The One Underrated Gadget That's Actually Worth Having For Your Garden

There are countless garden gadgets on the market that gardeners buy simply because they are bombarded with ads, how-tos, or advice claiming they need these items in their garden. Most of the time, though, extra tools end up cluttering your garden shed and going unused. The truth is, you only need a few essential gardening tools to establish and maintain a successful garden year after year. While some gardeners may have a variety of equipment they absolutely love to use, many will tell you that "less is more" when it comes to specialized gadgets. In fact, it's a good idea to go through your shed at the end of each season to find gardening supplies to get rid of for a fresh start the next year. However, there is one underrated gardening gadget that may actually be worth having in your tool shed: a seed ruler.

A seed ruler is a tool that helps you when planting through direct sowing with seeds that require specific spacing. It looks like a standard wooden ruler with holes drilled on one side. When sowing seeds, all you need to do is read the spacing instructions on your seed packet, find the correct holes, and drop the seeds in. This affordable tool will save you plenty of time during the planting season without cluttering up your garden shed. Plus, you can easily make one yourself if you can't find one you like at the store.

Making your own DIY seed ruler is fast, easy, and affordable. All you need is a wooden ruler and a drill. You can get wooden rulers at almost any dollar store, or you could repurpose old rulers you already have at home. Using a small drill bit, about 3/32 inch, drill pilot holes at 1-inch intervals along the center of the ruler. Then, using a larger bit, about 5/16 inch, redrill the holes to make them large enough to plant through. This process ensures the spacing is accurate and prevents the ruler from cracking while drilling.

To help you plant the seeds at the proper depth, add a small wooden dowel and a clothespin to the ruler. Place the ruler on a flat surface and insert the end of the dowel into one of the holes. Mark where the ruler and the dowel meet. Next, starting your measurements from the first mark, label standard seed depths such as 1 inch, 1 ½ inch, etc. Then, when you are ready to plant, you can clip the clothespin so the bottom of the pin lines up with the depth mark. Insert the dowel through the hole into the soil, and it will create a seed hole at the exact depth and spacing needed for your plants.