Garden Tools and Supplies Archives • Simply Smart Gardening

21 Best Free Seed Catalogs in 2023 [Vegetable + Flower Seed]

Nothing helps cure a gardener’s cabin fever like a thick stack of seed catalogs.
As you page through each one, your garden springs to life in your mind’s eye … green shoots poking up through the soil, seedlings soaking up the sun, juicy tomatoes, ripe and ready for backyard dinners. There’s a lot to look forward to in your garden this year, and it all starts with a few good seed catalogs. But how do you know which ones are right for you?

Rainpoint Sprinkler Timer With WiFi Hub: Honest, Helpful Review of This Smart Water Timer

Looking for a quality water timer you can control from anywhere with just a few taps on your smartphone or a quick command to Alexa?

In this article, I’ll be reviewing RainPoint’s 2-zone water timer with wifi.

This wireless device has everything you need to control and automate your hose-connected sprinklers: wifi sync, the ability to adjust watering schedules based on local weather conditions, and an intuitive user interface.

Best Seed Starting Setup: Simple DIY Guide Makes it Easy!

seed starting equipment and supplies on a table

Every year I get the same questions from gardeners who want to start plants from seed – What’s the best soil to use? What are the best containers for starting seed indoors? What are the best grow lights? And I’m not surprised… If you’ve never started seeds indoors before or had trouble in the past, choosing the best supplies and equipment can feel intimidating. To answer those questions (and more), I’ve created a list of my favorite seed starting essentials that’ll help you get your seedlings off to a good start this year.

7 Life-Changing Books on Growing Fruit Trees That All Gardeners Should Read

Fruit trees are an excellent addition to your yard, but growing them can also feel daunting when you’re new to fruit growing.
The good news is you don’t need a large yard to grow fruit…
With some careful planning, you can grow productive fruit trees in even the smallest backyard.
While some fruit trees are low maintenance and easy to grow, others can be more complicated.
So before you grab a shovel and start digging holes, it pays to spend some time learning about the basics of growing fruit trees.

The 5 Best Pruning Books Will Help You Prune Like a Pro!

gardener holding red pruners, pruning plants

Pruning is one of the most essential and yet subtle skills for a gardener to master.
Because there’s more to it than cutting off branches that look diseased or dead. Even small mistakes can have big consequences, and you don’t want your garden to look like Charlie Brown’s tree after he goes to town on it with an ax.
So, having a good pruning book (or two) that covers the plants in your garden is essential.

The Best Lawn Care Books for Growing Great Grass This Year

Almost every home has a lawn.

And every lawn needs to be maintained.

And you want to grow gorgeous green grass. But how do you do it?

Buy bags of fertilizer?
Spray weed killer?
What about mowing and irrigation?

There’s so much to learn!

And homeowners need trustworthy, helpful information about lawns.

So, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite books that’ll help you grow a healthy, green, and lush lawn.

And I’ve only included the best books on this list.

9 Best Winter Gardening Books to Read Now [in 2023]

a woman holding a gardening book in winter

Whether you want to grow vegetables outdoors this winter, grow things inside,
or sit in your favorite armchair and read up on gardening while your plants doze under a blanket of snow there’s a book on this list that can make you a better gardener.

Keep reading to discover my favorites!

11 Best Succulent Books Will Help You Grow Healthy Plants

a suculent plant in a pot sitting on a desk next to a stack of books

We’ve all done it.

You spot a cute succulent at the store. And think to yourself “I have the perfect spot for this at home!” So, you reach down, pick it up, and put it in your cart.

But after you get it home you wonder things like:

How much water does it need?
Is this room bright enough?
How long will it take for the leaves to fall off or for it to turn into a mushy blob like the last one I bought?

You want this little guy to survive.

23 Best Vegetable Gardening Books to Help You Grow [in 2023]

a vegetable gardening book on a table next to a bowl of fruit

Picture this. You decide to learn more about vegetable gardening. So, you head over to Amazon and type in “vegetable gardening books.”

As the results load, you close your eyes and sigh.

There are too many books to choose from!

You think to yourself, “I don’t really want to read through hundreds of reviews to find the right book. Can’t someone just tell me what the best book is?”

Easy Seed Starting Shelves DIY: Make a Grow Light Stand Fast

You want to start plants from seed, and you want it to be easy. So, you get out some pots, fill them with potting soil, pop your seeds in, and water them. As you place the pots next to your sunniest window, you nod your head and think, “that was pretty easy, wasn’t it?” Even though it seems like an easy way to start seeds – it’s nearly impossible to grow healthy seedlings in front of a window, especially during winter and spring when the days are short, and the sun is weak.