Top 10 Dollar Store Gardening Supplies

Instead of heading straight to the garden center to stock up on what you need to grow your favorite flowers and veggies, check out these dollar store gardening supplies that are just as good as the more expensive ones.

If you make one trip to the dollar store this season, make it a visit to check out the dollar store gardening supplies. I was at the our local store with Jack recently, picking up some things for a school project, and I was reminded of what a great garden section our dollar store has. I don’t shop at the dollar store very often, but it’s funny that the few things that I’ve picked up there over the years have really stood the test of time and are still in use in my home over a decade after I first bought them.

It’s surprising because we always think of the dollar store as being the place to go for cheap, disposable items that are fun, but that don’t last, and that’s just not always the case. You can get some really useful stuff there as well that you could end up using for a long time. I realized a few years ago that this is definitely the case with a lot of their gardening supplies as well. We’ve picked up quite a few cheapo things for gardening from the dollar store over the years, and I’ve started to notice that some of the things we thought we’d only be able to use for a month or two are still going strong a few years later.

So I thought I’d take you on a little dollar store gardening shopping trip with me today and show you a few of my favorite dollar store gardening supplies, as well as some of the items that we’ve found have worked really well for us.

Cloches

These basic plastic domes are among my favorite dollar-store gardening discoveries. First of all, people always ask what all those domes are that we have lined up in the garden, and they make it look like we really know what we’re doing. Second of all, they really work. Whether you need to protect delicate little seedlings from a cold snap or certain plants from pests that pop up out of nowhere during a particular part of the growing season, these simple little domes do the trick.

 

Twine and Wire

No matter what, at some point in the season, you’re going to need to tie some plants up to provide a little extra support or to dry bundles of herbs to save for later. I like to mostly use basic twine that I get at the dollar store because that’s the cheapest place to find it that I’ve come across. Twine can be expensive in hardware stores for some reason. I’ll use wire sometimes for heavier plants if it’s needed. I have to give honorable mention to this clever foam-covered wire that I saw at the dollar store this year. This looks like it would do a good job where you want to use a really delicate touch so you don’t harm a plant, but you also want the strength of wire.

Garden Edging

The dollar store actually has a lot of great little mini wooden fences that make great garden edging, as well as trellises and big pieces of bamboo that you can use as support. I was really pleased to see all the natural-looking wood options this year. I usually think of dollar store trellis and edging as being plastic or metal and really tacky, but these are actually really nice, especially for a traditional garden like mine.

Also, bonus points go to all of the netting options they have there for keeping birds and pests out. I found this right next to the pretty wood edging.

Garden Gloves

Well, you probably really only need one good pair of garden gloves to get you through the season, but if your family is anything like mine, then you probably tend to misplace your garden gloves more often than not. Extra pairs are always a good idea, especially if you have kids who like to help you in the garden for a little while and then take their gloves off to play and leave them all over the property. We keep a basket of garden gloves in the mudroom and just try not to worry about mismatched pairs too much. 🙂

Mini Rakes and Trowels

Small hand tools are absolutely essential for gardening, whether you’re pulling weeds or filling a new planter. It never seems to fail, though, no matter how high-quality the hand tools are that we purchase, at some point, they go missing. I like to stock up on dollar store hand tools now, so I never hesitate to let the kids (or Chris) borrow them or help me in the garden with an extra one. I’ve also found in recent years that the dollar store trowels that manage not to get lost over the course of a season or two are actually much more durable than the dollar store hand tools of years past.

I do still have my favorite beautiful but inexpensive wood garden tools that I use if I’m working alone in the garden. These weren’t expensive at all, but they’re so pretty and sturdy that I really don’t want to lose them, so I don’t let anyone else touch them. 🙂

Galvanized Buckets

I’ve been shouting my love for dollar-store galvanized containers from the rooftops ever since I first discovered how to age those cheap, shiny buckets to make them look perfectly aged and worn in. And I’ll do it again. 🙂 Of all the different dollar store gardening supplies, these are probably my favorite, even though you find them with the boxes and baskets, not the gardening gear.  These galvanized buckets make the most charming planters for all of your summer annuals, and they cost just a fraction of what you’d pay for a regular planter in a garden center.

More horticultural style for your garden: How to Use a Basket as a Planter

Terracotta Pots

If you like the classic look of terracotta pots, the dollar store is the best place to find them. They always seem to have an assortment of sizes, and you can’t beat the price! Check out my post on Aging Terracotta Pots With Paint for an explanation of how to instantly give brand-new pots a little extra charm.

Tomato Cages and Grow Bags

The dollar store gardening section seems to get bigger and bigger every year, and I was so impressed with their selection of tomato cages and other various supports this year. Tomato cages are great for holding up a number of different plants, and they also have some of those great peony rings as well, which are perfect for all kinds of fast-growing perennials.

I like to use grow bags as liners for my large planters, so I can easily switch them out between seasons, so I was happy to see that the dollar store had grow bags this year as well!

More frugal gardener-favorite tricks: How to Safely Use Salt to Kill Weeds

Protective Burlap

It’s always a good idea to have a supply of burlap on hand to cover your flower pots and veggies in the event of a late frost. If you happen to see burlap like this at your local dollar store, now is a great time to stock up for protecting tender plants in the fall as well! The garden section may not still be on display in your dollar store as summer moves towards fall, so keep that in mind as you shop for all your gardening needs this spring.

Soil Scoops

Soil scoops are my latest little discovery this year, and the dollar store has a huge selection of them. They’re so simple, but they make such a difference when you’re trying to fill 20 planters with potting mix. I’ve always just used my trowel for moving and distributing different types of dirt and potting mixes, but using a big soil scoop makes the whole process about ten times easier. It’s my dream to have a little potting area with big lidded containers of different types of soils and potting mixes, each one with its own soil scoop. I’ve got the scoops for it now, at least! 🙂

Read next: How to Use Epsom Salt for Roses and Other Plants

Wreath Forms

If you like to make wreaths with dried blooms from your garden for fall or fresh-cut greenery for the holidays, the dollar store has everything you need. Find different types of florist wire, as well as wreath forms in all shapes and sizes, in the craft section.

What dollar-store gardening supplies have you found super useful?

Did you enjoy this post? Subscribe to my free newsletter for exclusive content and seasonal ideas for your home, garden, and kitchen delivered right to your inbox.