The 15 gardening instruments you need to personal to get your yard in form for summer season

It’s National Gardening Day and aspiring and seasoned plant lovers today are putting their hands in the ground to make the most of a pinch of earth, be it in a pot or a piece of land.

Homesteader Jessica Sowards, host of Roots and Refuge Farm on YouTube, has a new book to inspire and inform beginners: “The First Time Gardener: Growing Vegetables: All the Know-How and Encouragement You Need to Grow – and fall in love with her! – Your Brand New Grocery Garden ”($ 26.99 listing, $ 16.55 on Amazon and Walmart).

Step-by-step instructions and colored illustrations in the 176-page pocket-book instructions for preparing the soil, selecting plants (also in the size to be purchased), watering and feeding, and protecting against pests.

We asked sowards to share their five favorite garden tools with us. These are her recommendations:

The Roo Apron ($ 39.99): This collecting apron makes harvesting a breeze. It can withstand heavy harvests. (Show more options)

Cobra Head Weeder ($ 27.95): This tool, which comes in a variety of sizes, is a powerhouse for getting under the root systems of tough weeds. It withstands wear and tear and looks brand new after years of intensive use. (Show more options)

Chapin 1 Gallon Sprayer ($ 12.99): Organic garden pest control requires frequent reapplications of products like neem oil or Bt. Even in small gardens, applying these things can make a spray bottle wear out. A pump pressure sprayer is a cheap investment to make this job so much easier. (Show more options)

Dibber ($ 5): A sharp wooden stick for drilling holes in the ground seems like one of the most obvious tools in the world. So obvious that you might think, “I don’t really need this.” However; It’s one of my most used tools. It helps a lot with planting onions or small transplants.

Greenstalk Garden Tower (from $ 99): This isn’t your typical tool, but it’s a gardening product that I really love. I love the Greenstalk because it offers a solution for gardeners who may not have a lot of space. Even in my large gardens, I use it to grow strawberries and lettuce vertically out of the reach of snails.

There are a few garden essentials that you will want to have on hand throughout the season. Here are 10:

Gardening and Horticulture Books: You can read a reference book to find out how to save a rhododendron without water. However, there are other books that you will want to read over and over for inspiration.

Garden hose: You wrestled with your last heavy hose. It’s time for a lightweight, flexible hose that winds up without a fight.

Garden Fork: This multi-purpose tool is ideal for digging and breaking up tough soil and sand.

Garden shoes: Washable, breathable and odorless crocodiles are available in the color of your favorite flower. Quick-drying clogs can also be found at Walmart and other stores.

Gloves: Practical hand-protecting garden gloves are made of waterproof, latex-free materials. Some gloves have Freddy Krueger claws to dig into the ground.

Hand trowel: The narrow, slightly scooped blade allows you to aim better when digging. You can find rust-resistant, some with rubberized, non-slip handles at Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, and other stores.

Hoe: This versatile tool can loosen weeds, dig trenches for planting rows of onions, and harvest root crops.

Power tool of your choice: What will satisfy you most when you switch it on: a ride-on mower, a leaf blower or a chainsaw?

Secateurs, loppers and hedge trimmers: Don’t you know which ones you need? Some retailers sell all three in one set.

Spade: What flat, square garden spade do you need to dig, cut roots, or break through lawns? A trench spade with a narrow, pointed head is angled for better leverage when breaking the ground, and a drainage spade with a rounded tip is good for digging trenches and transplanting.

– Edited by Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman