Having a garden and growing your own food is a lot of work but also one of the most rewarding tasks there can be! It is a lot about planning, maintaining and reducing waste that will make your garden and harvest the most successful. This list of garden tools that are both store bought and upcycled in a budget friendly manner will get you the most bang for your buck and the most food for your family.
Lets get started with a list of gardening tools that will help get YOU started in the garden…
Store Bought Gardening Tools:
Stand Up Weeder
This tool is great for the folks that have difficulty getting and staying down on the ground to do the task of weeding, which can be long and grueling on your back! With an easy push and pull method this tool will help you upkeep our garden and keep out those nasty weeds which in turn will allow your crops to grow abundantly. 
Thumb Knife Set
No need for clippers or scissors! These thumb knives are easy to wear and will make for an easy harvest or pruning day!
Garden Kneeler with Tool Bag
There is nothing wrong with adding a little comfort into your hard work! It might actually help you in being able to do longer stretches of planting/weeding. Like they say, work smarter not harder!
Cultivator Claw
This hand held claw can help as an aerator, cultivator and weeding tool. Made ergonomically correct to allow natural movement! Buying tools that can give your joints a little bit of a break is always smart!
Gardener’s Tool Belt
A tool belt will have everything right where you need it, instead of lugging around an armful of tools. This belt can keep everything directly at your side and ready for action.
Upcycled Home Items into Gardening Tools:
- Egg cartons: Use the bottom half of a carton and repurpose it into seed starter trays.
- Spice jars: Empty jars can be washed and cleaned and labeled to organize seeds during planting or for stored for future use.
- Shower caddy: An old shower caddy can be a makeshift garden tool carrier.
- Egg shells: Make a fertilizer “tea” by boiling water stovetop, adding egg shells and then allowing to cool in the fridge overnight. Strain and save the water to pour directly onto the garden as a watering technique. You may also clean and process shells down into a powder using a food processor to add directly into the soil before planting!
- Milk jug: An old, cleaned jug can be cut in half to use the top half as a mini greenhouse for the plants that need a little extra (especially northeast gardens).
- 5 gallon bucket: This is a dual use item. You can store your garden tools in the bucket with a lid and carry right to your garden to use as a bench or seat!
- Laundry detergent jug: Made into a watering jug. Drill several holes in the cap of the detergent and one at the top of the handle to allow air.
- Toilet paper rolls: Use the empty rolls as plant collars to allow you to differentiate between beginning sprouts and weeds. You may also label them to help you keep track of what plant is what!
Having the right tools will help you and your garden’s overall success. Those tools will also ease the tasks at hand and allow you to truly enjoy that homesteader lifestyle.
I hope that some of these garden tools are handy for you this growing season!
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Love, light and a little grace…
-Olivia
Olivia Whalen is mama to three young girls who is devoted to creative learning, exploration and free range imagination. Olivia enjoys thinking outside of the box when it comes to preparing homemade baby food or meals for her family. She most enjoys allowing the little minds in her life to flourish and with that you will see her write about creative kid crafts, recipes that fit a family budget and keep everyone asking for more, tips and tricks for a tiny babe, and beginner homesteader fun! Some of her hobbies include gardening, hiking, reading, cooking or just basking in motherhood.