Some items useful in the garden are technically not tools but they are still extremely useful.

Purple tub

I love my bright purple, ten and a half gallon plastic tub (trug). I fill it with weeds and prunings. It is lightweight even when full so that I can comfortably carry it to the garage where I keep my recyclable waste bags or to the treelawn for seasonal green waste pickup. Before I discovered these tubs, I used tarps but the wind was always blowing the sides and ends up unless I anchored them with bricks – what a pain! The tubs are available in several bright colors and sizes.


Pot pads

Pot Pads™ are a must for potted plants on any surface. Because they elevate the pot, they prevent deck rot and bug infestation while enabling aeration and drainage. I have found that the increased drainage helps hardy plants survive the winter in the containers that are left outside. I previously lost several plants because the containers retained too much moisture and the roots rotted.

Composed of a hard plastic dome and a non-skid rubber grip pad that creates a suction to the bottom of the pot, they allow for easy movement of pots on hard surfaces without leaving scratches.  Use indoors or outdoors.  Put shiny side down, under pot.  Then, instead of lifting heavy pots, slide them across a deck or patio.  Think of them as furniture glides for your pots I would recommend  using 4 pads per pot.  Need pads? Package of 4 for $5.99.

Last but not least, I raise the issue of gardening gloves. I have to be able to feel the soil and the roots when I am potting and weeding. For this purpose, I buy boxes of medical examining gloves for a season. They are latex and sprinkled inside with talc to ease putting them on. They do tear easily and they do make my hands sweat but they’re cheap and keep my hands clean. Before I discovered examining gloves, I could never get my hands really clean and even worse, they were incredibly rough and painful. No amount of moisturizer could counteract the dirt in the skin crevices.

For pruning and digging, there are an infinite array of glove types. It’s just a matter of finding the ones that are comfortable for you and that won’t wear out too quickly.

Garden tools and aids are blessings that make our time in the garden easier and more enjoyable.