TIFFANY MAH’S GARDENING ESSENTIALS

Heating mat

A helpful tool to help with root growth before replanting. "I've used heating mats for both my indoor houseplants and preparing seedlings for the outdoors. They're especially useful when it comes to germinating seeds before they're ready for outdoor planting," she says. SunPad seedling heat mat, $40, leevalley.com

Gardening gloves

An essential accessory to protect your hands from thorns, prickly roots and insects. "It's important for gardening gloves to be comfortable and breathable, and especially machine washable," says Mah. These come in multiple sizes. Yardworks latex-coated gardening gloves (3 pack), $20, canadiantire.ca

Organic fertilizer

This mild fertilizer was formulated specifically for organic gardening. Mah likes this because it contains bone meal. "It has a high concentration of phosphorus, which helps promote both flowering and a healthy root system." Jobe’s Organic All-Purpose 4-4-4 plant food, $11, homedepot.ca

Hand trowel

"This trowel is ergonomic and has markings on the blade for easy depth measurement," says Mah. Those markings take the guesswork out of how deep to plant seeds or bulbs in your garden. This tool is made of cast-aluminum, so it won't rust or break, "no matter how tough the soil is." Fiskars Ergo hand trowel, $12, homedepot.ca

Food-grade pest control

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a natural pest control option. "DE has to be dry to be effective. You can however mix it with water for ease of application. When it fully dries, it will become effective again," she says, cautioning to always get food-grade (amorphous silica) DE for safety purposes. Viagrow diatomaceous earth, $13, homedepot.ca