Do you love spending time outside? Do you love making your environment beautiful? Do you love eating healthy and natural foods? If so, consider making gardening your next hobby.

For years I was turned off by the concept of gardening. I pictured old women with time on their hands who filled their days by planting excessive amounts of huge and bright flowers in their yards. A close friend of mine began gardening a few years ago and I have recently gotten hooked on it as well. Lately my wife or kids have to drag me in the house as the sun sets each night. There is something about the simplicity and purity of gardening that I just love.

Ever since I can remember I have always been concerned with making the environment around me beautiful. I cannot stand going to work in offices that are filled with florescent lights and I cannot live in homes that do not have color or character. My addiction to gardening began when I realized how much it added to the beauty and feeling of my yard. Gardening made my yard and home seem inviting and cared for. Many friends and family have visited and commented on what a difference our gardens make to the look and feel of our property.

Gardening plants and vegetables has become one of the most relaxing and peaceful things I do. At the end of a stressful work week there is nothing I’d rather do than spend a Saturday in my garden. Lately I’ve been busy researching new ideas on the internet and at the library. I’m looking for better ways to grow certain flowers and I’m looking for the perfect timing to plant my vegetables. I began gardening with the intention of only planting bushes and flowers, but after a short time I dived into the realm of trying to raise our own vegetables. It has become a family affair to wander through the vegetable garden and pick the perfect pieces to accompany each meal.

If you think you might be interested in gardening, talk to a friend who loves to garden or get yourself to a library or book store and learn all you can about gardening. There is so much to be learned and it is relatively easy to pick up if you have some extra time and money to devote. Begin with a small garden and then expand as you go. One of the worst things you can do when you first begin gardening is to overwhelm yourself with a huge garden that you cannot take care of.

Think seriously about making gardening a part of your home and hobbies. It brings beauty, peace and food all at the same time.

In today’s world, we are constantly confronted with the many reasons why we need to eat healthier and exercise more in order to live longer and better lives. That being said, I see not enough information getting out about how we can actually put those principles into affect. I read that I need to exercise more, but would someone please give me a solid plan that actually works to improve my level of fitness? I am tired of not reading any good advice for making health progress, so I’ve decided to write some advice of my own. I have been a dietician for many years, but I am just now breaking into writing. My first health tip for anyone trying to see changes in their health is to try organic gardening.

Unfortunately, you can be eating a lot of fruits and vegetables but still be doing harm to your health. Why? Well, the ways that many of our healthiest foods are grown and then prepared to be sold are very unhealthy for us. There are so many pesticides and chemicals used on fresh foods today that you can sometimes be better off not eating the foods at all. A far better alternative, however, is to try your hand at organic gardening. Basically, organic gardening is a method of growing fruits and vegetables so that they grow free from all harmful pesticides and chemicals.

Organic gardening does not have to be as overwhelming or hard as it may sound. A first important step to take is to visit a local library or book store and learn all you can about organic gardening. Check out or purchase books and read up on all the great reasons why you should make an organic garden this season for your and your family.

You can also talk to owners of organic gardens in your area. Chances are that there are more organic gardens growing in your town than you probably imagine. So do some research and even make plans to visit an organic garden or two. Talk to people who are really doing it about the challenges and about the benefits of organic gardening.

Organic gardening may just become one of your favorite hobbies. It became one of mine and now me and my family are reaping all of the benefits of having healthy and fresh organic fruits and vegetables. Do it for the sake of your health and for a little fun.

However, he or she might collect all the tools they can, but some tools are definitely more useful than the other and which the garden simply cannot do without.

Here are a few gardening tools that will make a definitive difference to gardening efforts.

Shovels

These gardening implements have a round or pointed blade. They help a gardener to move soil, dig hole or even in the process of planting. You must also try and select a garden shovel that has a flat edge at the top of the blade. Your foot gets a better surface purchase this way.

Hoes

Weeds and a garden go hand in hand. You can’t have a garden which does not have weeds and they are a fact of gardening life. You can’t just get away from them; but hoes help you get rid of them. You can also use hoes to break up the soil, if needed. Your selection of a garden hoe must be dependant on its strength and hence try going for a rolled steel blade that has been riveted to the handle. Such hoes are more reliable.

Hoes with a smaller blade will enable you to get in between the plants, if necessary, and clear the weeds.

Trowels

A trowel is a tool that will offer immeasurable help during planting. If you are looking for durability, and most people are, then a steel blade trowel is the one to choose. If you are looking for an easy grip then choose a trowel that has a soft rubber handle. If gardening is your passion, and you plan to spend long hours working in the garden then you would do well to get trowels which are ergonomically designed, which help in taking off the stress off your wrist.

Rakes

Rakes will help get rid of all the fall leaves from your garden and also enable you to collect all the debris that gets collected in the garden. You can either use a narrow rake or a wide rake. If you use a narrow rake, it’s easier to maneuver around or between the plants, but a wide rake will get rid of the fall leaves easily and quickly. So, its best that you have both types of rakes and here again, choose only those with ergonomic handles.

Pruners

This is yet another gardening tool that a gardener cannot simply do without. This is because the process of shaping of a plant, their pruning, and deadheading goes on throughout the year. So, if you want a cleaner cut on the plants then you should use pruners. The do not rip or tear the plant.

Typically, there are two types of pruners that you can choose from – the anvil pruners and bypass pruners. A word of caution here; buying pruners can be a costly exercise, so be very careful in your selection.

Garden Forks

If you want to break up the garden soil, then a garden fork is the best bet. Compared to a pitch fork, garden forks are thicker and shorter. Don’t go for ones that have flat tines, but for those who have square tines. You can use a garden fork in place of a spade if it’s of the right size and shape.

Water Cans

A good watering can is a must-have, if you are the proud owner of a garden. A good watering can makes it easier for you to water your plants. It can be easily tilted and can easily be maneuvered and balanced in your hand.

These are just some of the gardening tools that are popularly used in a garden. They are many more, but if you have these, then you wont face any trouble in your gardening activities.

Ah, to this day I still remember my first gardening experience. It was
such a disaster that I didnt think I would ever want to garden again. I
almost decided to turn my casual hobby into the most rage-inducing topic
you could possibly bring up to me.

It all started a few weeks after I moved in to my first house. I was
excited just to have my own grass to mow, since I had been in apartments
and condos for quite a while. In between plans to paint walls and renovate
the inside to exactly how I like, I thought it would be a good idea to
start a fruit garden so that I could have some fresh produce and put my
yard to use. At that point I didnt really know anything at all about
gardening. But still in my spunky youthful years, I decided I didnt need
help. How hard could it be to start a garden and grow stuff? After all, it
happens in nature all the time and nobody even has to do anything.

I already had a grassless patch in my yard where it looked like the
previous owner had attempted a garden. But any attempt they had made
turned out to be an utter travesty. The area was full of rocks and weeds,
with no signs of any agreeable plants. I spent several hours of work
spread over several days to clear out the entire area, leaving nothing but
dirt. At that point, however, I didnt realize the difference between
dirt and soil. I was dealing with barren, hard, nutritionless, and
unforgiving land.

I made some attempt at making my garden look nice; although I think even
Martha Stewart would have had difficulties. I took some stained boards
that were sitting in my basement (quite convenient, no?) and used them as
a border for my garden, to keep out all the pests that couldnt jump more
than a foot (I figured I would be safe from lawn gnomes). I used the pile
of rocks I had collected from the garden to make a creepy shrine looking
thing in front of it. I dont know what I was thinking when I did that.

I went to the store that very day, and picked out whatever looked tasty.
Strawberries? Sure! Watermelon? Yeah! I hacked away a hole in the
rock-hard ground and poked the seed in. After that, I think I watered it
faithfully every day for several weeks before realizing that it was not
going to grow anything. But even after I had that realization, I continued
to water in hopes that my seeds would pull a last minute sprout on me. But
I knew there was no hope, and I was heartbroken. After all those hours of
pulling up weeds and tossing rocks into a pile, I had no fruit to show for
my labor.

So, feeling dejected and betrayed, I logged onto the internet and searched
for a guide to gardening. I quickly ran across a site that led me to
realize the true skill required for gardening. It was then I learned about
soil consistency, nutrients, ideal watering conditions, seasons, and all
those things. After I read up on my area and how to grow fruits, I learned
exactly what to do. I learned how to get the ideal soil, when to plant the
seeds, how much to water, etc. Just a night of browsing the internet and
printing off sources, and I was totally ready for the next planting season.

If youre in the position I was, and youre just itching to start a new
garden I urge you to learn from my mistake. Make sure you do plenty of
proper research on the types of plants youre trying to grow, along with
the climate. Spend money on good soil, good fertilizer, and good garden
tools. Hopefully you dont have to go through the emotional disaster that
I went through.

Gardening can be described as an art in which plants are grown for the purpose of creating an impressive landscape. Gardening can take place at a private home, or it can be used at public buildings. The space that is used for gardening is called the garden. While most gardens will typically be located on the ground, some have been built on top of roofs as well. A large garden is often referred to as being a park, and will often be a tourist attraction. In a large facility a number of workers will be responsible for the maintenance of the garden, and are called gardeners. Gardening falls under three primary categories, and these are outdoor gardening, indoor gardening, and water gardening.

As the name implies, indoor gardening is the art of creating gardens inside buildings and homes. Houseplants will often be used, and the garden may also be used as a natural heating or cooling unit. Water gardening is the art of growing plants near ponds or pools. The most basic water garden will be a small collection of water that will contain plants. While many people compare gardening to farming, there are a number of notable differences. Farming is designed to grow food that can be consumed by individuals, while gardening is done primarily for design purposes.

While food may be grown in a garden, it will generally only be consumed by the gardener and their close relatives. Farming is almost always done on a much large scale than gardening. While very few tools are required for gardening, extensive equipment must be used by those who want to create even moderate sized farms. Despite this, it should be noted that the lines between gardens and farms often become blurred. Despite the fact that most gardens are much smaller than farms, they tend to be much more productive.

The design of the garden is considered to be sacred in many cultures. While gardening is often considered to be the work of women, Samurai warriors in feudal Japan were expected to create elaborate gardens in a process called ikebana. Throughout history, architects have been used to design beautiful gardens, and this process continues today. There are a number of social roles that gardens have played in societies, and this is also the case in the United States. Gardening is not only a form of art, but it can be an important source of food. Many governments have now begin banning the importation of plants to different countries. While some say it is merely to stop the spread of bacteria, others feel that it destroys and important part of gardening.

Gardening is a practice which has existed since antiquity, and it is likely that it has been in existence in some form since humans first discovered agriculture. One of the most impressive historical gardens was the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and it was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. In addition to this, ancient Rome was famous for having a large number of beautiful gardens as well.

Considering the hard work involved, I can still honestly state there is nothing quite as “relaxing” as spending the day working in my garden. Well okay, if not exactly “relaxing”, it certainly is rewarding and just gives you an overall feeling of well-being. An added benefit is if you are not physically fit before you start your first gardening project, chances are you soon will be simply thru the process of maintaining it. But is serious gardening actually a hobby? I don’t think so.

I was in my 40’s when we moved from California with my low maintenance, swimming pool and concrete backyard to a small community in rural Oregon. The old farmhouse we intended to remodel sat on over an acre of land which sported any number of weeds and a few overgrown shrubs. Most of which, had been planted in a haphazard manner.

For the first few years we just kept the weeds mowed while we focused most of our efforts on the inside of the house. In time however, there was nothing left to do but turn our attention to the grounds surrounding the house. Oh my, where to start?

By the time that particular summer was over, we had created what we called the courtyard right outside the kitchen. It was a small, private area with a waterfall and herb garden, along with a comfortable seating area partly shaded by our 50 year old oak tree.

In addition, we had put up a 60’ fence, planted flowering shrubs and hedges, seeded a new back lawn and planted flowers galore. In addition to the herb garden now, we had an entry garden, a shade garden, a sunny flower garden and the following year we created a raised vegetable garden.

I’m not exactly sure when reality hit amidst all this flowering and fruit/vegetable producing plant life, but hit it did. This gardening stuff was a lot of work! Not only did we have to dig and add nutrients to our rock hard clay soil, we had to plant, then keep the plants watered and weeded. Deadheading soon became a half a days work on a regular basis throughout the summer.

Once planted, my hubby who had a job and a thousand other things to do around the property left me to tend the gardens on my own. I soon discovered that weeding took me at least 3 days a week. Then somebody turned me on to Round-Up and I gave thanks to the Gods that be. Even so, you have to be very careful with herbicides especially around vegetables and ground water.

In surveys, when people are asked what kind of hobbies they enjoy, 8 out of 10 will include gardening. After my experience, I can’t really relate to gardening as being a hobby, but I can sure relate to it as being a full-time commitment!

1. Planning your landscape is like painting a picture on canvas. Just like your art teacher in high school told you – have a main point of interest and add several sub points to make your beautiful landscape more interesting. You imagine it in your mind, draw sketches and fill in all the details that you’ve dreamed of. Keep revising your sketch until it looks like the picture you have in mind.

2. Not feeling very artistic? If you’re a more ‘concrete’ person, try laying out garden hoses or heavy string in your yard to get a feel for how and where you want to divide up your space. Remember to think balance, not symmetry. Some people think that they have to plant trees and flowers in straight, boring rows. Tip: pick an odd number when planting trees or flowers. With flowers, plant several of the same plant in groups to make a large color splash. Better to have a few, well chosen, bold splashes of color than to have tiny spots of color spread all over a large area.

3. If you’re having a hard time thinking of what your chief point of interest can be, close your eyes and think about what you like most about your yard. Is there a tall, solo pine tree, a grouping of birch trees, a rocky ledge, an old weathered fence or something else that catches your eye? If you can’t find something of interest that’s already in place, think about adding something that you admire from a picture in a magazine or something that caught your eye when you were driving through a beautiful neighborhood. Tip: do NOT copy something that your next door neighbor is doing. They won’t appreciate it and it won’t look nearly as special if both of you are going for the same effect.

4. Still can’t think of a chief point of interest? What about creating a spot for a water fall? Not a pond – that’s old news! With a re-cycling water fall, you don’t have to worry about standing pond water or algae. Just pick some interesting rocks or boulders of varying sizes, arrange them to cascade down a slope, add plants and water. Viola! Or, how about a rock path winding through your yard? Or a rock wall of native stone to create interest?

5. If you choose a tree or group of trees to be your main point of interest, don’t center them in your yard. It’s far more interesting to place them a bit off center. Don’t choose a huge, overpowering tree; the tree should have a good shape, with something interesting about its bark, leaves, seed pods, flowers or fruit. Tip: while the poplar is a striking tree and a rapid grower, it sheds its leaves early and so is left standing with bare branches in early fall. The poplar makes a better choice for a backyard tree or when creating a dividing space between your yard and your neighbors. Good choices for trees are the mountain ash with bright berries, the brilliant leaves of the sugar maple or the bark of the white birch, which all add interest to your total landscape.

6. It is always best to choose trees and shrubs that thrive in your local climate. It’s tempting to choose something exotic out of a catalog but you’ll be unhappy if the tree you choose is not right for your climate. Trees are a big investment, choose wisely.

7. Flowering vines can also be used to create interest. Whether you choose an ivy to climb the bricks on your house or a trumpet vine to wind around an old weathered fence along side your house, both can be used as sub points to accent your main point of interest. Tip: perennial vines can be used to form a permanent addition to your landscape scheme. The Virginia creeper, wisteria, honeysuckle, a climbing rose or clematis all make excellent choices for creating interest and can be used to minimize minor imperfections in walls.

8. And for a final flair, add a colorful flag to your landscape design. Whether you choose a whimsical, garden flag or a majestic, patriotic American Flag, both will create interest and add color to your landscape. Tip: choose polyester for greatest durability of a flag that is flown daily. Choose nylon flags for flying in the lightest breeze. There are several new, flag hanger styles available if you don’t already have a flag pole in your yard. The spinning flagpole mounts on your house, deck or mailbox post, and is designed to keep your flag from wrapping. And the telescoping flagpole easily extends up to 20 feet in seconds or down to 7 feet for portability.

With the hustle and bustle associated with daily life in the 21st century, many people have become intensely interested in developing a living environment at home that is soothing, calming and peaceful. Towards this end, an ever growing number of people have come to recognize and appreciate the benefits of gardens. Indeed, the life enhancing benefits of plants and flowers is significant.

As a consequence of an increasing segment of the population who expresses an interest in developing that perfect home garden — complete with lush plants and colorful flowers — many people are faced with the question of whether they should plant and create their own garden spaces or whether they should call in a landscaping professional.

In considering whether to “do it yourself” (when it comes to creating a garden and undertaking landscaping) or whether to hire a professional, there are pros and cons to be found on both sides of the proverbial fence. Of course, as mentioned previously, the 21st century is a point in time when many, many people maintain very full schedules. In other words, they simply do not have the time to spend creating that prefect garden or landscape for their homes. Obviously, for such men and women, a professional landscape artist provides the perfect solution.

On the other hand, precisely because life is rushed for so many people, gardening can be a great release and relief. People can obtain a much needed break from the machinations of their daily schedules by spending quality time working the soil, planting flowers and tending to garden plots and patches generally.

You may be one of those people who would like to undertake the creation of your own flower and plant gardens on your own. However, you may feel that you lack the necessary “green thumb” to develop an eye-catching and visually appealing landscape. If that is the case, if you are a person who would like to take up the creation of flower gardens and landscaping on your own but feel you need some guidance, help and assistance is available.

There are now a group of gardening and landscaping professionals available to consult with you in the development and creation of attractive outdoor scenes. These consultants work hand in hand with you; they provide definitive expertise and assistance in aiding you in the design and implementation of an attractive landscape complete with stunning flower gardens and vibrant greenery.

In the final analysis, there are benefits to be had both by understaking your own gardening and landscaping course or by calling in the aid of a gardening consultant or a full-service landscaping operator. When all is said and done, you will end up with gardens and landscaping that you will make you proud and that will make your home all the more appealing.

So you find yourself in the middle of the worst drought within living memory and your garden occupants are starting to sag, flag and wilt. Which plants should be watered first and which plants should receive the main quantities of the irrigation? You begin to feel like the leader of a third world country trying to spread your counties meagre budget across healthcare, military and education. Never fear, let me dampen your worries with some drought advice.

First to receive the H2O

Recent plantings are top of the list for regular watering, if water is available. New plantings such as bare-root trees or shrubs planted the previous autumn / winter, with newly planted perennials also at great risk from drought damage. You see these new plantings have not had much time to produce water-seeking roots, the type of roots that travel deep and wide for moisture. Because of this, we must supplement the plants natural water supply. During a hosepipe ban, recent plantings of annual bedding summer bedding such as marigolds, impatiens, Nicotiana etc should be regarded as probable casualties of the water war. If I had a limited supply of water to divide between a Japanese maple and some annual bedding, I am afraid the maple would receive the lions share and to hell with the bedding. As a rule of thumb, if the soil 5cm (2 inches) below the grounds surface is dry, then it is time to water. The following is short list of plants can cope with a short period of drought, once established… Brachyglottis, Corokia, Gleditsia, Halimiocistus, and Hippophae.

Container plants during a drought

Next on the water-receiving list are containerised plants, hanging baskets and window boxes. Essentially a containerised plant is growing above the ground water table, with just the soil inside the container to provide the required moisture. If the moisture is not inside the container, then I am afraid the roots have nowhere else to go to quench the plants thirst. Again, if the compost 5cm (2 inches) below the pots surface is dry, then it is time to water, it is up to the gardener to provide that water when required. Try to provide a catch plate or tray beneath containers, these “catchers” will contain any excess water that will eventually be absorbed in the compost. Be aware that terracotta and other porous container materials absorb a good quantity of water that the plant is then unable to access. The following is a short list of container bedding plants that can cope with a short period of drought, once established… Arctotis, Lantana, Plectranthus, Portulaca and Zinnia

Vegetables and fruit during a dry spell

Provide adequate quantities of water for moisture-hungry vegetables such a tomatoes, peas, onions, cucumbers, marrows and lettuce. Insufficient supplies of water will lead to miniature, shrivelled and limp specimens. Fruiting plants such as strawberries, raspberries, currants, apple and pear trees are also very moisture hungry especially while their fruit is forming. Notice how much water is within a strawberry or pear the next time you eat one of these delights. Water-content figures of 70 to 90% are quoted for fruits and vegetables, regardless of whichever quantity is correct, you must supply that water during a drought. Plants growing in an exposed or wind swept area will require a fair quantity of supplementary water during a drought. Have you ever gone for a bracing walk on a windy day, upon arriving home, you smile at your spouse, children or pet and realise that your lips are cracked and chapped, ouch! This illustrates the severe drying element of a strong breeze, plants leaves are constantly being dried out and then remoistened by water from the soil when available. During a drought, if that water is not present the leaves will dry up, shrivel and shed. This is known as the desiccation of foliage. Watering deeply will prevent this happening.

Shallow rooters and moisture lovers

Shrubs and trees that are shallow rooted or have a particular liking for moist soils are quite at risk during a drought period. The shallow rooted specimens include Rhododendron, Azalea, Heather (Erica), Hydrangea and Birch (Betula). The moisture lovers include Hosta, Ferns, Helleborus, Sarcococca, Fatsia and Camellia. If water is available, please allocate some to these plants. Climbers or wall-shrubs planted close to house walls will struggle for moisture at the best of times, due mainly to the rain-shadow cast by the house itself. Do not forget to water these wall huggers. The following is a short list of climbers that can cope with a short period of drought, once established… Clematis Montana, Fallopia, Jasminum, Trachelospermum and Vitis.

Lawns during a hosepipe ban

During a drought, the first part of the garden that people tend to water is the lawn. This is probably because lawns usually make up quite a quantity of most gardens and these lawns tend to look burnt earlier than many plants. However, the lawn would be the last form of plant life within my garden that would receive any rationed water. Lawns are more resilient than you may think, a green lawn that becomes browned off due to water shortage will eventually return after a few heavy rain showers. The burnt piece is the foliage above ground; the roots below ground will sit tight and wait the dry spell out. Of course, lawns comprised totally of fine grass will be damaged significantly by prolonged dry weather, but you should have no worries if your lawn is sown with a utility seed mix (No. 2 or Manhattan mix).

How to apply water during a drought (if water is available)

I find sprinklers are quite wasteful of the available albeit rationed water, instead I would choose either hand watering or seep watering. With hand watering you direct your watering can or hose to the base of your chosen plant, water deeply at a rate of approx 10 litres per metre squared. Watering lightly will do more harm than good as it encourages surface rooting, which is easily damaged. On many dry soils, water applied directly will tend to run off over the soils surface and away from the plants base, if this happens try the following trick. Sink a two-litre pot filled with gravel at the base of the plant, water slowly into this pot and you will have no run off problems. Seep watering, also known as drip irrigation is an effective and economical way to apply much needed moisture directly. Most well stocked garden centres will sell seep hose or porous pipe, which you will weave between plants within your beds and borders. This seep hose when connected to a water supply will slowly ooze water through small holes along the length of the pipe. It is extremely direct and efficient.

The right tool can help make any job easier and the garden is no exception. More than 91 million households gardened in 2009, the most ever, according to the National Gardening Association. Gardening is an incredibly enjoyable activity, but if you don’t want to end up sore, blistered or itching, it’s important to be properly prepared before you begin.

Here are some essential items that I keep in my garden shed:

Gardener’s First-Aid Kit-The most important thing in my shed is my first-aid kit for common garden emergencies including sunburn, bug bites, cuts, and poison ivy, oak or sumac. Every gardener I know dreads poison ivy because the itch can last for weeks. A tiny brush against one of these plants can cause a whole lot of itch, but it doesn’t have to with the help of one of my favorite products, Cortaid® Poison Ivy Care Treatment Kit. It can be used to defend against an outbreak, help to prevent spreading and treat an itchy reaction.

Gardening Gloves-While I believe in getting my hands dirty, nothing beats a great pair of high-quality leather gardening gloves. The right gloves can protect hands from thorns, an unexpected bee or spider, sharp twigs or sticks and blistering.

Shovels/Spade & Trowel-A good shovel is the difference between making your garden work easier and giving you a backache. Look for one with a long handle (to take pressure off of your back) and flat ledge, which creates a surface for your foot. A trowel is a must. Find one with a wide, curved blade that fits comfortably in your hand.

Pruners-Pruning, deadheading (picking the dead flowers off of plants) and trimming plants goes on all year long. Look for “bypass” pruners that make a clean cut on the plant without crushing or tearing it.

Wheelbarrows and Carts-Toting things around the garden can become a chore. Save yourself a backache and find a lightweight yet sturdy and steady cart to help with heavy work.

Watering Essentials-A good hose has a 5/8-inch opening, is reinforced with a mesh layer and is kink resistant. It should handle 50 pounds per square inch of water pressure. Cost usually reflects quality, so spend the extra. For areas your hose can’t reach, invest in a sturdy watering can.

With tools like these, gardening will truly be a pleasure, so get out there and “Get Your Hands Dirty.”

Rebecca Kolls, a master gardener, is host of HGTV’s nationally syndicated gardening series “Rebecca’s Garden.”

Before digging in the garden, be sure you have the right tools.