The Roo Apron ($39.99): This gathering apron makes harvesting a breeze. It stands up to heavy harvests,Roo Apron

It’s National Gardening Day and aspiring and well-seasoned plant lovers are putting their hands in the soil today to make the most of a pinch of earth, whether in a pot or patch of land.

Homesteader Jessica Sowards, host of YouTube’s Roots and Refuge Farm, has a new book to inspire and inform beginners: “The First-time Gardener: Growing Vegetables: All the know-how and encouragement you need to grow - and fall in love with! - your brand new food garden” ($26.99 list, $16.55 at Amazon and Walmart).

Step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations throughout the 176-page paperback guide readers on preparing the soil, selecting plants (even which size to buy), watering and feeding them and protecting them from pests.

Pretty potted plants and flowers perk up your front porch or patio

Mini, portable gardens require less care and water, and can grow a Pix Zee peach tree or Baby Cakes blackberry bush.

We asked Sowards to clue us in on her five favorite gardening tools. These are her recommendations:

The Roo apron ($39.99): This gathering apron makes harvesting a breeze. It stands up to heavy harvests. (See more options)

Cobra head weeder ($27.95): This tool, which comes in multiple sizes, is a powerhouse for getting under the root systems of tough weeds, and it stands up to wear and tear and looks brand new after years of heavy use. (See more options)

Chapin one-gallon sprayer ($12.99): Organic pest maintenance in the garden requires frequent reapplication of products like neem oil or Bt. Even in small gardens, a spray bottle can become wearing to use when applying these things. A pump pressure sprayer is a cheap investment to make this job so much easier. (See more options)

Dibber ($5): A pointed wooden stick to make holes in the ground seems like one of the most obvious tools in the world. So obvious, you might think “I don’t really need that.” However; it is one of my most used tools. It helps hugely when planting bulbs or small transplants.

Greenstalk garden tower (starting at $99): This isn’t a typical tool, but it’s a gardening product that I truly love. I love the Greenstalk for providing a solution for gardeners that might not have a ton of space. Even with my large gardens, I use it for vertically growing strawberries and salad greens out of the reach of slugs.

There are some garden essentials you’ll want to keep close at hand throughout the seasons. Here are 10:

Garden and horticulture books: You might run to a reference book to find out how to save a water-deprived rhododendron, but there are other books you want to read over and over for inspiration.

Garden hose: You’ve wrestled with your last heavy hose. It’s time for a lightweight, flexible hose that coils up without a fight.

Gardening fork: This multi-purpose tool is ideal for digging and breaking up stubborn soil and sand.

Garden shoes: Washable, breathable and odor-resistant Crocs come in the color of your favorite flower. You can also find quick-drying clogs at Walmart and other stores.

Gloves: Practical hand-protecting gardening gloves are made of waterproof, latex-free materials. Some gloves have Freddy Krueger claws to dig into soil.

Hand trowel: The narrow, slightly scooped blade lets you better aim while digging. Find rust-resistant ones, some with rubberized, non-slip grips, at Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart and other stores.

Hoe: This versatile tool can loosen weeds, dig trenches for planting rows of bulbs and harvest root crops.

Power tool of your choice: What will give you the most satisfaction when you power it up: A riding mower, leaf blower or chain saw?

Pruner, lopper and hedge shears: Don’t know which you’ll need? Some retailers sell all three in one set.

Spade: Which flat, square garden spade do you need to dig, cut roots or break through sod? A trenching spade with a narrow, pointed head is angled for better leverage while breaking ground and a drain spade, with a rounded point, is good for digging trenches and transplanting.

— Edited by Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

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