A lot of self-sufficiency revolves around the allotment or garden. You can’t grow your own food, keep chickens or generate your own electricity without access to the outside world (herbs aside), and so before you start living the dream you have to get hold of a few outdoor essentials. Here, we’ve picked out five must-have items.
If you’re going to spend any time digging in your garden, then a sturdy fork, spade and hoe are a must-have set. Spending a little money here will pay dividends, with decent handles that won’t chap your hands, and strong shafts that will last for years.
BUT: be careful when buying that spade and consider whether you actually need a shovel. Confused by the difference? A shovel has an angled neck where the flat lifting area joins the handle. Lay it on the ground, and the shovely bit would stick up into the air. It’s good for picking up great mounds of earth and moving them from one place to another, so would be perfect for digging over your plot for the first time. A spade, on the other hand, is flatter with an almost straight line going from the handle to the head. It’s good for digging the soil once in place, and is what you’ll use to maintain your plot over time. If you can afford both, invest in two, but if not, then either would do the job in the long run – they’ll just make you work in slightly different ways.
One of the best natural resource savers you can buy is a water butt, which taps into a downpipe from your guttering and captures the excess rain water. A decent butt will hold over 100 litres, which will be enough to water an average plot for several weeks between rainfalls, and they fill up surprisingly quickly.
Can’t be bothered to keep filling your watering can from its tiny tap? Then consider something like the £19.98 B&Q Easy Watering Water Butt Kit, which attaches to the butt and drip-feeds the plot through the night and day.
Boots… because you shouldn’t go digging without a stout pair of boots. You can use an old pair of shoes to get you going, but you risk losing a toe or two over time. If you can’t afford metal-capped boots then at least buy a pair of Wellingtons, which will save you from getting mud up your legs or losing a shoe in a boggy plot. Most DIY stores sell their least expensive pairs for less than £10, so there’s really no excuse for not buying some.
If you can’t afford a greenhouse, then a cold frame or temporary plastic lean-to greenhouse is the perfect tool to get your seedlings off to a healthy start. Expect to pay around £150 for a decent-sized lean-to complete with shelves, although you can get a plastic and polythene construction for much less. You can pick up one like that pictured to the left for less than £20 on eBay.
If you prefer something a little more substantial, then this one from Walton Sheds costs £199 including tax and delivery and comes with a base. A cheaper option from Garden Oasis is this £129 item, which offers you four metres of storage space across three shelves and the floor.
Beyond pots (and we’re not recommending them as you can make your own) the most useful re-usable items you can have are bamboo canes. We can’t overemphasise how handy these are, so stock up whenever you see them cheap, and buy the longest ones you can find. They are strong and flexible, and are by far the best support you can find for tomatoes, beans, squashes and all manner of climbing plants. Plus, because bamboo grows so quickly, they are a green and easily replenished resource that looks far better in your garden than a wigwam of metal poles.
What are your must-have garden tools? Let us know through the comments below.
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