants that you mix into either soil or the plant's water. Within a few weeks, your plants will look noticeably healthier and taller. Joyful Dirt is a small business based in Portland, Oregon, making organic, all-purpose plant food since review: "We love this stuff. We use it on all of our house plants and our outdoor garden. The indoor plants look better day and night about a week after application. Love that it's all natural too, and don't have to worry about any harmful chemicals. Been using this stuff for about three years now!" —DJ it from Amazon for $22.95. A pack of reusable Velcro garden ties that'll gently keep your plants in the right spot. Use these to secure stems to stakes, trellises, or cages without damaging anything delicate. They're soft, adjustable, and way easier to manage than twist ties or string. A garden dibber to make planting bulbs, sowing seeds, and breaking up clumps of dirt easier than ever — every gardener should have one of these babies! A pack of five heavy-duty fabric grow bags so you can grow big plants with ease. These grow bags use a breathable material, which keeps roots and soil oxygenated and cool throughout the year. Great for developing robust, fibrous root systems that stay healthy without needing regular root pruning. Promising review: "So I'm no plant pot-biologist, but these are awesome. They're durable and strong. The handles are stitched on super well. They are also solid enough to hold the soil and plant with no problem while letting enough oxygen to the roots to create a bigger root ball, leading to bigger plants/yields. Best mesh flower pots by far." —Tom Higgins Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in tan or black and in 10 sizes). A potting bench to turn your backyard into your new favorite workspace. This one will give you a waist-height spot to repot, trim, and admire your plants without hunching over like a Victorian ghost. It'll hold your tools, display your prettiest blooms, and even offer a little shelf for whatever garden project you're working on next. Promising review: "Nothing to dislike about this garden bench. It's not built for heavy-duty gardening, which is what I love about it. There's storage, a drawer, and a little shelf for my supplies. It's a private area for just me to play with my plants and bulbs. Super easy to clean up, too. Love it!!" —AprilGet it from Amazon for $122.99+ (available in three wood finishes; be sure to apply the $12 off coupon when applicable). A smart sprinkler controller that'll take over your yard's watering schedule with actual intelligence. It uses weather data to skip watering when it rains, adjusts automatically with the seasons, and lets you control everything from your phone. You'll get a greener, healthier lawn without wasting water or fiddling with confusing timers. Promising review: "I bought this Rachio 3 because I need remote control of my irrigation system. I did research, and Rachio 3 came to the top of the list. My old one is Hunter, which is ok but not Wi-Fi controllable. Plus, it is hard to schedule different watering schedules at the same time. The Rachio 3 is really smart and very user-friendly. It will skip the water day if rainfall is in the forecast. I wish I bought this unit years ago." —Turning Point Get it from Amazon for $164.99+ (available in two styles). A pack of three rolling plant caddies to make sure you can move your heaviest plants without much effort. Each caddy can hold up to 80 pounds, too, so we're talking about some pretty big plants! An extremely flexible, kink-free garden hose so you can water your yard with ease. It's also way lighter than other hoses — perfect for those of us who don't want to turn watering the garden into a cardio session. Promising review: "This thing is an absolute game changer. I mean, it's heavy-duty yet super lightweight, which is a total win-win. It's like the Hulk of garden hoses: strong and sturdy but easy to handle. I can drag it around my yard without feeling like I'm lugging around a huge snake. It's also a vibrant green color, so it adds a nice pop to my outdoor space. I highly recommend it to all my fellow garden enthusiasts out there. You won't regret it!" —Fouad al MaawdahGet it from Amazon for $14.85+ (available in eight lengths). A garden hose nozzle sprayer with up to eight patterns that'll fit all standard garden hoses. Reviewers love (there are over 16,200 5-star reviews!) the 100% heavy-duty metal handle, and that it can take on jobs as simple as lawn watering all the way up to more complicated ones like muddy dog washing. Promising review: "The double seal where the handle connects to the hose is a high-quality feature. I chose this model because of the lever flow control. As an avid gardener, this is better than the trigger-activated garden hose nozzles." —Ernest it from Amazon for $21.80+ (available with three pattern quantities). A pair of supportive, waterproof clogs if you're always tracking mud into the house after spending time in the garden. When you're done outside you can just wipe 'em down or hose 'em off. And a pair of knee pads for comfortably gardening for hours on end. Gardening is such a wonderful thing, but if your body starts to ache you can soon be in agony. Give these pads a try if you find yourself having to quit gardening before you're ready due to aches and pains.
