Not Your Average Gardening Tools

Here are the ones I've found most useful.



A - Dollar Tree Dental Pick - I like to use this for digging around soil that I've planted small seeds in to see whether anything is germinating. I also use it to poke holes in the sides of plastic pots so I can push twist ties through it.

B - Paint Brush with soft bristles and fine tip - Used primarily for hand pollinating flowers. I use a larger one with denser bristles for brushing dirt off the leaves of some of my smaller plants. I even have one with stiff bristles that is most excellent for brushing aphids off leaves. I dip it in some insecticide before I brush them off.

C - Cuticle Scissors - Used for nicking seeds because they are very sharp and bowed. The bowed part makes it easy to cut off tiny bits of seed coat at a time. You'll want to hold these backwards so that the bowed part is facing the seed. It's also very good for trimming tiny plants.

D - Spatula with Flat End and Spoon End - The spatula is perfect for getting seedlings out of individual cells on flats with small cells without having to destroy the flats.

E - Dollar Tree Serving Fork - Fork part is great for fluffing and aerating soil in pots and the opposite end is great for getting seedlings out of larger cell flats.

F - Serrated Paring Knife - I use this primarily on root bound pots where the plant won't slide out. I ream around the edge on the inside to loosen the roots from the sides of the pot.

G - Spoon - Well, I'm sure pretty much everyone uses one of these. I also use the other end of this one as a dibbler for large seeds or a hole maker for not so large seedlings.

H - Flat Tip Tweezer - A must for handling and planting individual medium-size seeds. Also good for weeding prickly or delicate plants.

I - Toe Nail Clippers - Awesome for nicking hard-coat seeds.

I'd like to hear what others have turned into "garden tools."