Gardeners swear by these weird things for your yard that are so damn clever

If you sometimes forget to water your plants, you’ll want to order these stakes to help keep your plants healthy and thriving. Tony O'Neill, gardening expert and best-selling author, says, “These simple devices have been a lifesaver for keeping my plants hydrated, especially during the hot summer months or when I'm away for a few days.” He attaches these stakes to old wine bottles filled with water. They’re designed to slowly release moisture directly to your plant’s roots so they won’t get dehydrated. Don’t worry, they’re made of terracotta, which will only release water when your soil is dry to prevent overwatering.

Wool pellets like these are perfect for garden beds and potted plants. “They help retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and gradually release nutrients into the soil as they break down. Plus, they help keep the soil temperature stable,” O'Neill explains. Wool contains nitrogen and potassium in relatively high levels, which acts as a natural fertilizer that will feed plants for up to six months. Plus, the pellets expand in soil, which can create better soil oxygenation to help plants grow strong roots.

O’Neill calls neem oil spray a “game-changer for managing pests organically in my garden” because it’s “effective against a wide range of common garden pests and diseases, without harming beneficial insects when used correctly.” It can be used on indoor and outdoor plants like flowers, trees, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. It can help repel aphids, bagworms, fruit flies, mites, beetles, and so much more. And if you have issues like black spots, downy mildew, and rust, it can also be useful. With all these benefits, it’s no surprise it has racked up over 19,000 five-star ratings on Amazon.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could find out exactly what your soil and plants needed to stay healthy? Now you won’t have to guess or wonder with this soil test kit. O’Neill says, “[An] affordable soil test kit has helped me tailor my fertilization and soil amendment strategies, ensuring my plants get exactly what they need to thrive.” Unlike at-home pH meters and test strips, this kit allows you to mail samples to a professional lab that measures 13 plant nutrient levels. You’ll receive online results within six to eight days with customized recommendations to amend your soil so you can grow healthy plants.

O’Neill also recommends using fabric grow bags because “they promote healthy root growth, improve aeration, and are reusable.” They’re made of a nonwoven fabric that promotes air circulation and won’t retain excess water, which allows your plant’s roots to breathe and remain healthy. Plus, they’re designed with reinforced handles that’ll allow you to easily transport them, even when they’re filled with soil and plants. Need more convincing? They have over 44,000 five-star ratings on Amazon.

If you want to make your garden look more expansive founder and principle designer of Urbangreen Gardens Thomas Little suggests getting these Brightech strings lights because they will add “a sense of exploration and broadness to the property surrounding.” These lights are durable and perfect for outdoor spaces, because they’re shatterproof and waterproof. Plus, they can withstand up to 50mph winds and temperatures from -4 to 122 degrees. The best part? They include a detachable solar panel so you can move it around to charge it and then reattach it to the bulbs to power them.

Michael Giannelli, owner of East Hampton Gardens, recommends adding this rose-tone fertilizer to your soil with epsom salt to produce more flowers. This fertilizer is formulated for all types of roses including knockouts and climbers. It can also be used for other flowering plants like viburnum, bougainvillea, and clematis. It promotes faster growth, larger blooms, and deeper roots. One shopper wrote, “I used this last spring and every plant had at least double the blooms. It was wonderful.”

Giannelli also recommends adding smashed terracotta saucers to your potted roses to help with drainage. He says, “At the bottom of most pots, you have a large hole or a few smaller holes, if you lay broken terracotta into the pot when you put the soil in, it won't clog up the holes.” This pack comes with 32 saucers so you’ll have enough to break up for a few pots and a maybe even a few extra for using as actual saucers.

This hori hori gardening knife is a versatile tool that can be used for so many tasks — which is why Redditor u/Spinach_Typical, credits it as one of their must-have gardening tools, writing “The hori and bypass felcos are the 2 that cover the most general small tasks 100% and with those 2 you can do so much.” This knife can be used for weeding, pruning, cultivating, digging, cutting, transplanting, and more. The blade is made from rust-resistant stainless steel and features a wide and concave shape for scooping, a sharp flat edge for cutting, a serrated edge for sawing, and a spear point for prying. Plus, it’s designed with measurement markers so you can measure holes for plant depths.

Designed with a thin head, these pruning shears make it easier for you to get in tiny spaces to trim and cut flowers, plants, bushes and more without causing damage. Amazon reviewers noted that it’s easy to use without much effort, and it’s comfortable to hold. Redditor u/Spinach_Typical says it helps with most small gardening tasks.

u/Spinach_Typical also recommends a hula hoe for a well-maintained garden bed or yard. This best-selling Amazon option features a handle that you can adjust to three different lengths. Its push-pull design allows it to efficiently and safely cut weed roots, even on damp clay soil. Customers are thrilled that it’s easy to assemble, lightweight, and it gets the job done of removing weeds quickly.

Cookbook author, avid gardener, and creator of the botanical blog Schisandra and Bergamot Kristen Wood says, “I love using mushroom logs to grow shiitake mushrooms in the dark, cool, moist corners of my garden. It's a clever way to get even more from your garden space.” When assembled, this kit looks like a cool log. It includes everything you’ll need to grow your own shiitake mushrooms quickly — you can harvest in as little as 10 to 14 days. It comes with an inoculated shiitake grow log, a spray bottle, a vented humidity tent, and a guidebook.

These plant food spikes release nutrients directly into the root zone to promote vibrant color and lush foliage for trees, shrubs, evergreens, and acid-loving plants. They’re also long-lasting — one spike lasts for six months and you only have to replace them once per season in spring and fall. One customer said, “I've noticed that the grapevine and holly bushes I have placed the spike near look particularly vibrant. The grapevine in particular has to be trimmed on a regular basis, its growth is so prodigious.”

After over two decades in the landscaping business, Greenpal CEO Bryan Clayton calls rain gauges a “game-changer.” He says, “A good rain gauge takes the guesswork out of watering your lawn. You might not realize it, but over- or under-watering your lawn can lead to a whole host of problems, from disease to poor growth.”

All you have to do is attach this gauge to a post. It will let you know how much rainfall your yard is actually getting — no guesswork needed. It’s designed with measurement markers and can hold up to 11 inches of water. It will also save you money in the long run because you’ll know when your lawn doesn’t need to be watered or when to adjust your sprinkler system.

These five-gallon buckets may not look like anything special, but gardeners across Reddit say they’re so useful. They’re durable enough to be used as extra seating, large enough to store and haul tools or dirt, and sleek enough to use as plant pots, and so much more. They’re made of durable, thick plastic and feature ergonomic plastic grips on metal handles so that they’re comfortable and easy to lug around.

This versatile garden hose nozzle features an adjustable dial so you can choose between seven watering patterns. One customer wrote, “My calla Lilies get a nice mist. My blackberry bush gets a shower. I use the jet option to fill my jugs to water my other plants. It’s versatile and so far durable.” It features a ergonomic rubberized grip, a rubber washer to prevent leaks, and a trigger lock so you don’t have to press the handle the entire time you’re using it. And if you wondered about its quality, it has over 8,000 five-star ratings.

Redditor u/mahaverag credits a Japanese weeding sickle as a tool that they’re most happy owning because it’s “super versatile” and it “makes quick work of everything.” The forged blade on this one is made of high carbon steel, and it features a very sharp edge. The forward weight combined with the sharp edge helps it to weed easily and quickly — which explains the near-perfect 4.8-star rating on Amazon.

Repotting and handling plants can get extremely messy — until now. This mat is waterproof and provides four walls to contain dirt so that it doesn’t get all over the place. One shopper wrote, “This mat is much more sturdy than I expected. I use it all the time in the garden, for potting, for cleaning up potted plants, and [for] protecting cushions when I work near them.” It’s also easy to assemble — just snap the four corners together. And, when you are done using it, all you have to do is uncover one corner and pour the soil out. Plus, it’s compact and easy to store — simply fold or roll it to put it away.

Unlike similar products, this best-selling moisture meter is designed with a longer 40-centimeter probe so that it can be used for deeper pots or deeper gardening beds. Luke Steffensmeier, founder of Reedy River Landscapes, says, “This simple tool has been a game-changer for our projects, ensuring that we water plants precisely when they need it, thus avoiding over- or under-watering.” It will provide results instantly and it features a large dial that’s easy to read — hence the 44,000 five-star ratings on Amazon.

Create a cool ambiance with these popular solar-powered garden lights that’ll transform your yard without much effort. One shopper wrote, “These garden solar lights are really delightful in my garden. I use them year-round and they do sway in the wind and are some of the nicest ones I have seen.” They’re designed with flexible wires so they move with the wind — mimicking a cluster of fireflies. Plus, they’re long-lasting; they can provide light for up to 15 hours thanks to their large-capacity batteries.

This dandelion weeder features a two-pronged fork that allows you to remove the entire root of weeds without needing to dig large holes. That means surrounding plants will stay intact and won’t get damaged. Redditor u/great-granny-jessie posted this on a thread that asked users to name their best or most useful tool, because it’s versatile and can be used for more than just for weeding. Indeed, it can also be used to make holes for bulbs, loosen soil, and so much more.

Conserve water with this 53-gallon rain barrel. It collects raindrops so you can use them to water your plants, wash your car, and so much more. It’s designed with a mesh opening that allows rain in while keeping leaves, debris, and mosquitos out. It also features an overflow pipe with a filter to prevent clogging, a spigot so you can connect it to a hose, and a faucet so you can fill buckets easily. It’s also easy to assemble and it’s collapsible for easy storage. Steffensmeier incorporates rainwater harvesting to “optimize water use” and because it creates “spaces that thrive with minimal intervention.”

Redditor u/heartlessgamer said that a bow rake is the most useful tool they own because it’s versatile and it can be used for so many tasks like spreading compost, raking, cleaning up debris, and chopping. It can even replace other tools like a hoe, a tilther, and a fruit picker. It’s made of durable stainless steel and it’s designed with 17 tines that allow it to pierce easily into different types of soil. Plus, it has a soft handle with a spiral connection so you can adjust the length.

It may seem strange, but you might want to consider adding a bat house to your yard. According to LawnStarter CEO Ryan Farley, bats can help with pest control because they eat bugs that might bother you or eat your plants. Plus, they’re also great pollinators. If you’re worried about a bunch of bats invading your space, he notes that “bats will keep to themselves during the day time.” This bat house is designed to attract bats while naturally repelling mosquitos. It’s made of long-lasting, waterproof cedar and features a two-chamber design that creates an ideal roosting area for bats.

This bulb planter is designed to allow you to dig planting holes quickly while standing. One shopper wrote, “I have back, neck, and arm problems and this tool has really increased my ability to garden by myself.” All you have to do is step, twist, and pull. It includes two depth rings so you can create 2- or 4-inch holes. Without the rings, the tool will make 6-inch holes. Soil gets stored in the tool, and all you have to do is turn it upside-down to empty it. It can also be used as a weeder, sod plugger, annual planter, or a soil test probe.

When asked about what tools gardeners have been most happy owning, Redditor u/patersondave said a fruit picker tool because it helps them get lemons off of a tree without getting scratched. This fruit picker is designed with a telescoping handle so you can adjust the length from 34 to 65 inches easily. It also features a basket with a claw head to grab and catch fruits. It’s a safer and easier alternative to climbing a tree or a ladder to pick produce that is out of your reach.

If you’re gardening or doing yard work, it’s likely that you’ll need to get on your knees to get some work done. In the same thread about tools people are happy owning, Redditor u/alpacaapicnic commented that knee pads are their top gardening tool, writing “they strap on so you don’t have to carry them, they’re cheap, and they make kneeling so much more comfy!” These knee pads are fully adjustable, so you can get the right fit. They’re made of heavy-duty neoprene to withstand intense wear and tear and they feature EVA foam cushion to protect your knees from discomfort.

Redditor u/northernrainforest is happy they discovered a mattock because “it cuts through roots and makes digging so much easier. Super helpful for digging up well-established plants/shrubs as well.” It’s designed with a powerful pick that can get through tough soil and hard surfaces. It features a nonslip grip that reduces vibrations, allows you to have better control, and helps prevent blisters.

“I have been gardening in a raised bed for 2 years. I have struggled with spacing and this tool has been great. I love it,” one customer wrote. If you can relate, you’ll be thrilled to own this seed spacing tool. It’s easy to use, too — just press it into soil, poke the color-coded hole, and plant your seedlings. The colors indicate how much space is required based on what you’re planting. It’s inspired by the Square Foot Gardening method and will help your plants grow straight without any wasted space. It also includes a magnetic dibber, a ruler, a spoon, and a planting guide.

According to one reviewer, this yard waste bag saves multiple trips to your garbage bin. It can hold a bunch of stuff — up to 1,000 pounds — so you won’t have to empty it often. When you’re ready to empty it, its reinforced handles make it easy to pull or lift it. It’s engineered to remain self-standing. But of course, it also folds compactly so you can store it just about anywhere. It’s perfect for leaves, trash, soil, and more.

Protect your hands from cuts and scrapes and from getting dirty with these gardening gloves that won’t affect dexterity or feel uncomfortable. One customer wrote, “I've always preferred to garden with bare hands. Gloves were hot and got in the way. Not these though. They're so flexible and light, and yet they allow me to weed around my roses easily.” This pair is made of absorbent bamboo that stays cool in the summer and warm in the winter. They’re designed with a textured rubber and reinforced fingertips. They provide protection and enhance your grip without being too thick or feeling clumsy.

You’ve probably never thought you’d see a bottle of mineral oil and conditioner on a list about products for your yard. However, Redditor u/GeoSol, said, “Wooden handles need to be oiled at least once a year. Dirt should be removed from metal parts regularly, and metal should be oiled at least once a year as well.” This oil can extend the life of your garden tools. It’s great for stainless steel, wood, knives, marble, soapstone, and more. It has a near-perfect 4.8-star rating on Amazon and thousands of glowing reviews.

This compost bin is designed with maximum ventilation that promotes accelerated decomposition so you can throw food scraps away to make your own fertilizer. Dan Bailey, president of WikiLawn Austin Lawn Care, says, “I keep all my eggshells and use them as a natural source of calcium for my plants. Throw it in some compost and use that compost as fertilizer.” This bin is made of premium, high density polyethylene so it’ll last a long time outdoors without degrading or leaching into compost or the environment. Plus, it’s expandable up to 4 feet.

Use these marker pens to write on signs, plant pots, garden tools, and more in your yard, garden, or tool shed to keep everything labeled and organized. They can be used to write on a bunch of surfaces like glass, metal, wood, and plastic. One reviewer, that keeps them in their gardening areas, wrote, “They are waterproof, because I ran faucet water over the plastic plant markers I wrote on with a pen.” Plus, they have fine tips so they can be used to label almost anything, even small items.

One shopper wrote, “I have never had luck with a garden until I bought these and tried raised beds. These are SO great. Very easy to assemble and a good size.” What makes a raised garden bed so great? It provides good drainage, keeps weeds away from soil, and protects your plants from pests. It’s made of galvanized metal and features a strengthen crossbar. It’s also has an anti-rust coating so it will last a long time.