Rufus For Real

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • About Me
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • About Me
×
  • chicken quesadillas featured image
    Chicken Quesadillas
  • gluten-free gumbo featured image
    Gluten-Free Gumbo
  • butter cake featured image
    Butter Cake
  • homemade corn tortilas
    Homemade Corn Tortillas
  • hamburger steak
    Hamburger Steak
  • tomato basil soup feature image
    Tomato Basil Soup
  • no knead bread feature image
    Dutch Oven No Knead Bread
  • shrimp salad featured image
    Shrimp Salad
  • featured image for spatchcock chicken recipe
    Spatchcock Chicken
  • broccoli cheese soup in a spoon
    Broccoli Cheese Soup
  • oven-roasted asparagus on a white serving platter
    Oven-Roasted Asparagus
  • pico de gallo featured image
    Pico De Gallo

Home » Lifestyle » Rufus Recommends » Gardening Essentials

Gardening Essentials

Modified: Feb 13, 2025 · Published: Apr 10, 2023 by Rufus · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

Gardening Essentials. Spring has sprung. It's time to get those beds ready and to get the seed babies in the ground. Here is a collection of my must-haves, my essentials that I need to get my garden started. Tis the season and it's about time.

Let's get started!

This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details. 

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
rufus recommends flat lay of gardening essentials

Hats and Sunscreen - Gardening Essentials for Your Face

First and foremost, you're gonna be outside. Gardening Essential #1 means that you're gonna need a good hat with a wide brim and a great sunscreen. Nobody has time for wrinkles or skin cancer.

Hemlock Hat
hemlock hat co hat and elta sunscreen

I have two of these Hemlock Brand Hats and they're amazing. Great quality and the brim is wide enough to keep the sun off. And, if the West Texas wind shows up in your neighborhood, it's got a stampede string. They also have these cool patterns on the underneath. Since this is a gardening essentials post, I naturally picked out the fruit one to show you!

Sunscreen is also a subject I am very passionate about. As a naturally pasty-ass person, sunscreen is a daily necessity for me. Elta MD makes wonderfully effective sunscreens and I highly recommend. Every time you step outside, slap on another layer. Your skin will thank you.

Tools & Gloves

Another gardening essential is a set of Small Gardening Tools. These don't have to be fancy, but you'll need some things to help you dig in the dirt. This is a great set and it comes with a perfect assortment of tools and a heavy duty bag. You gotta love a good bag situation!

gardening tools

Gloves are also a necessity and a gardening essential for sure . Whether you're trying to save a manicure or avoid touching a creepy crawly, you want a pair (or two). I suggest not spending too much money here. I tear mine up or lose them all the, so just pick out something fairly heavy duty to keep thorns out.

Also, there is no such thing as a waterproof glove. No matter what the marketing people tell you.

gardening gloves
$10 dolla holla from Target.

A Watering Can is also an essential, especially when you are in the beginning stages of seedlings. I like a spout like the version below because it creates an even shower over your plants.

watering can

The Soil - A Very Important Gardening Essential

Moving on with our gardening essentials, let's talk soil. A successful garden needs 3 things. Adequate sun, plenty of water, and good quality soil. A good Potting Soil is something I routinely add to my raised gardens. I look for an organic mix and something that has good blend of vitamins and minerals. They're usually very easy to find in the spring.

potting soil/garden mix

Something else that I add to both my raised gardens and my traditional garden space is compost. Compost is basically a mix of decomposed organic matter. Don't worry it's not nearly as bad as it sounds. You are basically trying to replicate what happens to organic matter in nature.

This Compost Bin is a perfect, simple version and very close to what I do at home. I add plant scraps from my kitchen and yard to our pile, keep it moist as needed, and turn it over from time to time. Eventually, everything will break down and become the most wonderful superfood for your garden.

It's great for your plants and it cuts down on kitchen waste. It's a win-win!

compost bin

Another Gardening Essentials Must-Have - The Raised Garden

If you don't have a Raised Garden, you're missing out. Having a raised garden brings your plants up higher to you don't have to bend over so much - it saves your back and you don't get as tired as quickly. This version is a very basic version, but it's all you need. I have something almost identical.

raised garden bed

If you plan to start your own seeds, a Seed Starting Tray is an essential. Peat pots are great to transfer seedlings once they get big enough. And, once you're ready to put these in the ground, you can plant the entire container!

seed starting tray
peat pots

The Essentials For the Bugs and Creepy Crawlies

For the most part, I don't use anything to deter bugs. However, if I have something I think needs to shuffle off its mortal coil, I use Neem Oil. You simply mix a little with water and soap and spray it on the affected plants. It's worked wonderfully for me anytime I've had a bug issue!

I will warn you though, there is a definite smell. It's unlike anything I've ever smelled, but the bugs hate it, too! Hold your nose and spritz away!

neem oil

Where I Buy My Seeds and Starts

I love David's Seeds for my general collection of seeds. It's a small, veteran-owned business in South Texas. The owners are wonderful and the seed quality is amazing.

I buy my onions from Dixondale Farms and have had wonderful results each time. They have a great selection and it's super easy to order.

My garlic babies come from Keen Garlic. Again, a wonderful selection and amazing results every time.

Thank you!

I am so incredibly happy that you are here! Please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok for any recipe you make or your garden victories. I absolutely love seeing each and every one of your kitchen masterpieces and anything you cook that you've grown yourself! And, as always, if you ever have any questions about any of my recipes or Rufus Recommends, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Happy Cooking!

-Rufus

Rufus for Real is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. I may earn a commission, with no additional cost to you, if you purchase through those links. 

other rufus recommends

This is picture of a close up spoonful of creamy mac and cheese.

14 Easy Thanksgiving Sides Recipes

pasta alla genovese - an onion and beef ragù served on a plate from a dutch oven, garnished with parmesan cheese and fresh herbs - a fall dinner recipe idea

15 Fall Dinner Ideas

sheet pan shrimp fajitas

30-Minute Meals

French Onion Pot Roast served over mashed potatoes with gruyere melted toasts

Fall Entertaining

Latest Recipes

chicken quesadillas featured image

Chicken Quesadillas

gluten-free gumbo featured image

Gluten-Free Gumbo

butter cake featured image

Butter Cake

homemade corn tortilas

Homemade Corn Tortillas

More Rufus Recommends

  • This is picture of a close up spoonful of creamy mac and cheese.
    14 Easy Thanksgiving Sides Recipes
  • pasta alla genovese - an onion and beef ragù served on a plate from a dutch oven, garnished with parmesan cheese and fresh herbs - a fall dinner recipe idea
    15 Fall Dinner Ideas
  • sheet pan shrimp fajitas
    30-Minute Meals
  • French Onion Pot Roast served over mashed potatoes with gruyere melted toasts
    Fall Entertaining

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Welcome!

I'm, Rufus and I am so very glad you're here! I've got all the tried and true recipes you'll need for your everyday life!

More about me

New Recipes

  • chocolate tart garnished with flaky sea salt and chocolate shavings
    Chocolate Tart

  • baked chicken tenders
    Baked Chicken Tenders

  • buttermilk ranch dressing in a jar on a wooden surface
    Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

  • pigs in a blanket on a sheet pan
    Pigs In A Blanket

Delicious Desserts

  • this is a picture of peanut clusters topped with red and green Christmas spinkles on a parchment paper background
    Peanut Clusters

  • This is a picture of a baking dish of cinnamon rolls with one roll removed and sitting on a small white plate
    Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

  • This is a picture of the slice of pumpkin cheesecake with a salted caramel drizzle. the cheesecake is also garnished with flaky sea salt, candied pecans.
    Pumpkin Cheesecake

  • This is a picture of Hot Chocolate Cookies stacked on top of each other with a large glass of milk in the background.
    Hot Chocolate Cookies

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • About Me
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Shop

Contact Me

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases with no additional cost to you.

© 2025 Rufus For Real. All rights reserved.

Psssttt...

This website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience, analyze site traffic, personalize content and serve targeted advertisement.  By continuing to browse rufusforreal.com you will consent to our use of cookies. 

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}