Simplify Vegetable Gardening With Fun Gear

Vegetable gardening is a relaxing hobby with tasty rewards, but toiling outside and combating pests can take a toll on the body. Simplify vegetable gardening with fun gear that eases the workload and entertains. These affordable products also make thoughtful gifts for gardeners.

Farmer's Almanac
"The Old Farmer's Almanac" costs approximately $6 and includes practical gardening tips, recipes, planting and weather information. It also has entertaining articles with old-fashioned folk wisdom and superstitions. Past editions of the almanac explained how to "iron" facial wrinkles with a spoon and how to avoid seven years of bad luck after breaking a mirror.

Garden Colander
There is no need to haul dirty veggies into the house for cleaning. Take a colander to the garden and use it to rinse dirt from fresh produce, such as loose-leaf lettuce or spinach. The garden will get a nice drink, it is easy to return rich soil to the vegetable bed and there are no worries about getting dirt clumps in the kitchen sink.

The Winco 5-Quart Stainless Steel Colander has a nice base to keep it steady as water drains and two carrying handles. It retails for approximately $5.

Tool Caddy
Keep gardening tools handy with a tool caddy. The Fiskars Garden Bucket Caddy costs approximately $12 and features several pockets to hold tools and convenience items, such as a cell phone and beverage. This canvas contraption wraps around a 5-gallon bucket, providing additional space for toting garden supplies or carrying a fresh vegetable harvest.

Colorful Gloves
Skip the earth tone gloves and choose patterned or colorful gardening gloves. They are fashionable and easy to spot if left in the garden. Lightweight nitrile gloves in come in sizes and colors suitable for male and female gardening aficionados.

Atlas nitrile gardening gloves are machine-washable and cost approximately $7.

Seed Sower
Some vegetable seeds, such as lettuce seeds, are tiny and difficult to plant. Seed sowers are an affordable and simple solution. Burpee's Handy Seed Sower has a transparent lid and adjustable dispenser. It costs approximately $2.

Peat Pellets
Use peat pellets to start seeds and avoid transplant shock. Brands such as Jiffy offer miniature greenhouse kits to give seeds a head start. Peat pellets are also available separately.

Adjustable Hose Nozzle
An adjustable hose nozzle makes it possible to blast hungry aphids off plants or gently water delicate seedlings. The Dramm Revolver features nine spray patterns and a lifetime warranty. It costs approximately $12.