Wikijunior:The Little Gardener/Additional items

{| Additional items and tools



Gardening tools
Using gardening tools is optional; most of your gardening can be done with your hands. It might help you to buy small gardening tools, and these can include a trowel which is a small shovel for moving big amounts of soil, a transplanter which can help dig narrow holes or move the roots of your plant, and a cultivator which can help make the soil loose. You may be able to use silverware like a spoon or a fork, if you don't want to buy special tools.

There are other tools you can buy, but for most gardening, you will not need anything else.



Water container
You have to water your plant. The number of times you water and the amount of water is important for the seed to grow into a healthy plant!

Using a water container, or sprayer, is optional too. You can use a cup if you do not want to buy a special sprayer.

Using a sprayer can give you better control with the amount of water you are giving to your plants. Over watering, or using too much water, can be bad for your seeds and plants. Also, underwatering, or using too little water can be bad for your seeds and plants.



Seed starting tray
If you want to grow many seeds at once, a tray like this can be used. You can plant one seed or a group of seeds in each little container. This will help keep the roots of the sprouts from growing and wrapping around each other.



Ice lollipop sticks
A cheap and really good way to check on the moisture of your soil is to use a wooden ice lollipop stick. So next time you eat one, don't throw it away! To use it to test wetness, stick it into the soil before you are going to water the seed or the plant. After you stick it in, pull it out and look at it. If soil is sticking to it, it is because the soil still has enough water in it, and you do not need to add more water. If no soil sticks to it, that means that the soil is dry, and you need to add water.



Windows
If you are growing your plants inside, the best place to place them is in a window so that they can get a lot of sunlight. If you have a window facing the south, place the plant in that window.



Grow lights
If you are going to grow your plants inside, you have to make sure they get tons of sunlight. If your home does not get much sunlight, you will have to get a grow light.



Dirt containers
It can be helpful to store fertilizer, seed starting mix, or other soils in a container in your home. This makes it easier to fill up pots and to keep it fresh.



Seeds in packets
Purchasing seeds in packets costs money, but the packets usually contain planting information that is more specific to the seeds inside of it. For example, there are many, many kinds of lettuce, and the directions on a packet might be more correct than what is written in this book.




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