Every day there seems to be a new tool, app or hack to make life easier. Now, that help can come to the garden. With spring around a seemingly very far corner, you’ll soon find that it will be time to pluck and prune and get your garden, plants and all your outdoor finery in shape. Do you need new garden shears? How about a new way to water your plants in case you are too busy to do so yourself? What about a way to plant more comfortably and give your knees a break? Check out these gadgets to help your garden grow.
Herbsicle
The best way to freeze and preserve herbs year round comes in the small, handheld form of the Herbsicle. This nifty gadget is designed to pack all of the freshness and flavors of parsley, basil, mint, cilantro, or whatever herb you choose into one compact cylinder. When you need the herbs, simply grate over food or use a knife to slice off a chunk or two.
The Herbsicle is available for $7.99 at www.chefn.com.
Lego planter
Legos have been around for years. But just because you aren’t a kid anymore doesn’t mean you still can’t play with them because Legos now have a place in your garden. Created by NOTCOT, The Plant Experiment #1 is a planter that allows you to grow small indoor plants like seedlings, succulents and other small plants in walnut wood plant boxes.
The best part? You can attach multiple planters together to form one giant Lego planter and have fun with the blocks by attaching other bricks to the top. It comes in three sizes per set: 12 x 12 (3.75 x 3.75 x 2 inches), 8 x 8 (2.5 x 2.5 x 1.5 inches), and 6 x 6 (2 x 2 x 2.25 inches).
The Plant Experiment #1 is available now, priced at $165 a set from www.notcot.bigcartel.com.
Fiskars Herb and Veggie Shears
If you are someone who grows a large variety of herbs and plants in the garden, then these shears are for you. Stainless steel serrated blades allow for pruning precision when plucking and shearing herbs and vegetables. The soft grip makes it comfortable for long-term use of the tool with the hands and the blades can be dismantled for easy cleaning.
Available for $11.97 at The Home Depot.
Gardman Foldaway Garden Kneeler Seat
Gardening is a fun and beautiful hobby, but it can be murder on your knees, regardless of age. The foldable seat is easy and convenient, designed for quick storage. It is comfortable on the knees as a kneeler and just as soft on your bottom if you are using it as a seat.
The Gardman Foldaway Garden Kneeler Seat is available for $35.99 at Walmart.
Parrot Flower Power Plant Monitor
This tech gadget can be a friend to the lazy gardener or the professional gardener, depending on how you look at it. The Parrot Flower Power Plant Monitor is a plant-shaped sensor that alerts you via smartphone of your plant’s needs. This gizmo measures sunlight, temperature, soil moisture and soil electrical conductivity in your plant. It will alert you when you need to water your plant, if it needs cold or warm water and if it requires more or less sunlight. A useful tool for the forgetful gardener or the green thumbs who have too many plants to look after.
The Parrot comes in a variety of colors. Get yours online at www.global.parrot.com/au.
Oya
Another useful tool for the lazy gardener is a self-watering tool. This terracotta-shaped vase is placed below the surface and filled with water. Here’s how it works: the Oya releases moisture from beneath the soil, conserving the amount of water used as opposed to surface watering. It usually requires a weekly refill of water.
The Oya is available for $21.50 (small), $28 (medium) and $30.50 (large) at www.coolthings.com/growoya.
