Must-Have Gardening Tools for the Novice Gardener
Using the right gardening tools can make all the difference between enjoying the gardening experience and wishing you'd never started. Here's what you need. Continue Reading
Author Monica Hemingway
Monica is the founder and Editor of the Gardening Products Review. She's had a lifelong love affair with gardening and a fascination with gardening tools. She's been known to disassemble tools just to see how they work and has a tendency to break tools while testing them in the garden.
WORXAIR Blower/Sweeper: Product Review
This review applies to the following models: WG545, WG545.1, WG545.5, WG545.9, WG575, WG575.1 If you’re looking for a heavy-duty leaf blower, this isn’t the product for you. But if you want a cordless, lightweight, quiet blower that will easily sweep the patio, clean debris from your garage, or blow away dry leaves from between […] Continue Reading
Shovel Sling: Product Review
Have you ever tried to carry a whole bunch of long-handled gardening tools from the shed or garage to where you’ll be using them in the garden? Maybe you carried them in your arms? Or loaded them onto a wheelbarrow? Either way, you probably dropped a few or struggled to keep them from falling. What […] Continue Reading
Peel Away Seed Starting Pots Review
This review is part of our series on Starting Seeds Indoors. The Peel Away Seedling Pot Kit comes with 12 2-inch pots and a self-watering system (water reservoir, tray, and wicking capillary mat). The pots fit right next to each other in the tray so the whole system is quite compact. The 2-inch pots are […] Continue Reading
Joseph Bentley 7-Inch Curved Secateurs: Product Review
I previously reviewed the Joseph Bentley long-handled bulb planter (which was terrific – read the review here) so I was looking forward to working with their new 7-inch, wood-handled secateurs. Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed. Note: This review is based on my use of two new pairs of secateurs from Joseph Bentley. Both were the […] Continue Reading
Rose Gauntlet Gloves from Bear Wallow Gloves: Product Review
If you grow roses, you know how painful it can be to prune them. Scratched forearms, thorns stuck in your fingers, torn sleeves from reaching into the center of the shrub… It’s a good thing roses are so beautiful or no one would grow them! I’ve tried a lot of rose pruning gloves and not […] Continue Reading
A.M. Leonard Professional Compound Action Bypass Lopper Review
Note: The C808 lopper has been replaced by the C850 with a 2-1/8″ cutting capacity. The review below applies to the C850, as well as the original C808. If you’re like me, you probably find yourself struggling now and then to cut through a particularly hard branch or a larger diameter piece of wood with your […] Continue Reading
Best Garden Hose Nozzles & Sprayers: Guide & Recommendations
If you’ve ever used a garden hose without a nozzle, you know how frustrating it can be to get the water to spray out gently (rather than rushing out in a jet) and how cold the water can be on your fingers as you try to adjust the water flow by placing your thumb over […] Continue Reading
Garden Stamp: Product Review
Do you want to grow vegetables but have only limited garden space? If so, intensive cropping or square foot gardening may be a good solution. By planting vegetables more closely (and following some specific gardening techniques), you can grow the same amount in 20% of the space you’d need using conventional methods. But proper plant […] Continue Reading
Seed Starting Grow Kit from Gardener’s Supply: Product Review
There's a lot to like about this self-watering seed starting kit - the tray and reservoir clean easily, the cells can be filled simply by placing an expanding pellet in each one and then watering, and germination rates are high when the kit is used with the pellets. Continue Reading
Where to Buy Seeds
There are many options for buying seeds, from your local grocery or hardware store to the garden centers, catalogs, and online stores. If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, here are some sources we recommend. Seed Swap from the National Gardening Association The Seed Swap from the National Gardening Association allows you to […] Continue Reading
Best Seed Starting Mixes: Guide & Recommendations
Updated January 30, 2019 We tested eleven different purchased seed starting/germinating mixes, as well as potting mix, garden soil, and a variety of home-made mixes. While we can’t comment on the make-up of the mixes (other than noting what the manufacturer indicates is in the package), here are our observations about the look and feel […] Continue Reading
Green Cycler from Ecotonix: Product Review
With more municipalities around the country mandating residential composting, now’s a good time to learn how to properly compost food scraps and garden waste at home. Composting kitchen waste doesn’t need to be difficult, smelly, or complicated. All it takes is a little knowledge of what can and cannot be composted and a suitable container […] Continue Reading
Sloggers Rain & Garden Shoes Review
I’ve had this colorful pair of Rain & Garden Shoes from Sloggers® for some time now and, in spite of some limitations, they’ve become my “go-to” pair of “head out into the garden” shoes. I’ve put them next to the back door into the garden so I can quickly slip them on and slip out […] Continue Reading
Five Keys to Successful Seed Starting
As spring slowly approaches, many gardeners start thinking about growing plants indoors from seed. Here are the five things you’ll need to consider. #1 – Moisture Your seeds won’t germinate (sprout) if they are not kept evenly moist. Thoroughly moisten the seed-starting medium (not garden soil!) before sowing the seeds. Use one of our recommended […] Continue Reading