1. A standing weeder (without the chemicals!) to help improve your view of your yard. You're not the only one who has trouble enjoying weed-filled scenery. And hey, while you're weeding with this, there's no bending over! Your back will thank you.

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Made with a bamboo handle and powder-coated steel, it uses a simple lever system to made weeding easy. Grampa's Weeder is a small biz. 

Promising review: "Oh my god, I friggin' love this tool. I bought this on a whim given we bought our first house and know nothing about caring for a yard. Boy has it come in handy. Our new house had a ton of weeds in the front yard and this tool helped me get most of them out in no time. In fact, the process of yanking out the weed was strangely satisfying! I don't think anyone can say that weeding is fun but this tool made it as close to fun as you can get, especially when you see a long root along with the weed you pulled." —JG

Get it on Amazon for $36.97.

2. And a crack weeder tool that'll go where the larger weeder (and your hands!) can't. 

www.amazon.com, Sally Elshorafa / BuzzFeed

This is from a small biz!

My colleague Sally Elshorafa invested in this tool and LOVES it: "After moving to the East Coast, I quickly learned that the stone pathways around my home are basically a spa retreat for moss and weeds. The cracks collect moisture, trap organic debris, and offer *just* enough shelter to help unwanted greenery flourish, especially with all the shade and rain we get. I didn't want my outdoor space to turn into a jungle, so I grabbed this tool and got to work. It's weirdly satisfying — kind of like flossing, but for your stone paths. The bent tip slides right into the cracks and pulls weeds out from the root, which helps keep them from coming back anytime soon. I've used it on my pathways, driveway, and anywhere else something tries to sprout where it shouldn't. The handle is comfortable, and it doesn't take much effort to use. It's quickly becoming one of my favorites. If you've got hardscaping, you need this in your toolkit." 

Promising review: "Since I refuse to use chemicals in my yard, I've been left with scraped knuckles every time I attempted to remove weeds. The weeds have grown so tightly in the concrete cracks that I pretty much gave up, even weed whacking it didn't help much. Yes, you do have to use a little bit of effort, but the end result was so worth it! I've attached a photo of the before and after." —Shelley Arakaki

Get it from Amazon for $16.95.

3. A dog spot repair if your puppy has a favorite pee spot and it shows... This stuff will get new grass growin' in no time so you can get back to hosting BBQs.

www.amazon.com

Promising review: “We purchased this to fill some patches in our backyard that were damaged by our puppy. Works like a charm. The one caveat is that you really do have to water it a bit every day. Once it takes off though, it grows pretty quickly! Within one week of planting this, we had 1-inch long grass blades. One month later, all the patches are gone. Highly recommended!” —Jessica N.

Get it from Amazon for $19.99.

4. A pack of four plant supporters can perk up any slumped plants right back up while blending in enough so they don't look super obvious. 

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "These plant supports each consist of two semi-circles that fit together to encircle the plant. I have two snake plants that are getting taller and need support. These plant stakes are working perfectly. They can easily be inserted into the soil to the desired height, and the green color obscures their appearance. My plants look prettier and stronger now that they are standing tall." —A.Consumer

Get a 4-pack from Amazon for $14.99.

5. A Hori Hori Japanese weeding knife made of stainless steel with measurement markings on the blade to make sure that you're going as deep as you need. (That'll especially come in handy for planting stuff in the ground you want there.) 

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I have a standard weeding tool (long, slim metal tool with a forked tip and wood handle) that would bend when I put too much force on it or plunged it in the ground too deep to dig out those monster weed roots. I was looking for something sturdier.

It feels very solid in my hand with no flex or give when I plunge it into the ground and pry up on it. The photos show me using it on a large agave I removed; the serrated edge was perfect for cutting the fibrous roots and quickly dislodging dirt from within the root ball back into the hole for replanting. It will similarly perform well when removing new plants from larger pots; it will easily break up the soil for planting. I plan to get years of use out of it." —Martin

Get it from Amazon for$22.20.

6. A pack of Miracle-Gro water-storing crystals that'll help you get your watering levels juuuuust right so you don't over- or underwater your plants. All you have to do is mix in said crystals with your regular soil and they'll absorb water and hydrate your soil as needed. 

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Added this to my new pallet planter and urn for the first time. I’m pleased with how much it absorbs water and expands, holding moisture. I’m hoping it lasts the season. We will see 👀👍🏻 I’ll be adding it to my other planters as well." —Jennifer J- Ace Of Space

Get it from Amazon for $11.42.

7. A variety of sunflower seeds that might just turn your backyard into the #1 destination for pics this year. 

www.amazon.com

Created by Nature is a small business!

Promising review: "Planted a handful of the seeds in our front lawn area. Few months later, and we had a spectacular color array. Great flowers!" —Shane

Get it from Amazon for $14.99.

8. And a pack of wildflower seeds can help transform empty spots in your garden beds and yard without having to map out which kind of plant goes where. It includes 30,000+ seeds total with 23 varieties to help you fill in some gardening gaps. 

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Seed Needs is a family-owned small business in Michigan that makes seed packets.

Promising review: "I bought this package hoping to attract butterflies. It did not disappoint. I have the opposite of a green thumb, and this was super easy. I couldn't tell you the names of any flowers, but we have at least six different types. I overseeded a smaller area, so I will probably make the area larger or only do half the seeds next year. We can go outside at any time and see our beautiful flowers and SO many butterflies! 10/10" —Tesa Taylor

Get it from Amazon for $5+ (available in four mixes and two sizes).

9. Some colorful flower pots with draining holes and hooks so the plants inside can ~thrive~ while they sit there looking pretty. (Don't worry, artificial flowers will thrive in there too.)

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Planted succulents in each one and hung off my white fence in backyard. Looks great." —Truggi

Get 10 from Amazon for $16.99.

10. Cloning paste for orchids and other houseplants that you're about ready to declutter. Apply its lanolin and vitamin-rich formula to nodes to encourage new growth, which both you and your plant deserve. 

www.amazon.com

Southside Plants Store is a small biz specializing in plant care items. 

Promising review: "12/7/2024: Well, I was about to throw these two plants out but glad I didn't! Decided to try this paste. I think maybe with a grow light these might have a chance. I've never had any issues killing plants until now. I think I overwatered. Anyway, giving this product a 5 for now and will hopefully see some significant growth!

12/31/2024: Update with the anthurium." —Stargazersmp

Get it from Amazon for $18.99.

11. Sticky plant traps in case acquiring some new indoor plants also came with a bunch of gross gnats. It happens! But you can also deal with it. 

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "So I decided to uproot some of my herbs from the garden land pot them to bring them in. I also brought in a potted flowering plant and inherited a couple of my brother's large cactus plants. A few weeks later, we were infested with little gnats! I mean it was RIDICULOUS! We had them in the kitchen, we had them in the bathrooms. I was ready to throw all of our indoor plants outside to let winter take its course. I found these and I'm SO GLAD I did!! money WELL SPENT! Within a day, the problem dramatically improved! Within a week, they were gone! We occasionally will get one or two flies, but otherwise there's nothing!" —LDavis

Get a 36-pack from Amazon for $7.99.

12. Scotts Green Max Lawn Food, which is really just fancy talk for fertilizer, plus 5% iron for a faster greener process. If your yard is looking a little more yellow and brown than green as of late, this is worth a try.  

www.amazon.com

It's meant to work on any grass type in the spring, summer, or fall, and you can use your learn right after using it. 

Promising review: "I used more than it called for but omg did it work. Only problem now is that the grass grows so fast and thick that you need to cut it every three days or it clogs my mower. Look at my before/after photo, which is just over a week after application. The grass came back so thick and green, it seems to have choked the weeds out also!" —john schneider

Get it from Amazon for $33.24+ (available in three bag sizes).

13. A pair of stainless-steel gardening shears that'll help you get in there with precision for all kinds of tasks like harvesting a few tomatoes while keeping the stem intact, deadheading daylilies, trimming zucchini plants, and even cutting through THICK stalks. But they're super lightweight!

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I needed something sharp and small enough for deadheading smaller blooms, but that would also do well with any size of bloom. These are my new favorite pair. They're sharp and easy to use. The small push lock that keeps the blades closed is very easy to unlock and relock. I would highly recommend these to any gardener professional or hobbyist like me." —JoJo

Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in orange or blue).

14. Or some Fiskars long-handled loppers to help you reach and trim overgrown stuff so your backyard gets back to looking like a garden instead of a jungle in Jumanji. 

www.amazon.com, Amazon

Promising review: "Living in Florida, I have a lot of natural growth in my backyard and it must be mowed down as best I can, regularly. This tool is the best I have yet found! With these, I can take down trees!" —elithea

Get them from Amazon for $24.71+ (available in five styles). 

15. A pack of reusable Velcro garden ties can help your tomato plants (and tons of other plants) out of their sophomore slump. They'll help you attach stems to cages, trellises, stakes, and other structures without causing any damage. And they're adjustable so you can make adjustments as your plants grow. 

www.amazon.com

Promising review:  "I used this to secure netting between the posts of the pergola, on which the morning glories will grow. It hasn’t slipped and keeps the netting taut and strong. I’m also using it to secure taller plants to bamboo rods. The nice thing is that you can make the support loops exactly the way you want; the loops made by the product adjust to the plant, rather than the plant having to adjust to the support. I can’t wait to try it on securing my tomato plants to their cages, which will be soon. A little goes a long way, and I believe they will be reusable. It’s a great product at a low price." —Patrick J. Lay

Get it from Amazon for $6.90+ (available in five sizes).

16. A wooden wall-mounted trellis here to support your growing climbing plants or hanging planters. If your backyard doesn't have as much space for foliage, this is a great way to get in some more greenery out of basically thin air. 

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

The planters are sold separately, and I recommend either this pack of white ones or this pack of multicolored ones.

Promising review: "I have a small balcony with two entrances so not a lot of available floor space. By making a vertical garden I can have my fresh herbs without taking up valuable real estate. It goes on a wall by the door that wouldn't have been used otherwise. Plus it looks so pretty! It was very easy to install. With the addition of the hanging planters (sold separately) I love that I can easily take my herbs down to water them or bring into my kitchen to cook with. Looks so classy and functional." —Luna

Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in 13 other sizes).

17. A pack of the 20 most popular vegetable seeds that'll help you make good on the threat that you're going to start growing your own after getting grocery store sticker shock.  

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Pro tip: Many local libraries are participating in the seed library movement, offering free seeds to community members for gardening. Check your local library to see if libraries near you have one. 

Each pack includes 1,300+ seeds consisting of zucchini, eggplant, beet, pumpkin, butternut squash, cabbage, bok choy, cauliflower, broccoli, rapini rabe, celery, cucumber, kohlrabi, radish, bell pepper, cayenne pepper, okra, Brussels sprout, beefsteak tomato, and cherry tomato.

Promising review: "I purchased it for my mother as a gift and I absolutely love the product. Huge variety and very affordable price! The package looks great and each seed bag is individually labeled along with a QR that takes you directly to all the information you need pertaining to that type of vegetables. Love it." —V. G

Get it from Amazon for $19.99.

18. A seed and seedling spacer tool with color coding can do all the math you need to space out your seeds for success. All you do is press it in the soil, poke holes with the dibbler, and then plant your seeds. 

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

FYI, a dibbler is a measuring stick that pushes down dirt to the correct depth for you to drop your seeds. 

Promising review: "Love this thing! I have been gardening for a while, and this takes all of the guesswork out of spacing. I used this for the first time this spring using the planting chart/guide, and it has worked out perfectly. I have had little to no weeds (I mean ,come on, you're gonna get some weeds). Planting per the Seed Square will, for the most part, choke out the weeds, while promoting growth for the plants. I even used this to plant growing plants, and not just seeds. Just put the square on the ground, used the stick to mark the spot, and dug a hole where it was marked. Simple enough. Would highly recommend. Super easy!" —Jennifer Geisel

Get it from Amazon for $29.95.

19. A soaker hose to help you *evenly* water your garden beds for barely any effort.

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Seriously SAVED my flowers from burning UP! It was so Hot this summer 2022, I was exhausted from going outside manually watering them! Best find!!!" —313Peach

Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in five sizes and in packs of two).

20. Joyful Dirt organic concentrated plant food and fertilizer you can mix in with your water or sprinkle directly onto your plant's soil to help give your lil' plants an energizing dose to grow their biggest and brightest. Everybody needs a little help sometimes, including your plants!

www.amazon.com

Joyful Dirt is a small business based in Portland, Oregon making organic, all-purpose plant food since 2013.

Promising review: "I never write reviews but had to share what a great find this was! I have routinely killed every living plant I've ever brought home. Joyful Dirt has completely changed that. All my plants look full and healthy with little to no effort on my part! I am so amazed that for teacher gifts this year, I am giving terrariums and will include a shaker of Joyful Dirt to go with each. If you have any trouble keeping plants alive, this is the solution." —KB13

Get a bottle from Amazon for $19.95+ (also available in three additional sizes/styles). 

21. A pack of three rolling plant caddies that'll help you scoot your plant babies around as needed, like making sure your geranium doesn't get swamped in a summer downpour. Each of these bad boys can hold up to 80 pounds!

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "These are great for plants! I have three five-gallon geranium plants that don't like to get wet. For the last couple of years, I was lugging them around back and forth on the patio. What a relief for my back that I don't have to do that anymore. The trays are sturdy and deep enough that water doesn't come out all over the ground, either. I like the wheel locking feature in case I want them to stay in place, and the maneuverability of them is great." —Cheryl

Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in two colors).

22. A cordless grass trimmer can let you touch up little parts of your garden and places where your regular lawnmower can't go, like around pavers and garden features. A little trim can make quite the impact!

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I have been looking for something easier to trim around my garden beds instead of dragging out the weed wacker all the time. This is easy to use, lightweight, and does an excellent job! By far my best purchase for the garden." —Manda

Get it from Amazon for $42.99.

23. Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food to help cover your outdoor *and* indoor plant food bases so all the work you've lovingly put into your greenery will pay off beautifully. 

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "In the growing season, I use this every month on my indoor plants and twice a month on my outside flowers. I have always had tons of plants in and out, and start almost every one from a cutting or small pot. Every plant in the above pictures was started from seedlings, cuttings, or small pots. Miracle-Gro is the miracle..." —morgandj

Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in a variety of sizes). 

24. Fabric grow bags with handles so you'll easily move around your growing darlings as needed without them toppling over or you losing any precious soil. The non-woven fabric lets your plants breathe and prevents overwatering and circling root structures. Plus, they're reusable!

www.amazon.com

Some reviewers say these are a great solution to expand your gardening despite an already-full garden bed!

Promising review: "I love these reusable plant bags. I use them for everything from zucchini to cucumber plants and even Tomato and peppers. Since the pots are fabric, it makes it easy not to overwater your plants because the water can drain out easily. That said, it also makes it so your plants can dry out easily too, so make sure you monitor your plants and water them when they are thirsty." —Taylor Family

Get four from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in six sizes).

25. Or some Miracle-Gro tree and shrub plant food spikes in case you need a little more muscle for the bigger garden features. They also come in a fruit and citrus version in case you're lucky enough to have an orange tree that's seen better days. 

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Decided to give these spikes a try, and let me tell you my azaleas are the star of my garden right now. The blooms are bigger, the pink is brighter, and the blooms last way longer. Typically, they bloom and they fall off quicker than you can get to cut and make a beautiful bouquet out of them. The blooms have been popping open wider and wider, and it’s been three weeks now. I will definitely buy this again. The pic to the left shows the blooms from two years ago, and the second one is this year." —KWheatle

Get a 12-pack from Amazon for $12.99 (also available for fruit and citrus).

26. Liquid Fence deer and rabbit repellent can help deter local (though cute) pests from snacking on your gorgeous plant beds. It basically just makes all the stuff you spray it on smell really gross to them. 

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Lots of deer. I wouldn’t have any flowers without Liquid Fence!! Thank you. I’ve been using your product for many, many years. Best product on the market!!" —Phyllis

Get it from Amazon for$23.47 (available in liquid or granules and in different sizes).

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.