What is in your gardening bag ?
My gardening bag is always with me. I have all my hand tools and other accessories necessary for every situation that might arise in and out of the garden. Over the years I have had many “ I wish I had this” moments that resulted in another item being added to my gardening bag. I came across my gardening bag at Target in the Magnolia Home section. Tan canvas with pockets along the entire outside. PERFECT. I recommend something very sturdy, canvas based with a strong handle. Below is a list of items I always keep in my gardening bag and why its been useful to me. I not only spend time at my home garden but I am the lead gardener at our HOA’s community garden. Going back and forth between the two requires a large sturdy bag. Below is my list of must haves to get me through those long gardening days when I want to work straight through and get things done.
Hand Tools: Hand trowel, hand rake, pruners, needle nose pruners and utility tool. I discuss these in more depth about my preferred gardening tools in my previous post about hand tools and accessories.
Multiclava: I always wear or have a multiclava with me because of the long hours in the garden. It keeps the sweat out of my eyes and hair off my face.
Eddie Bauer Multiclava: https://a.co/d/fr2jnI7
Seeds : Keeping seeds in your garden bag makes things more efficient when the time comes to direct sow your next crop. There are always opportunities to direct sow seeds throughout the season (spring, summer and fall). Especially if your are succession planting. Many spring seeds need a cold stratification period for better growth. During the summer around mid August you want to get your fall crop started while the seeds that are planted in the fall can be tossed straight into the garden for the following year to experience their overwintering period (Larkspur, poppies, etc.). If you are looking for reputable seeds companies you can visit my blog on seed starting.
Plant Tags: As much as you want to believe you will remember what you planted and where, you will not. Come spring, you could mistake the upcoming seeds for weeds and pull them.
Plant Tags: https://a.co/d/2Bv9s9U
Sunscreen and hat: Sunscreen and a hat are a must in the garden if you want to keep from the unnecessary tan lines and damage to your skin. The duration we spend in the garden exposes us to the sun and equally to the dangerous UV rays we should avoid especially as you age. I chose a hat with a flap for the neck to give me the best coverage while bent down over my garden beds. I apply sunscreen every 3 hours.
Sunscreen: https://a.co/d/cpP2V2G
Electrolytes: Staying hydrated while in the garden is paramount. There have been many times I become focused on a task and 2 hours goes by. Not only do I start feeling weak but I have to stop in the middle of what I am doing to go home and rest. Your choice of hydration is always up to what is best for you. I usually went with Gatorade since it worked the best, I then transitioned to Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA). They are usually used for intense workouts and replenish me better than anything else I have tried. I use them for strength training as well for quick recovery and endurance during my workout. Feel free to do your homework since this form of hydration is usually associated with athletes.
BCAA: https://a.co/d/6nNXOTJ
