soil testing

At the end of every year, I go through all of my gardening stuff and make sure that I have everything that I need for the next season. As I was doing that, I realized that a lot of new gardeners may not have a clue about what all they will need. Then they end up making several hardware store runs or having to wait for packages to arrive. I decided to make my master garden list for you (there’s a printable at the end) so that you can avoid those hassles and make this year the best garden year yet!

Master Garden List

I have broken this down into a couple of different sections, that include; tools/ extras, soil/ amendments, and seeds/bulbs. Then I’m going give you my master planting list for my family of 4 and our livestock. My hope is that you have everything you need to have a great garden season that doesn’t included last minute trips to the hardware store or unplanned seed orders.

Master Garden List- Tools

There aren’t many tools that I use regularly, but I have multiples of the items I use all the time. I do not need a ton of tools because of the way I grow my veggies and the way that I handle my soil. Because I do not till, I don’t need a tiller. Things like that. But I have a ton of shovels because there are four of us and when we do big work in the garden, we are all working. So let’s get into my list:

Hoses- Every year, we either buy new hoses or have to repair our old hoses. Do yourself a sold and don’t waste your money on the heavy duty, mac daddy hoses. They aren’t worth it. We’ve bought just about every brand out there and all of them have been destroyed within about 2 years. That being said, we aren’t gentle with our hoses. If you are, then buy the good hoses.

Sprayers- Again, don’t waste your money on super expensive sprayers and hose nozzles. We are lucky to get a full season out of them. And again, if you are gentle with your stuff, buy the expensive ones. We aren’t. But there are some things that the nozzle needs to do, shower and jet. I want power when I need it and I want gentle power on baby plants.

Hand Tools- I have three hand shovels for planting, but when it comes to filling me seed start trays, I use an old coffee mug that the handle has been broken off of. It just works better for me. But get yourself some good hand shoves, weeders, etc. This “kit” from Amazon is a good place to start if you aren’t sure which tools you want and which ones you’ll actually use.

Extra Tools To Make Life Easier

Shears/ Blades- Now, I am snobby when it comes to my hand tools. I am a Fiskars girl through and through. I have found that they stand up to a beating. Even the blades stay sharp and I am not careful. These little pruners have been a lifesaver for my hands. You should have at least two smaller pruners, a large branch cutter, and then a smaller leaf pruner. Honestly, if you’re short on cash, get the smaller pruners and be done. Whatever brand you choose, make sure that they are always sharp and try to remember to bring them inside….

Hemp/Jute/ String- Lastly, you will need string. Now, I prefer a natural fiber like hemp or jute, but that is more expensive than nylon or other fibers. You will need string for tying up tomatoes, peas, etc, or training squash. I’ve used old hay bale twine to fix gates and hang cattle panel. Do what makes sense for you. String has endless uses so make sure you’ve got plenty.

Soil/ Amendments

If you are starting your garden from scratch, or you just need a really, REALLY good brand of soil, I buy from Fox Farm. Yes, it’s incredibly expensive. But you are getting what you pay for. This soil has amazing microbes already thriving in it. And if you have dirt, but it’s not great, this soil will jump start your dirt and turn it into soil.

If you already have good soil, I recommend getting a soil test kit every year. I really like the My Soil test kits because it gives you suggestions for both organic AND conventional fertilizers based on your specific soil needs. They also tell you about your nutrient density and more. My Soil Test is who I will use every year.

I am incredibly picky about my soil and amendments but also incredibly lazy. I talked here about how I build my soil, so I don’t need a lot of soil amendments. In fact, I really only ever add goat bedding to fill the beds and that’s usually it.

BUT, if I am going to use any kind of amendments, it’s going to be OMRI listed and I need to be able to figure out where it came from. Things like fish emulsion, kelp, bone meal, etc are okay. And really, just doing the best you can here is the most important. Don’t get hung up on the details.

At the end of the day though, I know that I am not going to add any amendments to my soil. Not because the plants don’t need it, but because it’s just not something I’m thinking about. So again, do what you can.

Seeds/ Bulbs/ Tubers

I figure out my seed needs totally based on my seed horde and what grew well last year. This year (2025), we are focusing on putting up more food than we normally do. So we are focusing more on things like tomatoes for tomato sauce instead of cherry tomatoes for fresh eating and pickling cucumbers over slicers.

Typically, I bulk order my seeds from Botanical Interests, Eden Brothers, and Baker Creek Seed Company, with Botanical Interests being my favorite. My seed order is usually about $150, again depending on what I have left over from last year.

Every year, I order leeks, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and garlic. I haven’t successfully figured out how to start leeks yet but it’s something that I am continuing to work on. I also totally forget to set aside seed potatoes and garlic every year…. oops.

If you are looking to start your own seed horde and not sure where to start, I am working on my Master Planting List. But a good general rule of thumb is one or two packets of seeds for every type of plant that you know your family will eat. For example, if your family likes cucumbers, get one packet of slicers. But again, I get into the details of this in Master Planting List.

Master Garden List- Printable

If you would like to download my Master Garden List, sign up below and follow the prompts! Or if you are already subscribed to Steel Raven Farms, it is in the Member’s Only Library along with all my other downloads for you.

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