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Things I Like

This page may contain affiliate links. That means if you click and buy from my partners, I will make a tiny amount of money. This in no way affects my recommendations.

Seed Starting

Weatherguard Walk In Hoop House Kit

My Hoop House
This is the hoop house kit I purchased.



This is the hoop house I’ve been using for over three years. It does a good job of helping me in three areas: (1) It helps me get an early start on starting seedlings in late winter and early spring. (2) It extends the growing season in the late fall. (3) It allows me to salad greens nearly year round. Get more information on this hoop house kit here.

Giantex Cold Frame Kit

This cold frame kit has a frame made of solid fir wood.

This is the cold frame I’ve used for over a year. It’s made of polycarbonate panels and a wood frame. I like how the hinge allows you to prop open the top when the temperature inside gets too warm. I’ve found that on on sunny days, even in the middle of winter, it’s important to vent the cold frame because the temperature skyrockets.

Nesting Soil Block Maker

Nesting Soil Block Maker
This is the soil block maker that I use for seed starting.



Nesting soil block makers make a small soil block that fits inside a larger soil block so that you can easily grow the area for the root system as the plant grows. This saves you space under the grow lights or hoop house. Get more information on this soil block maker here.

Burpee Seed Starting Mix

Burpee Seed Starting Mix
When you are NOT using a soil block maker, Burpee is the best seed starting mix.



Burpee Seed Starting Mix performed best in my seed starting mix test. This is the seed starting mix I use. Get more information on this seed starter here.

Promix Organic Pro Seed Starting Mix

Promix Seed Starting Mix
The Promix includes limestone to balance pH.

While Burpee is the best seed starting mix for when you are NOT using a soil block maker, Promix is best when your are using one. The mix stays packed together better than Burpee. Learn more about Promix here.

Coast of Maine Organic Potting Soil

Coast of Maine Organic Potting Soil
Coast of Maine Potting Soil has always performed well for me.

I’ve had really good luck with Coast of Maine Organic Potting Soil. I use it when I transplant small seedlings into larger pots. Get more information on this potting soil here.

Composting

Miracle Gro Tumbling Compost Maker

It’s important that a tumbling composter is big enough. Otherwise, the compost will never heat up enough.



If you are looking for a compost tumbler that can withstand the weather, here it is. Get more information on this tumbling composter here.

Free Water

Oatey Mystic Rainwater Collection System / Downspout Diverter

Oatey Mystic Rainwater Collection System
The Oatey downspout diverter uses a standard hose to connect to the rain barrel.

I have the Rainreserve downspout diverter, but many people have told me that they like this one better. It’s made with UV-resistent plastic, which can be painted. Get more information on this downspout diverter here.

Good Ideas Rain Barrel

Good Ideas Rain Barrel
Using your gutter system is the easiest way to harvest water.

This rain barrel has a brass spigot (not plastic) and an overflow spout. Good screening keeps unwanted things out of the barrel. Get more information on this rain barrel here.

Transplanting & Beyond

Stainless Steel Soil Thermometer

Stainless Steel Soil Thermometer
Planting seedlings before the soil is warm enough is the most common reason for seedling failure.



Do you have problems finding out when is the best time to start planting your seedlings and young plants? You can avoid transplanting too early, and measure the temperature of your compost pile, with this high quality tool. Get more information on this soil thermometer here.

Neptune’s Harvest Liquid Fish and Seaweed Fertilizer

Neptune's Harvest Liquid Fish and Seaweed Fertilizer
Neptune’s Harvest is great for feeding seedlings. It’s both fast acting and gentle.


Neptune’s Harvest is the best liquid fish and seaweed fertilizer I’ve used. But be careful. I’ve found that skunks and raccoons will dig up plants where you used the liquid fertilizer because they think there’s a fish down there. Get more information on this liquid fertilizer here.

Coop Poop Chicken Manure Pellets

Coop Poop
Coop Poop is OMRI-Listed as safe for your organic vegetable garden.

Coop Poop pellets by Healthy Grow is the brand of chicken manure pellets I like the best. I like this brand because it seems more potent than other brands I’ve tried.

Plus, it’s OMRI-listed, which is important if you are an organic gardener.

But don’t use too much chicken manure because your plants will have very healthy dark green leaves, but fewer fruit (if we are talking about fruiting plants). The dark green leaves will likely attract insects that you don’t want.

Get more information about Coop Poop here.

Chickens

Tangkula Chicken Coop with Small Run

Tangkula Chicken Coop with Small Run
This chicken coop kit comes with screening to help protect your chickens.

If you’re only going to have a couple of chickens, this is the coop for you. It will require some modification. Screening the bottom of the run is a must because you don’t want predators digging into the coop. Get more information on this chicken coop / run here.

Suburban Hobby Farmer 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.

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Meet the Blogger

Bill Brikiatis

Hello! I’m Bill Brikiatis. I started this website in 2010 to help you get better at growing organic food in your backyard.

I’ve been growing fruits and vegetables for nearly all my life. And I'm over 60.

That’s not to say that I don’t make mistakes. I make plenty, then I write about them so both you and I get better at growing great things to eat.

You can read more about me and Suburban Hobby Farmer on my about page.

Most Popular on SHF

  1. How to Get Free Seeds from the U.S. Government. It's Easy If You Know How
  2. How to Use Chicken Manure Pellets in the Vegetable Garden
  3. Which Seed Starting Mix is Best? I Tested Them
  4. What Are the Benefits of Pruning Tomato Plants?
  5. I've Used a Rain Barrel Downspout Diverter for 10 years. Here's What I Know.
  6. Grow Millions of Cucumbers in a Hoop House
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Search This Site for Articles

Growing Tomatoes

Growing Tomatoes

Learn Everything I Know About Growing Tomatoes

Extending the Growing Season

  1. A Hoop House is a Tomato Growing Machine
  2. Coldframe Kits Make It Easy to Extend the Growing Season
  3. Grow a Million Cucumbers in a Hoop House
  4. I Shopped for Hoop House Kits. A Review of the Three I Considered
  5. Growing Salad Greens in Winter. Here's How to Do It
  6. Better Tomatoes with Walls O Water
  7. How to Grow Carrots in Winter
  8. Winter Sowing Made Better

Improving Soil

  1. How to Use Chicken Manure Pellets
  2. Three Important Soil Building Techniques
  3. Grasscycling and Composting Grass Clippings
  4. What is "Deep Litter" in a Chicken Coop?
  5. Why Grow Cover Crop and Which Ones?
  6. Mulching Raised Garden Beds
  7. Five Gardening Ideas from Building Soils Naturally
  8. Should You Use Neptune's Harvest Liquid Fertilizer?
  9. How to Use Aquarium Fish Water to Fertilize Plants
  10. Using Chop & Drop to Improve Your Soil
  11. How to Improve Your Soil
  12. What is OMRI? Why Should Organic Gardners Care?
  13. Winter Ground Covers for Vegetable Gardens

Collecting Water with Rain Barrels & Downspout Diverters

  1. My Automatic Downspout Diverter
  2. Rain Barrel Downspout Diverters
  3. Fixing an Overflowing Rain Barrel
  4. Oatey Mystic Rainwater Collection System / Downspout Diverter

Composting Articles

  1. Do Tumbling Compost Bins Work?
  2. How to Compost Faster
  3. Worm Composting Not So Easy
  4. Worm Composting Not So Easy, Part II
  5. Worm Composting Not So Easy, Part II
  6. Free, 77-page Worm Composting Guide
  7. Grasscycling and Composting Grass Clippings
  8. The Best Worm Food
  9. Making Compost in a Chicken Coop

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