Organic Gardening News

Amazon Prime Day may be hogging the headlines this week, but Walmart is running its own summer patio sale, and some of these products are super impressive. While Prime Day deals tend toward gadgets and appliances, Walmart’s competing event leans more into outdoor living items like furniture, lighting, fire pits, and other accessories that actually make you want to hang out in your garden.

Whether you're starting from scratch or filling in some empty gaps, here are 12 picks that are worth adding to your cart before the sale ends. It's the simplest way to turn your patio into a stylish outdoor living space.

Outdoor Dining

Eating outside is one of summer's great pleasures, but it requires a table and chairs that can handle the weather without warping, rusting, or requiring you to drag them inside every time it rains (that’s just no fun).

Better Homes & Gardens Lilah Parisian Outdoor Bistro Set, Black

A two-seater bistro set that gives you the feel of a cafe terrace in Paris. It’s perfect for any balcony or small patio, and is built for year-round outdoor use. The chairs are wrapped in weather-resistant PE rattan, and the whole set is designed to hold up through the seasons without losing its looks.

Mainstays Albany Lane 5pc Dining Set, Teal

This may be a Walmart own-brand outdoor dining range, but it seriously punches above its price point. A steel or aluminum frame with a slatted tabletop and four stackable chairs is the setup that works for most gardens, and this one comes in at a price that leaves budget for the rest of the patio.

Serwall 5-Piece Patio Dining Set

A seriously durable outdoor dining set built from HDPE. This is the same material used in marine decking, which means it genuinely won't rot, warp, fade, or crack no matter what the weather throws at it. The table includes a built-in umbrella hole so you can add shade without needing a separate base, and the whole set is designed to blend with any outdoor setting.

Outdoor Seating

The centerpiece of any good patio is a comfy place to sit, and Walmart's sale has options across every style and budget, from statement lounge chairs to full conversation sets.

Serwall Outdoor Rocking Chair

A classic porch rocker built from HDPE, which is the same absolutely indestructible material used in outdoor decking. It won't rot or fade, and doesn’t need repainting. It can hold up to 380 lbs, and the blue finish is a really fresh alternative to the usual neutral palette we’re always seeing these days.

Walsunny Wicker Oversized Egg Shell Lounger Lawn Chair With Cushion

Truly a statement piece that earns its price tag. Handwoven PE wicker over a steel frame, with a cocooning egg-shell shape and plush cushions that work just as well indoors as out.

Mf Studio 3-Piece Patio Furniture Conversation Set

A fancy, all-weather rattan sectional sofa set with a coffee table and cushions included. This is the kind of setup that would cost you a lot more if you got it from a specialized garden center. The all-weather wicker and acacia wood frame are built for the elements, and the neutral beige tones will match almost any outdoor space.

Shade & Lighting

Once you have somewhere to sit, the next priority is staying comfortable in the sun and being able to stay outside once it goes down.

Autlaycil 13ft Solar Patio Umbrella with LED Lights

A large-format patio umbrella that pulls double duty as it also features outdoor lighting. 36 solar-powered LED lights are built into the canopy, charging during the day and coming on automatically at dusk. This means none of those pesky cables are necessary.

Daybetter Solar Outdoor String Lights

To this day, fairy lights are still one of the easiest ways to transform a patio into a cozy setup after dark, and solar versions mean zero running costs and no extension cords trailing across the garden.

Daybetter Set of 2 Outdoor Solar Lanterns

Freestanding or hanging solar lanterns add instant atmosphere to a table or fence post without any wiring. A simple, affordable finishing touch that makes evenings outside feel like you actually tried to make it look nice.

Fire Pits & Outdoor Warmth

A fire pit can extend the season quite a bit. Even on cooler summer nights, it keeps the garden usable well after dark, and the social pull of an open fire is hard to beat.

Bali Outdoors 32 Inch Fire Pit With Poker

A well-designed, versatile fire pit that works as both a bonfire centerpiece and a basic outdoor grill. The 20-inch fire bowl contains sparks effectively (can’t have burn holes in your guests' clothes), the grill grate rotates 360 degrees and adjusts in height, and the whole thing goes together in under 20 minutes. Absolutely solid value for the price.

Auhilence 36" Fire Pit for Outside

A large fire pit that works equally well for warmth and casual outdoor cooking. Built from 100% steel with a hollow design, it has high-temperature paint and is rust-resistant, so it will last you several summers. Even better? The outer ring doubles as a foot warmer!

Edx 19-Inch Portable Propane Fire Pit

This is a great alternative for anyone who wants the ambience of a fire without the ash, smoke, or need to stockpile firewood. It comes all prepared with lava rocks and a 10-foot hose that connects straight to a standard 20lb propane tank, which means you just have to hook it up and you’re ready to go. It’s also approved for use during fire ban seasons, which makes it an awesome choice if you never need it for campgrounds or areas where wood fires are restricted.

Some of us start the day with coffee in hand and a pair of secateurs at the ready. Others don't truly come alive until the sun dips, preferring to water, deadhead, and pot up plants long after everyone else has gone indoors. And I've long suspected that there is a secret third category besides "early bird" and "night owl": the perennially exhausted pigeon.

As the parent of small children, sleep currently feels more like an elusive fantasy. I am neither cheerfully greeting the dawn nor embracing glamorous midnight gardening sessions. Instead, I drift through the garden at odd hours clutching a lukewarm tea and wondering if I've already watered that pot, or merely thought about watering it.

Thankfully, my garden seems to have adapted to my chaotic schedule. And, over the years, I've realised that some plants genuinely reward early risers, while others save their best performances for dusk. Which means, yes, you can absolutely find the best plants to suit your biological clock.

The Best Plants to Suit Your Biological Clock

The idea of setting out to choose the best plants to suit your biological clock might sound nonsensical, but there is real science behind it. After all, gardening experts say there is a correct time to water plants (usually early in the morning, when evaporation is lower and foliage has time to dry during the day, helping to reduce the risk of fungal diseases).

But what if evening is the only time you reliably make it outdoors? Well, don't despair, as entire moon gardens can be designed around plants that release their scent after dark or whose pale flowers glow in the twilight.

So whether you're up with your birth month bird, out with the fireflies, or operating on permanently sleep-deprived pigeon time like I am, here are the plants most likely to suit your body clock. You're welcome.

If You're an Early Bird...

1. Morning Glory

If there was ever a flower designed for morning people, this is it. Morning glories unfurl their trumpet-shaped blooms at dawn before closing later in the day. If your idea of bliss involves coffee, birdsong, and a quick wander around the garden before the rest of the house wakes up, this is your plant.

Shop Morning Glory Seeds:

KVITER Tall Morning Glory Seeds Mix

These morning glories promise a beautiful mix of hues wherever you plant them.

HOME GROWN Morning Glory Seeds

Bold blue flowers? Now that's a sight worth waking up for!

KVITER Grandpa Ott Morning Glory Seeds

Rich purple blooms are the order of the day with this variety of morning glory.

2. Roses

Many gardeners swear roses are at their most beautiful in the early morning, when blooms are fresh and fragrance often seems strongest in the cool air.

(Image credit: Galina Grebenyuk / Shutterstock)

Plus, if you're already outside early, you'll be perfectly placed to tackle deadheading before the day heats up. Sound ideal? Then get yourself a Heavenly Scented rose in a 3-gallon pot from Spring Hill Nurseries at Lowe's.

3. Herbs and Salad Crops

Early birds are ideally suited to growing vegetables like herbs and salad crops. Snipping basil for breakfast eggs or harvesting lettuce for lunch before the sun gets too intense feels deeply virtuous – even if you're still in your pyjamas. Vegetables and leafy crops also appreciate the consistent moisture that morning watering provides.

Naturally, the Heatwave Blend Lettuce Seeds from Burpee knows how to keep its cool when things get hot, hot, hot. Or try something like Seed Needs Basil Seedsif you want a low-stakes, low-commitment kind of herb.

4. Thirsty Container Plants

(Image credit: Jacky Parker Photography / Getty Images)

Container gardens dry out quickly, especially during summer. If you're naturally awake early, you'll have a head start on watering before temperatures rise and evaporation ramps up (trust me, your hanging baskets will thank you for it).

Shop Garden Watering Essentials:

Know Before You Grow

XLUX Long Probe Soil Moisture Meter

A 16-inch probe allows you to easily measure soil moisture throughout your garden beds.

Terrain Daffodil Copper Rain Chain

Rain harvesting is already the chicest trend of all (who doesn't love to grow sustainably), but this cute AF rain chain takes things to a whole new level.

Terrain Heritage Garden Hose

Available in three eye-popping hues, this hose is here to do a job AND look good doing it.

If You're a Night Owl...

1. Night-Scented Stock

Night owls, this one is practically your mascot. The rather understated flowers of night-scented stock become (no surprises here!) strongly fragrant after dusk, filling the garden with perfume just as you're finally getting a moment to yourself. That intoxicating perfume honestly feels like excellent validation for anyone whose gardening day doesn't start until 9pm.

Keen to give it a go? Try sowing these Evening Scented Stock Seeds from Everwilde, stat.

2. Nicotiana

(Image credit: Ros Drinkwater / Alamy)

Flowering tobacco may not look especially dramatic by day, but many varieties release their intoxicating fragrance in the evening. Plant these Nicotiana Mix Bedder Seeds near a patio or seating area and you'll be rewarded every time you sneak outside for five minutes of peace after bedtime.

3. Jasmine

If night gardening had a signature scent, this would be it. Jasmine releases its most intoxicating fragrance in the evening, making it perfect for anyone who finally steps outside once the house is quiet. Honestly, my patio smells amazing all summer long thanks to this one plant!

Train it near a doorway, pergola, or seating area, and it will reward late-day wanderings with a scent that feels almost unfairly luxurious after a long day.

Shop Jasmine Plants Below:

The Night-Blooming Beauty

Daisy Ship Night Blooming Jasmine

Night-blooming jasmine does exactly what it says on the tin; it releases a rich, sweet scent after sunset, filling your garden or patio with its signature tropical aroma. Perfect for moon gardens and outdoor evening spaces.

The Evergreen Alternative

Nature Hills Nursery Star Jasmine

Despite the name, star jasmine isn’t a true jasmine, but it produces masses of beautifully scented white flowers in summer, and its glossy evergreen leaves mean it looks good all year round. In fact, I’d argue it’s just as romantic as the real thing.

The Sun-Loving Cousin

Nature Hills Nursery Confederate Jasmine

Closely related to star jasmine, confederate jasmine is another evergreen climber prized for its powerful fragrance and elegant white flowers. It’s a popular choice in warmer climates and makes a wonderful patio plant.

4. Silver Foliage Plants

Plants with silver or grey foliage, such as lamb's ear, dusty miller, and artemisia, reflect moonlight beautifully and can appear almost luminous at dusk. If you regularly find yourself wandering the garden after sunset, they're worth making space for.

Shop Silver Foliage Plants:

Heart Light

Nature Hills Nursery Jack Frost Brunnera

Plant these perennials in May to add instant structure and feature large, frost-coated, heart-shaped leaves laced with delicate green veining, creating an effect often linked to cracked porcelain. It promises a lifetime of low-maintenance illumination in the shade, topped off with sky-blue spring blossoms deer ignore.

Tropical Sheen

CZ Grain Candidum Sr. Caladium Bulbs

Sprouting into massive gleaming leaves, this calcium variety features an almost translucent quality, 'Candidum Sr' is perfect for grouping in large accent pots or planting en masse along a dark foundation wall for dramatic impact, and also grows well in containers.

Woodland Shimmer

Daylily Nursery Japanese Painted Ferns for Shade

A little treat for your yard’s dampest corners, this robust fern showcases an award-winning tapestry of metallic silver, dusty blue, and fading purple red ribs. It is highly shade-tolerant and thrives on neglect, making it a perfect choice for planting under mature trees.

Ultimately, the best plants for your biological clock are the ones that fit naturally into your life. Honestly, if you're forcing yourself to care for thirsty containers at 6am when you're genetically programmed to emerge at noon, you're going about this gardening lark all wrong; it should bring you joy, after all, not breed resentment.

Personally, as that perennially exhausted pigeon, I've learned to embrace a garden with 24-hour appeal – morning glories for the dawn people, jasmine for the night owls, and plenty of forgiving plants for those of us muddling through somewhere in between. What will you be choosing for yourself, I wonder?

Investing in one of the best pizza ovens is a great way to make the most of your outdoor space, whether you're hosting friends or simply want restaurant-quality pizza at home. Better still, pizza ovens aren't just for pizza. Many can also be used to roast vegetables, cook meat and fish, bake bread, and even whip up desserts, making them a versatile addition to your patio ideas that will raise your cooking game.

Before you buy, you'll want to think about your budget, the type of fuel you'd prefer to use, and how much cooking space you need. Just like the best grills, pizza ovens come in gas, wood-fired, electric, and multi-fuel models, each with its own advantages.

To help you choose the right one, our team has tested bestselling pizza ovens from leading brands including Ooni, Gozney, and our top pick Solo Stove – which is currently on sale for Amazon Prime Day. We assessed each model for ease of use, heat-up time, cooking performance, build quality, and value for money, making plenty of pizzas (and trying a few other dishes along the way) to find the best options for every budget and cooking style.

The Quick List

Best overall

Solo Stove Pi Prime

The best pizza oven overall

The gas-fired Solo Stove Pi Prime is the best overall pizza oven we'd recommend for most people. It's very easy to set up and use, it's affordable, and, of course, it cooks great pizza. We wish it had a built-in temperature gauge, but the compact design makes it portable, so you can have an unforgettable pizza night anywhere you want. Save 27% this Prime Day on a Pi Prime bundle with an infrared thermometer, stainless steel pizza peel, and shelter.

Read more below

Best for indoor use

Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven (CPZ-120)

The best indoor pizza oven

The Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven is designed specifically for indoor use. It uses electricity to cook, so without all that extra stuff to worry about, it's easy to use and perfectly safe to live on your kitchen counter. It may not give you all the wood-fired flavor you're looking for, but it still cooks great pizza without a lot of fuss.

Read more below

Best compact pizza oven

Gozney Arc Pizza Oven

The best compact pizza oven

The Gozney Arc is a compact, gas-powered pizza oven that will fit almost anywhere in your backyard. Its unique design makes it one of the fastest on this list, cooking delicious restaurant-quality pizza in as little as 60 seconds. Just be prepared for the premium price tag. The standard Arc cooks 14-inch pizzas, while the XL model can handle 16 inches.

Read more below

Best electric pizza oven

Ooni Volt 2

The best for indoor or outdoor use

The Ooni Volt delivers the same fantastic pizza experience as the famed company's gas and wood-fired pizza ovens, with much less work required. Yes, it's expensive, but it absolutely delivers in every way. It's electric-powered and easy to operate, yet cooks just as well as any fuel-powered outdoor oven.

Read more below

Best premium pizza oven

Breeo Live Fire

The best premium pizza oven

The Breeo Live Fire Pizza Oven is well-built, cooks great pizza, and offers an unbeatable experience when paired with a Breeo fire pit. It's one of the most expensive pizza ovens we've reviewed, but you certainly get what you pay for with exceptional craftsmanship and a truly enjoyable cooking experience. Plus, right now you can save 20% on a bundle for Amazon Prime Day.

Read more below

Best for versatility

Ooni Karu 12

The most versatile pizza oven

The Ooni Karu 12 is a versatile pizza oven that delivers excellent results whether you cook with wood, charcoal or gas – and it looks great while doing it. Lightweight and portable, it's equally suited to garden entertaining or taking on the go.

Read more below

Best gas pizza oven

Ooni Koda 16 Propane Gas Pizza Oven

The best gas pizza oven

The Ooni Koda 16 is a sleek, high-performance gas pizza oven that cooks large, crowd-pleasing pizzas in as little as 60 seconds.

Read more below

Best for Portability

Gozney Roccbox Outdoor Pizza Oven

The best portable pizza oven

The Gozney Roccbox is a portable, durable pizza oven that delivers restaurant-quality results wherever you cook.

Read more below

The Best Pizza Ovens: Expert Reviews

There's no shortage of choices when it comes to pizza ovens; electric, countertop ovens are super easy to use and will fit nicely in your kitchen while some higher-end gas and wood-powered ones can cook your pizza in as little as 60 seconds. To help narrow down the options, we've tested the best pizza ovens on the market, assessing everything from ease of use and heat-up times to cooking performance and value for money.

The Best Pizza Oven OverallFuture / Jason CockerhamFuture / Jason CockerhamFuture / Jason Cockerham1. Solo Stove Pi Prime

The Best Overall Pizza Oven

Fuel: Propane | Pizza size: 13-inches | Weight: 30 lbs | Dimensions: 15.5 x 20.5 inches (h x dia)

Preheats and cooks quicklyCooks evenlyAffordalbleNo built-in temperature gaugeTop gets very hot

The Pi Prime pizza oven from Solo Stove is the latest in their wide range of high-quality outdoor furniture. It combines a lot of great features with an affordable price tag, making it easy to rate it as the "Best Overall" pizza oven for most people.

Design: The circular design of the Pi Prime keeps the overall size of the oven relatively small, which means it can fit almost anywhere in your backyard. It's even small and light enough to make it portable, so you can have pizza night at a friend's house or even at the campground. It's not quite as small and light as the Ooni Karu, but it's quite manageable. The best part is there's hardly any setup involved. Simply insert the stones and connect your propane tank, and you're ready to go.

The stainless steel construction makes it durable, so you can leave it outside without having to worry about it getting damaged. If you don't have a covered porch or other weather-proof place to store it long-term, I'd recommend picking up the cover for it, but it will still last even without it.

I do wish there were a built-in temperature gauge, but it's not the end of the world.

Performance: I was most impressed by how quickly the Pi Prime heated up. Every other oven I've tested took at least 25-30 minutes to be ready to cook, but the Pi Prime was ready for pies in about 15 minutes. And once preheated, nearly every pizza was fully cooked in about 90 seconds.

Luckily, we didn't have to sacrifice quality to get that speed. Every pizza I cooked, from plain cheese to tomato-basil, was exceptional. The thin crust on the bottom was nice and crisp, and the edges had that light, airy texture you get from restaurant-quality pizza.

Value: My favorite thing about the Pi Prime is that you get all of this - a great design, fast cook time, and excellent flavor – all at a very affordable price.

Reviewed by Jason Cockerham

Buy it if

✅ You want to cook pizza fast: The Pi Prime can be preheated in about 15 minutes. And once it's ready, you can crank out hot, fresh, delicious pizza in about 90 seconds. That's the quickest prep-to-serve time of any pizza oven we've tested.
✅ You want to cook on a budget: Solo Stove is known for its high-quality yet affordable fire pits. Now, you can get the same great quality in a pizza oven that won't break the bank.
✅ You want great taste without a lot of work: The best part of the Pi Prime is how easy and hassle-free it is to use. Using propane means there's no wood or ash to deal with, and the whole thing can be set up in minutes.

Don't buy it if

❌ You don't like guesswork: There's no built-in temperature gauge on the Pi Prime, and while the flame adjustment knob has a recommended setting indicated on it, you'll still need a separate thermometer to know for sure.
❌ You're looking for that authentic, wood-fired flavor: The base version of Pi Prime runs only on propane. So if you really want a more classic wood-fired flavor, you'll have to pay more to upgrade.

Test Results

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

High quality, simple, easy to use

★★★★★

Performance

Quick to preheat and cook with great results

★★★★★

Value

The perfect blend of quality and affordability

★★★★★

The Best Indoor Pizza OvenFuture / Jason CockerhamFuture / Jason CockerhamFuture / Jason Cockerham2. Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven

The Best Indoor Pizza Oven

Fuel: Electricity (1800W) | Pizza ovens: 12-inches | Weight: 35lbs | Dimensions: 11 x 19 x 17.5 inches

Doesn't take much counter spaceRegulates temperature wellSimple, unassuming designTakes a long time to preheatDoesn't cook evenly

Cuisinart is no stranger to kitchen appliances, so it makes sense they would make a solid, kitchen-ready pizza oven. The Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven is compact, so it fits well on the kitchen counter, and it's incredibly easy to use.

Design: Cuisinart's design language here is pretty smart in that it's quite inconspicuous. It doesn't stand out too much and honestly looks like any other large toaster oven might. That means it fits quite comfortably into any aesthetic and the silver, black, and red colors can match pretty much any decor.

With a simple dial for setting the temperature and a basic timer on the side, there's not much to think about when it's meal time. And the big front window and oven light let you watch the pizza cook in all its glory. They've even included some suggested temperature settings right on the window for you.

Best of all, they include all the accessories you need, and aside from the pizza stone, they're all dishwasher safe, so cleaning up is a cinch.

Performance: I was impressed with the results of the pizza oven, particularly considering it's not gas or wood-fired. I noticed it does tend to cook a little hotter on one side than the other (not uncommon for pizza ovens), so I recommend turning it halfway through cooking.

The crusts fluffed up nicely, and the pepperonis had those nice crispy edges. Deep-dish pizza cooked just as well, but just be aware the deep-dish pan is quite heavy when full, so you'll need two hands.

Value: The price isn't too unreasonable because you're really getting a completely uncomplicated pizza oven. The convenience and simplicity of it alone make it a great option for your first pizza oven.

Reviewed by Jason Cockerham

Buy it if

✅ You want a hassle-free pizza oven: The Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven is incredibly easy to use. It's essentially a big toaster oven so you set the temperature, slide in the pizza, and you're ready to go. There's no fuel or anything to worry about.
✅ You have limited space: Not everyone has a great outdoor space to set up a pizza oven which makes this pizza oven a great choice. It sits comfortably on the kitchen counter so you can cook in any weather, and it's compact so you'll still have plenty of room for everything else.
✅ You want a great value: It's hard to argue with what you're getting here. It's easy to use, compact, and well priced.

Don't buy it if

❌ You prefer a quiet kitchen: While it's not disruptively loud, you'll certainly notice this pizza oven while it's on. So if you plan on having a lot of guests over or you just don't like lots of chaos in the kitchen, you might look elsewhere.
❌ You don't have a lot of prep time: This pizza oven can take as long as 30 minutes to be preheat, and potentially another 15-20 minutes to actually cook, so you'll need to plan ahead.

Test Results

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Compact and unassuming, with easy-to-use features

★★★★

Performance

Cooks great pizza without a lot of fuss

★★★★

Value

Priced competitively with extra convenience built-in

★★★★★

The Best Compact Pizza OvenFuture / Jason CockerhamFuture / Jason CockerhamFuture / Jason Cockerham3. Gozney Arc

The Best Compact Pizza Oven

Fuel: Propane/natural gas | Pizza size: 14-inches | Weight: 74lbs | Dimensions: 18.1 x 14.8 x 6.8 inches

Very fast cook timeBeautiful, compact designCooks evenlyUp to an hour to preheatExpensive

The Gozney Arc is a stylish pizza oven from one of the top names in the business. They've brought their extensive experience of building commercial pizza ovens into your backyard with a compact, premium-designed pizza oven that can cook delicious pizza in as little as 60 seconds.

Design: The Gozney Arc looks similar to what you might find in a professional pizza kitchen, and for good reason: it's heavily inspired by Gozney's own commercial-grade pizza ovens. Unlike the professional-grade ovens, however, there's very little setup or installation required for the Arc. Once it's out of the box, there are a few small pieces to slot in place, and that's it. The unique dome shape allows the flame to 'arc' up and across the entire roof of the oven, which cooks every pizza quickly and evenly.

The Arc is also the most premium-looking oven we tested. It looks stunning in the backyard and will be certain to turn some heads at your next pizza night. It's easy to tell how well crafted the Arc is, and that quality design language extends to Gozney's accessories as well. The serving peel, turning peel, pizza rocker, and cutter our tester received were all high quality as well.

Performance: I was quite impressed that Gozney's claim of being able to cook a pizza in 60 seconds held true. Once it was fully preheated to the desired temperature, the pizza was fully cooked in just one minute. The big downside here is that to reach that peak temperature of 950°F, the oven had to preheat for a full hour. But the results were well worth it as the pizza was cooked perfectly every time with a thin, crispy bottom crust and a delicious, airy edge.

The design of the Arc allows for much more than just pizza to be cooked in it, and I also had great success with cooking a steak, veggies, and homemade tortillas for tacos.

Value: The Gozney Arc is expensive, but for someone look to spend a little extra for a top-tier pizza experience, it's worth the investment.

Reviewed by Jason Cockerham

Buy it if

✅ You want to cook pizza fast: Thanks to the unique design of the Arc, you can have hot fresh pizza ready to serve in as little as 60 seconds. You'll need to stay close so you can turn it when needed, but it's all part of the fun.
✅ You want to class up your backyard decor: There's no denying the slick design of the Gozney Arc. It looks unlike anything else on this list and will be sure to turn heads at your next backyard gathering.
✅ You want a cleaner cooking experience: The Gozney Arc is powered by propane or natural gas which means there's hardly any mess to worry about. There's no ash to deal with and it's much easier to regulate the temperature without trying to figure out how many logs or pellets to add.

Don't buy it if

❌ You don't have much time to prep: While the Arc's design helps it cook quickly and evenly, the downside is that it can take up to an hour to fully preheat, depending on the temperature you need. If you don't often have that kind of time before dinner, the Arc may not be for you.
❌ You're on a budget: The premium design and cooking experience of the Arc doesn't come cheap. While this is the least expensive Gozney pizza oven currently available, it's still one of the more expensive we've tested.

Test Results

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Compact, beautiful, premium design

★★★★★

Performance

Delicious pizza cooked blazingly fast

★★★★★

Value

Pricey, but good long-term value

★★★★★

The Best Electric Pizza Oven

(Image credit: Ooni)4. Ooni Volt 2

The Best Electric Pizza Oven

Fuel: Electric | Pizza size: Up to 13 inches | Weight: 38.8 lbs | Dimensions: 21.5 × 17.4 × 10.4 inches

Very simple to use Authentic, delicious flavor Independent top and bottom heat controlsExpensiveCan't store outside

The Volt 2 is the successor to Ooni's first electric-powered pizza oven, the Volt 12. As you'd expect, the quality is just as impressive as the rest of the brand's lineup.

Design: The Ooni Volt 2 takes inspiration from Ooni's other pizza ovens with its trapezoid-like shape. It differs from the others in that it has no chimney (thanks to electricity) and no long legs to stand on. Despite packing in all the electrical components, the Volt 2 has a noticeably smaller footprint than its predecessor while retaining the same cooking capacity. It also retains heat incredibly well and is safe enough to use indoors.

Even with its sturdy build, it's also the simplest Ooni to use. The entire thing is operated with just three dials and is perfect for anyone just starting out on their pizza-making journey. The controls are granular enough that you can even adjust the balance between the top and bottom heating elements while your pizzas are cooking.

Performance: Our tester, Dan, could not say enough great things about the quality of the pizza cooked in the Ooni Volt. He was impressed with how well the electrically powered oven was able to match the quality of other wood- and gas-fired ovens he's tested.

Aside from a classic cheese pizza, he tested cold meats like prosciutto, salami, serrano ham, pepperoni and, of course, plenty of veggies. Everything he tested cooked perfectly evenly without needing any adjustments to the oven during the process – certainly not something that can be said for every pizza oven.

Value: The Volt 2 remains one of the most expensive pizza ovens we've ever tested. Even premium gas-powered ovens like the Gozney Arc cost less, and Ooni's own wood-fired pizza ovens can produce exceptional pizza for hundreds of dollars less.

That being said, it's hard to argue with the combination of convenience and quality offered by the Ooni Volt 2. Sure, it's expensive, but it's also one of the easiest ways to make incredibly good pizza at home.

Reviewed by Dan Fauzi

Buy it if

✅ For stone-baked flavor without the hassle: The Ooni Volt 2 cooks delicious, restaurant-quality pizza at the turn of a dial, with no external fuel required.

✅ You want to make pizza indoors year-round: Designed for indoor use, the Volt 2 lets you enjoy restaurant-quality pizza whatever the weather.

✅ You want good pizza, fast: The Volt 2 heats up quickly and, with Pizza Intelligence™ presets and responsive controls, can cook authentic pizza in as little as 90 seconds once it's up to temperature.

Don't buy it if

❌ You want something portable: The Ooni Volt 2 needs to be plugged into a power outlet, making it far less portable than gas or wood-fired pizza ovens.

❌ You want an outdoor-only pizza oven: The Volt 2 is designed for indoor use, so if you're after a traditional outdoor pizza oven experience, a gas or wood-fired model will be a better fit.

❌ You're looking to save money: The Ooni Volt 2 is one of the most expensive pizza ovens we've tested. While its convenience helps justify the price, there are excellent gas and wood-fired alternatives available for much less.

Test Results

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Price & availability

A lot of great features, at a hefty price

★★★★

Design

Thoughtfully intentional design

★★★★★

Performance

Extremely simple to use and cooks authentic stone-baked pizza

★★★★★

The Best Premium Pizza OvenFuture / Jason CockerhamFuture / Jason CockerhamFuture / Jason Cockerham5. Breeo Live-Fire Pizza Oven

The Best Premium Pizza Even

Fuel: Wood | Pizza size: 12-inches | Dimensions: 19 x 27.5 inches (h x dia) | Weight: 76lbs (with stones)

No assembly requiredEnjoyable cooking experienceExceptional qualityExpensiveOnly works with compatible fire pitHeavy

The Breeo Live-Fire Pizza Oven will elevate your pizza night in almost every way possible. From the incredible quality and durability of the oven itself to the wonderfully delicious pizza you get every time, it's hard to go wrong with it. It's not hard to see how much care, thoughtfulness, and intention go into Breeo's products, so you know you're getting what you pay for.

Design: The simple, modern design of the Breeo Live-Fire Pizza Oven (and accompanying fire pit) will add plenty of elegance and beauty to any backyard. The stainless-steel construction means it not only cooks well, but it can also withstand the elements and retain its clean, industrial look for years to come.

The thicker pizza stones help retain more heat, so there's less reheat time between pizzas, and the temperature gauge on the side means you've got everything you need to start cooking great pizza (you'll still need a pizza peel, of course).

Performance: The great build quality extends beyond just the looks of the pizza oven. Every pizza we cooked in it came out hot, fresh, and delicious. The open window at the bottom gave us easy access to the fire below, making it easy (and fun) to adjust the temperature of the fire as needed.

The design of the oven contributed to every pizza being cooked quickly and evenly, without too much charring on the bottom, even after almost an entire half of the pizza toppings were spilled on it.

Value: There's no getting around how expensive the Breeo Live-Fire Pizza Oven is. Especially as you can't even use it without a Breeo fire pit, which is also a tad pricey.

That being said, you certainly get quite a lot for the price. The Breeo pizza oven will last for years to come and give you delicious pizza consistently, every time you use it. Plus, the live-fire cooking experience is truly enjoyable.

Reviewed by Jason Cockerham

Buy it if

✅ You already own the fire pit: The Breeo Live-Fire Pizza Oven is only compatible with the brand's existing fire pit.
✅ You don't want to deal with any setup: It comes fully assembled in the box. Just slide in the pizza stones, set it on top of your fire pit, and that's it.
✅ You want unbeatable craftsmanship: Every Breeo pizza oven (and fire pit) is handmade in the USA, and it shows. You can clearly see the exceptional craftsmanship and durability in every inch of the pizza oven.
✅ You want an authentic, wood-fired cooking experience: Cooking in the Breeo Live-Fire Pizza Oven is a truly enjoyable experience. It takes some work to get the fire going and manage the temperature, but that's all part of the experience.

Don't buy it if

❌ You want something more compact: The Breeo Live-Fire Pizza Oven is quite large and the stainless steel makes it heavy too. It's not something you'll want to move around a lot, especially since the compatible fire pits are heavy as well.
❌ You don't want to spend a lot: The pizza oven by itself is already quite expensive, but to make matters worse, it only works with a Breeo fire pit, which are also quite expensive.
❌ You want something easier to use: There's a fair amount of work involved in using the Breeo pizza oven. You need to build the fire, and continually maintain or adjust it as needed throughout the cook.

Test Results

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Price & availability

Quite expensive, but worth the investment

★★★★

Design

Exceptional design, unbeatable quality

★★★★★

Performance

Deliciously great pizza that's fun to cook

★★★★★

The Most Versatile Pizza Oven

(Image credit: Amazon)6. Ooni Karu 12 Outdoor Pizza Oven

The Most Versatile Pizza Oven

Fuel: Wood, coal, and gas | Pizza Size: 12 inches | Dimensions: 31.5 x 15.8 x 30.3 inches (DxWxH) | Weight: 26.5 lbs

Cook with the convenience of gasQuick to heat up Folds away for easy transportationEasy to use You need to pay extra for the gas attachment

The Ooni Karu 12 is one of our tried-and-tested favourites, offering the flexibility to cook with wood, charcoal or gas. It's one of the most versatile ovens we've tested, although the optional gas burner is sold separately.

Design: The Karu 12 is compact, lightweight and easy to assemble, taking just a matter of minutes to get up and running. It weighs only 12kg, making it easy to move around the garden or pack up for trips away, and the folding legs and removable chimney make it even more portable. Like the old Fyra model, you can either buy a bespoke portable table for your Ooni to live on or place it on an existing outdoor surface.

Performance: In terms of ease of use, the Karu 12 is as straightforward as it gets. Keep an eye on your pizza as it cooks and rotate it every 20 seconds or so for a perfectly cooked crust and bubbly mozzarella. We found the wood-fired mode delivers plenty of authentic flavour, but our gas-cooked pizzas were easier to control and therefore more evenly cooked, making the optional gas attachment a worthwhile investment. Once up to temperature, the Karu 12 can cook pizzas in as little as 60 seconds.

Value: The Karu is one of our favourite pizza ovens, but its higher price tag means it's a little disappointing that the gas attachment doesn't come included. The Woody has just pipped it to second place on our list because of price comparison (despite this getting a slightly higher score) – it costs the same amount as the full Woody kit before you shell out for the peel, thermometer, gas attachment and cover. That said, if you value the flexibility of switching between traditional wood-fired cooking and the convenience of gas, the Karu 12 remains an excellent investment.

Reviewed by Millie Fender

Buy it if

✅ You want the flexibility of multiple fuel types: The Karu 12 can cook with wood, charcoal or gas (with the optional gas burner), so you can choose between authentic flavour and fuss-free convenience.

✅ You want a portable pizza oven: Weighing just 12kg with folding legs and a removable chimney, the Karu 12 is easy to transport and store.

✅ You love authentic wood-fired cooking: The Karu 12 delivers delicious smoky flavour when cooking with wood, while still giving you the option to switch to gas for easier temperature control.

Don't buy it if

❌ You don't want to buy extra accessories: To get the most from the Karu 12, you'll need to budget for extras like a pizza peel, infrared thermometer and, if you want gas cooking, the optional gas burner.

❌ You're on a tight budget: By the time you've added the gas attachment and essential accessories, there are better-value pizza ovens available.

❌ You want the easiest pizza-making experience: While the Karu 12 is straightforward to use, wood-fired cooking takes more practice than a dedicated gas or electric oven, and you'll need to manage the fire as you cook.

Test Results

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Price & availability

Great value, but the optional gas burner and accessories add to the overall cost

★★★★

Design

Lightweight, portable and well-built, with a removable chimney and folding legs

★★★★★

Performance

Cooks excellent pizzas in 60 seconds with the flexibility of wood, charcoal or gas

★★★★★

We think the Ooni Koda 16 is the ultimate gas pizza oven, serving up 16in sharing pizzas that are perfect for feeding a crowd in just 60 seconds.

Our reviewer was impressed by how sleek and modern the design of the Koda was, and she had no problem connecting the hose and regulator to the gas cylinder. She found the L-shaped flame took a little getting used to, but once she'd perfected the technique of rotating the pizza every 20 seconds for an even cook, the results were well worth it. That said, you will need to buy a pizza peel separately, as Ooni doesn't include one in the box, and it's essential for getting your pizza in and out of the oven, as well as rotating it once it's in to cook. This is the same with most other ovens though, so it's likely you'll have that expense whatever oven you buy.

Once tried and tested, we loved the Ooni Koda 16's performance, our only other gripe being the lack of in-built thermometer which makes it hard to guage when the oven has reached the optimum temperature for pizza cooking. Again, you can buy this separately, but we would have liked to see one included in the build which is why this oven didn't quite achieve full marks. However, it still makes a great investment for your outdoor kitchen in our book.

Gardeningetc rating 4.5/5 stars – read our full Ooni Koda 16 pizza oven review

The Best Gas-Powered Pizza Oven

(Image credit: Amazon)7. Ooni Koda 16 Gas-Powered Pizza Oven

The Best Gas-Powered Pizza Oven

Fuel: Propane gas | Pizza Size: 16 inches | Dimensions: 24.96 x 23.2 x 14.65 inches | Weight: 40 lbs

 Space for 16’’ pizzas Simple to set up Easy to use Legs fold up for storage Cooks pizza in 60 secondsIt’s heavy and the gas tank is even heavier No built-in temperature gauge 

The Ooni Koda 16 is the ultimate gas pizza oven, serving up 16-inch sharing pizzas that are perfect for feeding a crowd in as little as 60 seconds. Its extra-large cooking surface and sleek, modern design make it a standout choice for outdoor entertaining.

Design: Our reviewer was impressed by how sleek and modern the Koda 16 looked, and she had no problem connecting the hose and regulator to the gas cylinder. Assembly couldn't be simpler – just unfold the legs, insert the pizza stone, and it's ready to use. That said, you will need to buy a pizza peel separately, as Ooni doesn't include one in the box, and it's essential for launching, turning and removing your pizzas. An infrared thermometer is also a worthwhile extra, as there's no built-in temperature gauge.

Performance: The L-shaped flame took a little getting used to, but once she'd perfected the technique of rotating the pizza every 20 seconds for an even cook, the results were well worth it. We loved the Koda 16's performance, producing beautifully crisp pizzas with evenly cooked toppings in around 60 to 90 seconds. Its generous 16-inch cooking surface also makes it ideal for larger pizzas and feeding a crowd.

Value: The lack of a built-in thermometer meant the Koda 16 just missed out on full marks, but it remains one of the best gas pizza ovens we've tested. While you'll need to budget for a few essential accessories, it's a worthwhile investment if you regularly entertain or want consistently excellent pizza with minimal fuss.

Reviewed by Laura Crombie

Buy it if

✅ You regularly cook for a crowd: The generous 16-inch cooking surface is perfect for making large sharing pizzas and feeding family and friends.

✅ You want a gas pizza oven that's easy to use: The Koda 16 is quick to set up, heats up in around 20 minutes, and cooks pizzas in as little as 60 seconds.

✅ You love entertaining outdoors: With its sleek design, spacious cooking area, and consistently excellent results, the Koda 16 is a fantastic centerpiece for an outdoor kitchen.

Don't buy it if

❌ You want a lightweight, portable pizza oven: Te Koda 16 is one of Ooni's larger models and is better suited to staying in one place.

❌ You don't want to buy extra accessories: You'll need a pizza peel to get started, and an infrared thermometer is highly recommended as there's no built-in temperature gauge.

❌ You're on a budget: The Koda 16 is a premium gas pizza oven, and there are smaller or multi-fuel models available for less if you don't need the extra cooking space.

Test Results

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Price & availability

A premium investment, but worth it for the generous cooking space and excellent gas performance

★★★★

Design

Sleek, modern and easy to set up, with a spacious 16-inch cooking surface and foldable legs

★★★★★

Performance

Produces beautifully crisp pizzas in as little as 60 seconds with excellent heat distribution once you've mastered the L-shaped flame

★★★★★

The Best Portable Pizza Oven

(Image credit: Amazon)8. Gozney Roccbox

The Best Portable Pizza Oven

Fuel: Wood fired and gas | Pizza size: 12 inches | Dimensions: 21.2 × 16.1 × 18.5 inches (D × W × H) | Weight: 44 lbs

Cook with the convenience of gasFolds away for easy transportationAvailable in a range of colorsIt takes a long time to heat up

The Gozney Roccbox is a compact, portable pizza oven that delivers outstanding results and premium build quality. While it can cook with both wood and gas, we found it performed best using the included gas burner.

Design: The Roccbox seriously wowed us from the moment we took it out of the box. We tested the green version, although it's also available with a grey silicone jacket. The silicone exterior stays warm rather than hot during cooking, making it safer to touch than many rival pizza ovens. Despite its sturdy build, it's compact enough to transport and store with ease.

Performance: We found the wood-fired fuel box a little small and it took around 40 minutes to reach cooking temperature. Switching to gas transformed the experience, with the oven heating up much more reliably and producing beautifully cooked pizzas in just over a minute. The Roccbox consistently delivered crisp bases and evenly cooked toppings, making it one of the easiest portable pizza ovens to use.

Value: While the Gozney Roccbox sits at the premium end of the market, it includes a gas burner as standard, which is often sold separately with competing multi-fuel pizza ovens. If you value build quality, portability and consistently excellent results, it's well worth the investment.

Buy it if

✅ You want a premium portable pizza oven: The Roccbox is compact, durable and easy to transport, making it ideal for gardens, camping trips and cooking on the go.

✅ You prefer cooking with gas: The included gas burner makes the Roccbox quick to heat up, easy to control and capable of cooking pizzas in just over a minute.

✅ You value premium build quality: From its silicone outer jacket to its sturdy construction, the Roccbox feels exceptionally well made and built to last.

Don't buy it ifDon't buy it if

❌ You want the best wood-fired experience: The wood-fired fuel box is quite small and takes noticeably longer to heat up than when using gas.

❌ You're on a budget: The Roccbox is one of the pricier portable pizza ovens, even if the included gas burner helps justify the cost.

❌ You want to cook large pizzas: The Roccbox is designed for pizzas up to 12 inches, so it isn't the best choice for feeding larger groups.

Test Results

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Price & availability

Expensive, but the included gas burner adds excellent value compared to many rivals

★★★★

Design

Exceptionally well built, with a safe-touch silicone jacket and a compact, portable design

★★★★★

Performance

Outstanding results on gas with quick cooking times, though wood-fired cooking is slower and less convenient

★★★★

How to Choose the Best Pizza Oven for You

If you're considering a pizza oven, there's a few things you'll want to keep in mind during you're search for the best one for you:

What Size Pizza Oven Do I Need?

Most pizza ovens we tested will cook about the same size pizza (12-14 inches), which suits most families. If you entertain a lot, then size up to 16 inches with the Ooni Koda 16 or Gozney Arc XL.

Don't forget, you can also cook a great deal more than pizza in a pizza oven, so if you want to be able to cook a wider range of dishes, you may want to go for a bigger pizza oven size.

Bear in mind that the physical size of the pizza ovens themselves varies quite widely. The first thing you'll need to find is a place for your oven to live. Some indoor ones will fit well on a kitchen counter, while others will need a dedicated spot outside. It's a good idea to find a good place for it first, so then you'll have an idea of how big an oven you can get.

Which Fuel Type is Best for Pizza Ovens?

The fuel source is critical to your decision. Some pizza purists would say there is no other way to cook it than in a wood-fired oven, and the authentic smoky taste imparted to the crust is one reason why.

Cooking with wood and wood pellets provides a fun experience, and wood can also reach higher temperatures than gas. You can try out different types of wood to experiment with the flavors a bit.

While gas may bring your oven to temperature faster, you get a more ferocious flame with wood or charcoal. That said, reaching this temperature and tending to the fire is one major reason many choose gas. Wood takes time and effort to manage – you need to constantly top up the fuel between pizzas – but you simply turn on the gas, much like an indoor oven, and let it do the rest.

When it comes to running costs, wood pellets are generally the most affordable fuel option, followed by propane gas. Cooking with hardwood logs or lump charcoal can cost more, especially as logs burn relatively quickly and need topping up more often, while pellets and lump charcoal tend to provide a steadier burn.

Upfront prices vary too, but rather than focusing solely on fuel costs, we recommend choosing the pizza oven that best suits your cooking style. If you value convenience, a gas or electric model may be worth the extra expense, while wood-fired ovens offer a more traditional cooking experience. Can't choose? Select a multi-fuel option like the Ooni Karu or Gozney Roccbox above for flexibility.

How Much Should You Spend on a Pizza Oven?

As you've seen from our list here, the prices for pizza ovens vary quite a lot so knowing your budget is one of, if not the first, step in your buying process. While the lowest end of the spectrum starts at around $150, our recommendations start at closer to $300–$350.

Look out for what is included with the pizza oven. All will include the stone and oven but you will always have to buy fuel separately, so factor this in. Often multi-fuel ovens require you to buy the gas attachment on top of the cost of the oven, too.

Some pizza ovens come as a kit including a peel and thermometer. These aren't essential but it is much harder to get the right temperature without a thermometer and very, very hard to put a pizza in an oven without a peel, so see where they are included. Finally, a cover is a nice extra. It will mean you can protect your oven outdoors over summer.

For our part, we found that every oven we tested cooked good pizza (certainly better than most fast-food pizza shops) with the differences being mainly in the time it took from start to finish and the versatility of the oven.

What Build Quality Should You Look For?

When buying a pizza oven you want something that is built to last. Look for an oven with a thick stone floor, at least 3/4 inch thick. While you can pick up a generic pizza oven for a reasonable price at your local DIY store, you’re better off investing a little more money (or a lot, depending on your budget) on a brand that specialises in them.

Brands like these will have spent a lot of time and money on developing the look and design of their pizza ovens, so not only will they look great, but they’ll have been built with quality materials that ensure years of use.

Should You Go for a Built-in or Portable Pizza Oven?

Nearly all of the pizza ovens on our list are portable to some degree. Many are small enough to set up on a table (or other heat-proof surface) and then put away at the end of summer. These are not space hungry (although you will want room to store in a shed or garage), and they can be taken camping or to a friend's house if you want a pizza party elsewhere.

A built-in pizza oven is a much bigger commitment. For one, you need a large enough space – safely away from fencing or trees – to build your pizza oven in. You also need to be pretty sure you are going to give it plenty of use. That said, many will double as an outdoor fireplace, so a trattoria-style brick pizza oven could be a wonderful focal point in your outdoor dining area.

How to Clean a Pizza Oven

One of the best things about pizza ovens is that there is typically very little cleaning or maintenance involved, but there's still some, depending on the type of oven you purchase. For the most part, you'll need to brush or gently wash down the stone(s) along with the peel, and that's about it. Just be careful to never use soap on the pizza stones, as that can cause them to crack and break. Warm water and/or a steel brush are all you need.

For fire-burning ovens, you'll need to clean out any ash left every so often, and for the gas ones, just make sure you have enough propane for your next cook. That's essentially it.

How We Tested These Pizza Ovens

Trust us: it isn't hard to find willing pizza oven testers on our team. Every pizza oven in this guide was tested in a real home backyard over the course of several weeks. Our reviewers assembled each oven themselves, timed how long it took to heat up, and cooked multiple pizzas to assess how easy it was to achieve an evenly cooked crust, bubbling cheese, and crisp base.

For multi-fuel ovens, we tested every available fuel type to compare heat-up times, ease of use, and cooking performance. Where appropriate, we also experimented with cooking foods beyond pizza, including vegetables, meat, and baked dishes, to see how versatile each oven really was.

As well as judging the quality of the finished pizza, we looked at how straightforward each oven was to set up, operate, and clean. Some models were as simple as plugging them in and turning a dial, while others required more hands-on fire management and temperature control. Neither approach is necessarily better – it simply depends on the type of cooking experience you're looking for.

Because these ovens are designed for home cooks rather than professional pizzaiolos, our testing team includes reviewers with a range of experience levels, from complete beginners to seasoned outdoor cooks. This helps us judge how approachable each model is straight out of the box.

Finally, wherever possible, we continue using the products long after the review has been published. That allows us to assess long-term durability and update our recommendations if our experience changes over time.

The Expert Testers

There’s a certain stubbornness that comes with sitting outside when it’s 95 degrees, insisting you're fine, even though you’re sweating through your dress and melting into your garden chair. For years, the only patio shade ideas I relied on were a parasol and small shade trees, but after trying a patio misting system, I don’t know how I ever managed without one.

The science of it is actually pretty simple: fine water droplets evaporate the second they hit the air, pulling heat with them and taking the temperature around you down by up to 20°F. You don’t even need electricity, just a standard garden hose. Even better, the mist raises the humidity around heat-sensitive plants and creates a cool, damp microclimate that things like basil and lettuce thrive in.

The One That Convinced Me

This is perfect for those who have never installed a misting system before. HOMENOTE's 26FT system (currently over 40% off for Amazon Prime Day) connects to a standard garden hose and fastens to umbrella canopies, railings, and covered patio roofs. This means that for you, setup takes less than 10 minutes and doesn’t require any tools, hiring a plumber, or even going down a YouTube rabbit hole looking for a tutorial.

The 26-foot line with seven brass nozzles is the right size for an average patio or deck, producing a fine, barely-there mist rather than that aggressive kind of spray that soaks your furniture and will irritate your guests. Brass nozzles last much longer than their plastic counterparts and are far less prone to clogging. This is certainly worth noting, as nozzles are always the first thing to break on cheaper systems.

Homenote Misting Cooling System, 26ft (8m) Misting Line + 7 Brass Mist Nozzles + Brass Adapter(3/4") Outdoor Mister for Patio Backyard Garden Greenhouse

For gardeners specifically: run it along the edge of a raised bed or container garden area, and your plants get a cooling overhead mist during the hottest part of the day. This is essential to reduce heat stress and keep the soil from drying out as fast. One system that does two jobs for you; now that’s an easy choice, especially when it costs well under $30.

More Misting Systems Worth Buying

Standing Mister

Mixc 8-Nozzles Standing Misters for Outside Patio

MIXC's standing misting system is an easy way to cool patios, decks and poolside spaces without the need for electricity. Its height-adjustable tripod, eight flexible misting nozzles and 36ft leak-resistant hose provide wide, even coverage, while the sturdy freestanding design means you can set it up almost anywhere in minutes.

Best Premium Option

Hykolity 20" Outdoor Pedestal Oscillating Misting Fan

This 20-inch high-velocity pedestal fan with a built-in misting function is made to live outside permanently rather than having to be lugged outside on hot days. For gardeners, the height range and oscillation mean you can position it to keep both yourself and raised beds or containers cool at the same time. It connects to a standard garden hose rather than a self-contained tank, so it can run as long as you need.

Best for Portability

Westtree Portable Misting Fan

This misting fan is perfect if you want to be able to move it around. It doesn’t require a hose, installation, or even a water tap. The WESTTREE runs on a rechargeable battery for 10 to 36 hours, gets water from its own 4-gallon (15-liter) water tank, and wheels around on built-in wheels. The dual 360° spray heads and 90° auto-oscillation cover a 15 to 20-foot radius, and the ultra-fine mist evaporates instantly, so no wet furniture. For gardeners, the portability is a real advantage, as it can be rolled wherever plants are struggling in the heat, or set the timer to pre-cool a greenhouse before you even go outside.

Best for Large Gardens

Mixc Misters for Outside Patio, 75ft

The MIXC covers 75 feet with 23 brass nozzles and a standard 3/4-inch adapter. What that means for you as a gardener is that it can run around a full patio perimeter, through a greenhouse, and still have enough line left to cover a raised bed area. If you're cooling a large entertaining space or a working kitchen garden, you’re better off buying this than something shorter. The push-to-connect fittings make it genuinely DIY-friendly even at such a big scale.

Best Budget Option

Mellbree Misters for Outside Patio 45ft

This is a great budget option if you’re still on the fence about a misting system and just want to try one out for cheap. It comes pre-assembled, which is awesome, along with 12 brass nozzles and covers a 45-foot patio, greenhouse, or garden space. No DIY cutting or fiddling around with a connector, just a straight out of the box. The dual-use design means it works well as a gentle watering system for your raised beds, vegetable garden, or greenhouses.

Best for Greenhouses

Bonviee Misters for Outside Patio

The Bonviee comes with 75 feet of tubing, 28 brass nozzles, a built-in stainless steel filter, and a replacement filter in the box. I mention the filter because for greenhouse use, this is the detail that really matters. The filter prevents mineral deposits from clogging the nozzles, and that’s always the biggest maintenance headache when it comes to a misting system in a place with hard water. Run this along the interior ridge of a greenhouse, and you'll significantly extend the range of plants you can grow through hot summers, including ferns, orchids, and tropical foliage that would normally struggle.

For me, the epitome of lush and healthy lavender tends to be tied up with picturesque scenes of rolling hillsides, coated with fragrant purple. Trouble is, the reality of growing lavender can often be a little less picturesque (and how many of us are lucky enough to have rolling hillsides to fill with plants?). Summer comes round, and we hope for those nascent spikes of baby blooms – and it can be genuinely gutting when our own lavender plants seem to be losing their mojo.

Visions of intoxicating evenings inhaling evocative fragrance seem mocking when the reality is a sad, woody clump that looks like it’s giving up on life. It can be tough when you feel like you're doing everything right by your lavender. You’ve given it a sun-baked spot and resisted the urge to drown it, yet the blooms are sparse and the fragrance is barely a whisper. Seeing this quintessential tough beauty underperform, it's tempting to just chalk it up to fate and assume you don't have the magic touch.

But don’t give up just yet. The thing is, your lavender doesn't want to be pampered with expensive, rich fertilizers. In fact, the secret to unlocking a flurry of billowing summer blooms is likely hiding in a box of school supplies, by which I mean ordinary chalk. Now, I know, the idea of crumbling kiddie’s chalk into your flower beds sounds like a playground prank. But chalk really can work wonders for your glum-looking lavender in early summer, and here’s how it works….

Why Does Lavender Crave Chalk?

To understand why a humble piece of chalk can transform your lavender’s fortunes, consider where this fragrant diva feels most at home. Most backyard soil across the US is naturally rich, slightly acidic, and dense, which is basically the exact opposite of what lavender wants. Native lavender enjoys clinging to the sun-baked soils of Provence or the rugged coastal cliffs of Greece, and thrives in lean, alkaline earth.

Now, back to that packet of chalk. Standard white chalk is pure calcium carbonate. Basically, when introduced to your garden bed, it acts like a soothing antacid, neutralizing the acidity and mimicking the chalky, high-soil pH environment that your lavender is secretly homesick for. This gateway to high summer is your best chance to take action. As we hit the peak of the sunny season, your lavender is working overtime to push out those iconic spikes. By introducing chalk to your soil now, the plant has both the energy and the incentive to grab that chalk with gusto.

(Image credit: BRIAN ORMEROD PHOTOGRAPHER / Alamy)

Of course, it’s all a balancing act, and chalk isn’t going to be a magic fix if your soil is claggy or sulking in full shade. But allowing for your lavender type, growing zone, sunshine exposure, and soil drainage, checking in with your soil pH levels is vital. When the soil is too acidic, lavender is unable to absorb the nutrients around it. By lifting that barrier, you allow the plant’s roots to freely drink in what they need to produce robust stems, vivid purple spikes, and potent essential oils.

What Kind of Chalk is Best?

(Image credit: Blanchi Costela / Getty Images)

If you are eyeing a dusty box of chalk in your kid’s art box or play closet, let’s clear a few things up. Yes, you absolutely can use traditional white blackboard and sidewalk chalk, which is primarily composed of calcium carbonate (the ingredient found in agricultural lime). However, leave the neon, glittery, and washable outdoor chalks alone. Those modern varieties are loaded with artificial dyes, polymers, and binders. Stick to plain, old-school white chalk. You can grab Crayola Anti-Dust White Chalk (12 Count) from Amazon for a safe calcium carbonate top-up.

The way you use it is also important, though: this isn’t about burying chalk sticks randomly in your borders. It’s best to apply your chalk either as a fine powder or a chalk tea. And don’t expect overnight results: this is a slow-release treatment. For growers who don't fancy tucking into art supplies for that chalk fix, you can also lower acidity in your soil by using agricultural lime or finely crushed eggshells or even oyster shells. They all do the exact same job: boosting alkaline levels for your lavender. You can buy Espoma Organic Garden Lime from Walmart. This granular garden lime is formulated to dissolve quickly into the soil with larger lavender beds.

How to Tell Your Lavender Needs It

(Image credit: Inomasa / Getty Images)

Signs of an underperforming lavender plant are most apparent during June and July. Midsummer is the ultimate stress test: the sun is super-hot, and your lavender is likely burning through massive amounts of energy trying to push out those signature summer spikes. If your soil pH is off, this is when things grind to a halt quite noticeably. Telltale signs can involve yellowing on the lower leaves, while the rest of the plant stays a dull gray. If lavender growth has stalled, or you pinch a leaf and barely detect any sort of fragrance, your plant is sending out a definitive SOS.

If any of this describes your lavender right now, don’t panic: this is just a time to stage an intervention. Where the soil has likely become too acidic, this is your cue to take action, However, the maxim is: don’t guess, always test. Don’t just throw chalk into the mix before testing your soil first. Use a good diagnostic tool like the Luster Leaf Rapitest Digital Soil pH Meter from Amazon to get a precise reading of your soil's current acidity levels. It can let you know in minutes whether your lavender is genuinely homesick for an alkaline boost. If it reads below a neutral 7.0, it’s fine to get that chalk working for you.

Are All Lavenders Chalk Addicts?

(Image credit: Philippe Gerber / Getty Images)

Before you start sprinkling your new secret weapon, just bear in mind that not all lavenders share the exact same level of chalk dependency. Our yards are usually home to the Big Three lavender types (English, French, or Spanish), each with their own personality. English lavender (L. angustifolia) is a real chalk lover. If you want sweet culinary blooms and potent oils, a high-soil (alkaline) pH is non-negotiable. French (L. dentata) and Spanish (L. stoechas) lavenders are slightly more laid back about a neutral soil, but they still heavily rely on the structural calcium that chalk provides to develop strong, heat-resistant stems.

Plant age matters, too. Tender, young transplants need a gentle hand so you don’t shock their developing roots. Woody, established old-timers will happily welcome chalk to rejuvenate their stale beds. Where you are growing lavender in containers, take note: several commercial potting soils still have peat moss, which is acidic, so check the bag. Container-grown lavenders are susceptible to shifting soil conditions. Potted lavenders in container gardens can run out of steam quickly and almost always require a regular pinch of chalk to keep their root zones sweet.

If you’re looking to extend your lavender family, Southern Living Phenomenal lavender, available from Nature Hills Nursery, handles US humidity and summer stress like a champ. It pairs beautifully with a sweet, chalky soil mix.

How to Add Chalk to Your Soil

(Image credit: PavelRodimov / Getty Images)

Transforming a stick of blackboard chalk into garden gold is simple. But again, please don't just bury a whole stick in the earth. Instead, place a couple of sticks of plain white chalk per plant into a heavy-duty zip-top bag. Use a rolling pin or a pestle and mortar to smash them into a coarse powder. Take your freshly crushed powder and gently sprinkle it around the drip line of your lavender. Using a light hand tool, carefully scratch the chalk into the top two inches (2cm) of the soil, being careful not to dig too deep or disrupt the shallow root system. Dutch-crafted DeWit Forged Hand Cultivator from Amazon is a lovely hand tool for delicate soil scratching.

There is an alternative, especially if you have a container-grown lavender or a plant that is actively sulking in a heatwave: you can use chalk tea. Dissolve your crushed chalk powder directly into a watering can, giving it a vigorous stir, and then pour around the base of the plant. Whichever method you choose, give the area a light, gentle drink of water immediately. This helps to further dissolve the calcium carbonate particles and wash them down to the root zone, where they can get to work. However, when if you think you need faster results, you can use a bit of Jonathan Green Mag-I-Cal Plus for Acidic Soil from Lowe’s for a fast-acting calcium formula that gives instant root relief.

Best Summer Care for Your Lavender

(Image credit: Panmaule / Getty Images)

Once your chalk has been watered in, you can step back. In the blazing heat of July and August, watering sobriety is advised. Overwatering in a heatwave can steam the roots and trigger root rot. Instead, if you do wish to give your lavender a little TLC in the weeks after adding your chalk, try a light midsummer haircut. Use sharp bypass pruners to snip away faded flower spikes, cutting to the first two sets of green leaves. Don’t cut into the woody part, which will stunt the plant. Trimming forces the lavender to channel its newly unlocked energy into fresh, fragrant growth.

While feeding is not generally necessary in summer, you can treat your lavender to a teeny splash of organic liquid seaweed or tomato feed. A liquid tonic like Neptune's Harvest Seaweed Fertilizer from Walmart can help to deliver a gentle, potassium-rich multivitamin hit that intensifies flower color. Finally, if you have organic wood mulch packed around your lavender, replace it with a clean ring of light-colored pea gravel such as best-selling Kolor Scape 0.5 cu. ft. Multicolor Pea Gravel from Lowe's. This protects the root crown from rot and reflects the hot summer sunlight back up into the foliage, keeping the base of your plant bone-dry.

Shop Lavender Essentials

Bringing out the best in your lavender doesn't require plenty of pricey extras. However, a few little care treats can make a huge impact on plant health, flower volume, and essential oil production. This curated trio can help you nurture your favorite fragrant shrubs through the summer heat and set them up for a breathtaking extended season of vibrant color and gorgeous fragrance. Chalks away!

Ground Control

Rosy Soil Rosy Soil Cactus & Succulent Potting Mix, 4qt

Avoid using standard heavy potting soils for your fresh English or Spanish lavender varieties. This fast-draining, grainy blend prevents waterlogging and provides the ultimate, airy foundation for your lavender’s sensitive roots.

Childhood Secret

Crayola Crayola Anti-Dust Chalk

This classic, non-toxic chalk is easy to crush into a powder, providing a slow-release alkaline boost that makes homesick lavender feel right at home.

Summer Tonic

Neptune's Harvest Neptune's Harvest Liquid Seaweed Plant Food, 1 Gallon

If you do want to give your lavender a little fertilizer, add a teeny splash of seaweed. While lavender despises heavy, nitrogen-rich fertilizers, this liquid tonic delivers a gentle multivitamin hit that intensifies flower color.

Need more ideas for timely gardening jobs and seasonal expert advice delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the free Gardening Know How Newsletter!

By this point in June, a peach tree has stopped being a spring project and turned into a summer one. The blossoms are long gone, the little green fruit from a few weeks back have started to swell into something you can picture eating, and the tree is pouring real energy into growing fruit big enough to harvest.

Good peach tree care is really key right now in the back half of summer when your tree's water demands and the insect pressure both crest at once. If you ignore your trees now, they will find a way to let you know their displeasure – split fruit one week, a crop browning on the branch the next.

By the end of June, peach trees are in high gear. The fruit fattens fast, and the heat that ripens it also brings out every pest and disease waiting for a chance. The next few weeks are crucial for how your harvest turns out, so do these tasks now to keep trees happy and full of healthy fruit.

1. Water Deeply

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Heat can both help and hurt a peach tree. It helps fruit get bigger quickly, but it also pulls moisture from the soil faster than the roots can replace it. A tree loaded with a full crop of peaches by June often wants an inch or two (2.5-5 cm) of water a week – even more in sandy soil.

Most people water a little bit and very often often, which keeps the surface damp and not much else. But the feeder roots sitting deeper never really get a drink when you water like this.

Instead, a slow soak at the drip line that is deep enough to wet the top foot (30 cm) of soil goes further than a light daily sprinkle. This braided soaker hose from Amazon makes watering peach trees hands-off. It weeps water right where the roots want it.

Steady watering matters as much as deep watering, too. An uneven watering schedule is exactly what causes fruit to split just before harvesting.

2. Thin Out Extra Fruit

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Thinning peach trees usually happens earlier in the season, back when the fruit was marble-sized. But plenty of trees head into July still carrying clusters that never got dealt with. It's not too late, though. Crowded fruit stays small and shades its neighbors. It also gives brown rot an easy bridge from one peach to the next.

Aim for one fruit every 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm) along the branch and pull the rest. Prune away the smallest and least healthy fruits first. The tree won't miss them – and you would rather ripen forty good peaches than a hundred mediocre ones. Branches carrying less weight are also far less likely to snap later on in the season, which is one less issue to deal with come August.

3. Prune for Light & Airflow

(Image credit: Csondy / Getty Images)

Pruning peach trees in summer isn't really about shaping the tree. It's about getting sun down to the fruit. By now the tree has thrown up a mass of vertical shoots, also known as water sprouts, that crowd the center and shade the fruit that's trying to color up underneath. Snip them out and the canopy opens up, allowing light to reach the peaches that were sitting in shade.

Keep pruning light. A few targeted cuts to vigorous upright growth plus anything dead or rubbing is all you need to do – this isn't the hard winter prune. A clean pair of Fiskars tree loppers from Amazon make quick work of this task and leave cuts that heal fast, which is important in humid weather when open wounds invite disease. Hold off on pruning if your tree is heat or drought-stressed, though. Let it recover first before making any cuts.

4. Stay Ahead of Brown Rot & Pests

(Image credit: Alamy)

Brown rot on peach trees can be devastating. It turns ripening peaches to brown mush almost overnight and spreads on contact. This common peach disease loves the warm, humid stretch right before harvest. The first defense is sanitation. Pull and bin any dead or rotting fruit the moment you spot it and quickly clear what drops to the ground.

Insects show up around the same time as brown rot. Oriental fruit moths tunnel into shoots and fruit, while stink bugs leave dimpled, corky spots where they feed. A weekly walk around your peach tree to check fruit and the undersides of leaves catches most trouble while it's still manageable.

For brown rot in a wet year, applying an organic fungicide like this one from Amazon as the fruit nears ripeness can help, though cleanup does the heavy lifting. Prevention is the best method of control.

5. Support Heavy Limbs

(Image credit: 49pauly/Getty Images)

A branch that looked fine in May may be bending toward the ground by mid-June, weighed down by fruit that's still gaining size. Peach wood is brittle and a heavy limb that splits takes next year's growth with it – sometimes a third of the tree in one loud crack. Walk around trees in June and find the branches sagging the lowest.

Propping up heavy branches is simple. A notched board or a sturdy stake wedged under the limb takes the strain. Alternatively, a set of adjustable limb supports from Amazon does the same job with less fuss, if you'd rather not DIY your own supports.

Tie-ups work, too. Anchor heavy branches to a central stake with soft cloth strips so nothing bites into the bark. Either way, complete this task before the fruit reaches full weight – not after you hear the crack.

6. Refresh Mulch & Reduce Fertilizer

(Image credit: New Africa / Shutterstock)

A few inches of mulch under a peach tree earns its keep in summer. It holds in moisture between waterings and keeps the soil from getting too hot, all while smothering the weeds competing for the same nutrients your tree needs.

If the layer of mulch you added in spring has thinned or broken down by this point in the summer, top it back up to 2 or 3 inches (5-8 cm) of wood mulch or straw. This organic mulch from Amazon is a great choice. Just keep it pulled back a hand's width from the trunk so the bark stays dry.

Feeding is the opposite story. By June, your peach tree should already have what it needs in terms of nutrients and a shot of nitrogen now will only encourage soft new growth right when it should be steering everything it has into fruit and, later, into hardening off for winter. Late feeding can also delay fruit ripening and produce tender shoots that won't survive a cold snap. Hold off on fertilizing peach trees until next spring.

As summer temperatures soar, so does the risk of heat stress in our plants. Our first instinct when we see our beloved hydrangea or hosta start to wilt and turn brown is to drench it with cold water in an attempt to perk it up. But overwatering heat-stressed plants can actually do more harm than good.

When daytime temperatures climb above 85°F, our plants can start to show signs of heat stress. They may begin to wilt, droop, and leaves can even show signs of sunburn. Plants that experience heat stress are more susceptible to pests and diseases, so it’s important to treat this problem fast before it spirals into other issues.

The first step is identifying whether or not your plant has heat stress (or if it just needs a drink). Then it’s time to take action and save your heat-stressed plant without overwatering it and causing a whole different set of problems.

What Is Heat Stress?

Heat stress in plants occurs when temperatures rise above 85°F. The ideal growing conditions for most plants are between 60° and 85°F. So when temperatures reach above that and into the 90° to 100°F and above range, heat stress is a real concern.

Plants that are suffering from heat stress droop, look wilted, may show signs of sunburn, and can become stunted. Sunburn can occur on leaves or stems of plants. It looks like light-colored or discolored splotches on the foliage of your plant and is caused by excessive exposure to bright sun.

(Image credit: Alamy)How to Save Heat-Stressed Plants

If you notice signs of heat stress in your plants while gardening during a heatwave, don’t worry. There are a few simple steps you can take to save plants before it’s too late. But don’t rush out there with the hose just yet, because overwatering heat-stressed plants can actually make the problem worse. Here’s what to do instead.

1. Check Your Soil Moisture

(Image credit: sergeyussr / Getty Images)

Before drowning your plants with a big drink of water, it’s best to check the moisture level of your soil first. You can use the finger test to do this. Simply stick a finger about 1 inch (2.5 cm) into the soil to see if it feels moist. If it does, then a lack of water is not the problem. If it doesn’t, then it’s probably time to give your garden a drink.

Another foolproof method is to use a soil moisture meter, like this one from Amazon. This type of device tells you exactly how much moisture is in your soil and whether or not your plant really needs more water or not.

The best time to water plants is in the morning, but if your plants are wilting and their soil is dry then you can water them at the base of the plant.

2. Add Mulch

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Whether your plant needs more water or not, it’s a good idea to add some mulch around your heat-stressed plants regardless. A layer of an organic mulch, which you can order on Amazon, holds in moisture and keeps plant roots cool.

When temperatures are very high, the soil heats up just like the air and this causes roots to heat up as well. This can cause heat stress in plants, but a layer of mulch helps lower the temperature and adds organic material and nutrients back into the soil as it breaks down over time.

3. Provide Sun Protection

(Image credit: Piranka/Getty Images)

If you notice sunburn or sunscald on your plants, then it’s time to provide some shade. A simple shade cloth, like this one from Amazon, can help protect plants the way sunscreen protects gardeners from the scorching summer rays.

Creating shade for plants will protect foliage from burning and it will also help keep plants cool. Think about how refreshing it feels to step under the shade of a big oak tree on a hot summer day. Give your heat-stressed plants some respite from the blazing sun with a shade cloth.

If you grow plants in containers simply move them to a shadier part of your yard during the hottest part of the day. A covered patio is the perfect spot. You can use a rolling plant caddy, like this one from Amazon, to make moving large planters easier.

4. Stop Fertilizing

(Image credit: Valeriy_G / Getty Images)

You may think that giving plants a boost of their favorite food will help them come out of heat stress stronger, but just the opposite is true. Fertilizer forces plants to push out new growth, which can stress them further. It can also cause sunburn on plant foliage, so fertilizing in hot weather is a bad idea all around.

Instead, if your plants are showing signs of heat stress, immediately stop feeding them. Let them rest and recover before adding more nutrients to the soil again.

5. Remove Ripening Fruits & Faded Flowers

(Image credit: Peter Cade / Getty Images)

If the plants in your vegetable garden have heat stress, then it may be time for an early harvest. Edible plants work hard to send their energy towards developing fruits and vegetables. But this can be at the expense of their own health and vitality.

If you want your plants to keep producing fruits and veggies for the rest of the summer, you can harvest the produce that’s ripening now to give them a break and let them rest before they send out the next round of fruit.

The same principle applies for flowers. If you leave faded flowers on your plants, they will work to send energy towards producing viable seeds in the spent blooms to reproduce. Deadhead flowers that are done blooming to let heat-stressed plants focus on staying alive rather than producing seeds.

Reputable nurseries and seed suppliers have begun taking Amazon by storm, and there are now so many amazing varieties available to purchase online. It's always important to do your research, of course, but scrolling through and finding rare seeds to sow is so exciting, especially when you can sit back and envision the seedlings thriving in your yard.

Whether you're newer to planting seeds or hoping to bulk out your seed repertoire, there's no better time to bag some seed collections for great value. I honestly can't believe how many great picks there are out there on Amazon Prime Day deals – you're truly spoiled for choice.

Here's a round up of my favorite Prime Day seed bundles so far, as well as some highly recommended seed starting supplies that are also slashed down in price.

Flower Seed Deals

25 packs

Valley Green Non-Gmo & Heirloom Premium Flower Seed Set

If you're anything like me you sometimes struggle to decide what flowers to grow because there are so many gorgeous ones to choose from. With this bundle for under $10 you don't have to limit your options!

10 varieties

Sereniseed Sunflower Seeds Collection

Sunflowers radiate joy in the flower world but there are so many more varieties out there than the beautiful classic. This variety pack is bound to show you something new and stunning.

5 varieties

Sereniseed Milkweed Seed Collection

The pollinators in your yard will adore the addition of more milkweed - and for less than $8 it's hard to resist the vision. I love the vibrant orange variety in this bundle which will add a perfect pop of color among the rest of my greenery.

Vegetable Seed Deals

30 packs

Back to the Roots 100% Heirloom Rescued Seeds, Variety Pack

Whether you're new to growing produce or looking to explore planting different crops, this is the ultimate starter pack. Each packet of seeds works out at being less than $1!

Amazon's Choice

Set of 43 Assorted Vegetable & Herb Seed Packets

This bundle offers a variety of vegetable and seeds packets all for the incredibly low price of $9.99. No wonder it's Amazon's Choice – you'l have so much to get growing!

14 varieties

Organo Republic Tomato & Tomatillo Garden Seeds Variety Pack

Regardless of whether you consider tomatoes to be a vegetable or a fruit, they are one of the most versatile crops to use in the kitchen. This variety pack will show you a whole new world of tomato flavors as well as bring vibrant colors to your plate.

Herb Seed Deals

35 pack

Medicinal & Tea Herb Seeds Variety Pack

This herb bumper pack has all your heart could ever desire to grow. At just over $20 it's incredible value. You'll be stocked up with herbs for life!

15 pack

Organo Republic Medicinal & Tea Herb Seeds Variety Pack

If you're looking to get into growing herbs but want to keep things simple this bundle is a great place to start. It includes the basics as well as some mini gardening tools to help you get planting.

15 pack

Home Grown Herb Seeds for Planting

I love how this herb variety pack includes multiple varieties of the same herb, such as both regular chives as well as garlic chives.

Seed Starting Essentials

80 cells

Sondiko Seed Starter Tray With Soft Silicone Cell

This pack of seed starting trays contains four trays of 20 cells - ideal for splitting up your seedlings. I really like how the trays are green to match the foliage of my baby plants as well!

60 cells

Mymulike Seed Starter Tray With Grow Light

If you live in an area without much sunlight or don't have the space for a greenhouse, these seed starter trays with a grow light included will be ideal for helping your seedlings to thrive.

smart technology

Growell Hydroponics Growing System Kit

Hydroponic growing systems can be expensive but the Growell one is 35% off for Amazon Prime Day. Perfect for transfering your seedlings once they've begun to establish.

Summer is a busy time of year with the garden in full swing and outdoor gatherings just about every weekend. Unfortunately, pests can ruin your gardens and your parties.

Common garden pests can destroy large sections of plants quickly and leave your frustrated. I have been battling groundhogs for years and mosquitoes for my whole life! I have rounded up the best Amazon Prime Day deals for pest control so you can spend less time scouring the internet for pest control solutions and more time enjoying your summer.

Read on to see my pest control picks that are on sale during the Amazon Prime Day event this week.

Mosquito Control Deals

(Image credit: mrs / Getty Images)

I am a mosquito magnet so I am always looking for the best products to help me cope with my skeeter neighbors. Here are the best deals on mosquito control products on Amazon.

Thermacell Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller

The Thermacell Mosquito Repeller saves my life in the summer. I turn it on a few minutes before I want to spend some time on my back deck and mosquitoes are banished within a 20-foot radius. It is my essential outdoor living item and you can save a whopping 40% right now!

WildYard Big Bat Box - Bat House

Bats are a natural predator of mosquitoes and the Big Bat Box bat house has almost 3,000 five-star reviews. It is easy to build, helps your local bat population, and will help reduce the mosquito population in your yard. Save 20% with this deal.

Summit Mosquito Dunks

Trying to prevent mosquitoes from taking up residence in your bird bath or pond? Enter the humble mosquito dunk. These mosquito dunks are safe for humans, pets, birds, and other wildlife because they use a bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) that only targets mosquito larvae.

Outdoor Insect Control Deals

Insects like aphids, mites, and Japanese beetles can quickly take over your garden and destroy all your hard work. Here are some great options for controlling outdoor insects.

Adawook 4 Rechargeable Fly Fans

These clever and rechargeable bug repelling fans will help to keep all flying bugs away from your outdoor dining area this summer! They are quiet and hands free so they won’t kill the vibe. The fans are currently 15% off.

Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil

Captain Jack's Neem Oil is my go-to neem oil and you can get 16% savings on the 128 oz. size. It is great for dealing with aphids, mites, and powdery mildew on outdoor and indoor plants.

Catchmaster Japanese Beetle Traps

Japanese beetles love roses, fruit trees, and many other ornamental plants in our gardens. These Japanese beetle traps will help control the beetle population in your garden and are 15% off right now.

Indoor Insect Control Deals

Fruit flies and fungus gnats are some of the peskiest indoor pests. Keep them at bay with these great deals from Amazon.

Terro Fruit Fly Trap 4-Pack

Don’t let fruit flies ruin your bountiful tomato harvest! These traps attract and kill the fruit flies that want to munch on your fresh produce. They are on sale for 27% off.

ZEVO Insect Traps - 2-pack

I love these Zevo traps for both fruit flies and fungus gnats that like to hover around my houseplants. This value pack comes with two devices and cartridges and is currently 20% off.

Mosqueda Fruit Fly & Fungus Gnat Traps

Another tried and tested fungus gnat control method is the humble fungus gnat sticky trap. These little yellow stickies are placed in your houseplant soil and they collect gnats quickly and easily. They are 40% off on Amazon during the Prime Day event.

Animal Pest Control Deals

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

I love wildlife, but these cuties take a real toll on my garden every year. Here are some of the best Amazon Prime Day deals to keep animal pests away.

YITAHOME 6x3x1.5 Ft Galvanized Raised Garden Bed

This metal raised garden bed will help keep out animal pests like rabbits and groundhogs, especially when combined with the garden fencing also listed.

Liquid Fence Deer and Rabbit Repellent

Deer are always trying to graze through my garden, but this product helps a lot. Liquid fence is my favorite to deter deer and rabbits. It is easy to apply and effective. Currently, it has a 47% discount.

Thrivinest Decorative Garden Fence

These easy to install sections of animal barrier fencing look pretty while helping keep that pesky wildlife out of your plants. It is 25% off right now.

Keep an eye on the Gardening Know How site for more of our Amazon Prime Day picks like our favorite lawn care deals and plant deals!

Weekly roundup of three properties that recently sold in Metro Vancouver.

1232 Wellington Dr., North Vancouver

Type: Seven-bedroom, six-bathroom detached

Size: 3,915 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $2,099,000

Listed for: $3,598,000

Sold for: $3,375,000

Sold on: March 13

Days on market in this listing: 15

Listing agent: Brooke Clarke at Stilhavn Real Estate Services

Buyers agent: Rod Bahari PREC at Sutton Group — West Coast Realty

The big sell: This brand new Lynn Valley home was constructed by Page West Developments and Noort Homes and features close to 4,000 square feet of luxury living that encompasses seven bedrooms and six bathrooms. With an eye on entertaining and family life, the thoughtfully-designed floorplan features a stylish great room on the main level that offers a chef-inspired kitchen with oversized island and a walk-in pantry, a dining area and living room, and sliding glass doors that provide a seamless flow onto a covered patio and fully-fenced backyard. There are four bedrooms upstairs including the primary bedroom suite equipped with a walk-in closet and sumptuous ensuite bathroom with a sculptured bathtub and walk-in shower. The lower level has a bright, two-bedroom suite, plus an additional bedroom and a large recreation room that could be used as a home cinema, gym, or playroom.

34 — 8400 Ashleigh McIvor Dr., Whistler

Type: Three-bedroom, four-bathroom townhouse

Size: 2,250 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $3,227,000

Listed for: $2,995,000

Sold for: $2,875,000

Sold on: May 4

Days on market in this listing: 16

Listing agent: Nick Swinburne PREC at Angell Hasman & Associates Realty

Buyers agent: Robert Palm PREC at Rennie & Associates Realty

The big sell: The townhouse community of Red Sky was built in 2016 in Whistler’s Rainbow subdivision overlooking Green Lake and with panoramic mountain vistas. The 41 units are designed over three levels and feature a contemporary esthetic both inside and out with wood detailing on the exterior and chic interiors. This particular home has a south-facing exposure and a flexible layout. There are three ensuited bedrooms on the top floor, generous sized reception rooms including a 15-foot-long family room that could be a fourth bedroom for guests, and a host of modern conveniences such as Control4 smart home automation, heated floors, and electric blinds. An entertainment-sized deck and a private hot tub provide relaxation after a day on the slopes, plus owners have full access to the Baxter Creek Residents’ Club with a saltwater swimming pool and fire pit. This home comes with an integrated single garage and driveway parking, and a monthly maintenance fee of $776.75.

1503 — 1323 Homer St., Vancouver

Type: Two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment

Size: 1,103 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,098,000

Listed for: $1,190,000

Sold for: $1,125,000

Sold on: April 15

Days on market in this listing: 158

Listing agent: Taryn McKay and Brian Fedyshen at Royal LePage Elite West

Buyers agent: Holly Calderwood PREC at Royal LePage Sussex

The big sell: One of the highlights of this two-bedroom corner-unit home is that it was available fully furnished as well as having been professionally decorated, allowing for a buyer to just move on in. It forms part of Pacific Point II, a 28-storey tower that was built by Bosa in 1993 and completely renovated in 2013 with rainscreening and updated windows completed in 2022. It offers a range of amenities that include full-time concierge services, an indoor swimming pool, hot tub, sauna, event room and gym. Inside this condo is an open-concept floorplan with a wall of windows that emphasize the views capturing the city, Burrard Inlet and David Lam Park. There are premium appliances and cabinets in the kitchen and bathrooms, laminate floors, a dining area off the kitchen surrounded by windows, and an ensuited primary bedroom. The home comes with parking, a storage locker, and a monthly maintenance fee of $692.37.

These transactions were compiled by Nicola Way of BestHomesBC.com.

Realtors — send your recent sales to nicola@besthomesbc.com

Want more expert mortgage info? Robert McLister shares Canada’s best national insured and uninsured mortgage rates, updated daily

Related

• Sold (Bought): East Vancouver house sells for more than $300K over asking
• Sold (Bought): Whistler home a blend of understated luxury and rustic charm

Shopping for a new raised garden bed can feel a bit like standing in the middle of a crowded plant nursery: where do you begin? Unlike shopping for plants, it’s not as if you can buy in bulk. I get it, these really can feel like big purchases, and you’ll want to know that the raised bed you pick is durable, generous, and nice to look at, while also blending well with the aesthetic of your yard, patio, or balcony.

Do you fancy heavy-duty steel or warm, natural wood? Do you need a vertical tiered setup to save your back, or a built-in trellis for climbing crops? Trying to balance durability, drainage, and style with a price tag that doesn't make your eyes water is enough to cause serious overwhelm. Well, panic no more, because this guide to the best Amazon Prime Day deals for raised beds can help you skip the endless scrolling. This curated cart-friendly collection hones in on the uber-cool raised bed bargains that can truly raise your growing game while saving you cash.

Maybe you’re just starting out and want something simple, or maybe you’re feeling adventurous and like the idea of building out (or up!) from an existing raised bed plot? This “best of the best” raised bed bonanza covers off some of the loveliest and most practical picks currently available with generous price reductions as part of the Prime Day Event. Take advantage of some of the most bargain-stuffed beds around, freeing you up to focus on your next big planting project – and spending that extra cash on even more plants (don’t worry, we won’t tell).

Big & Beautiful

(Image credit: Joanne Dale / Getty Images)

Raised beds are intended to be practical but that doesn’t mean they can’t look good. They’re going to be housing some precious cargo, after all. Just like a picture frame defines something beautiful, the right bed can also be a thing of beauty. These stylish raised bed ideas balance impressive functionality with sleek aesthetics, all while helping you score generous discounts. Whether you’re after an extra-deep bed for root vegetables or a greenhouse-style combo for large-scale growing adventures, these big and beautiful beds offer longevity, weather resistance and plenty of room.

Deep & Stylish

Vego Garden Vego Garden 17 Inch Raised Garden Bed Kits

Our team is passionate about Vego products, and this is a game-changing raised garden approach. The modular design means you can assemble your bed in a variety of ways, according to garden size and planting needs. These eco-friendly kits are made from long-lasting materials to withstand all kinds of weather. They are solid and stylish, with a capacity of up to 23 cubic feet, and available in loads of colors.

Great Capacity

Land Guard Land Guard 2 Pack Galvanized Metal Raised Garden Bed

If you want maximum growing volume without spending a fortune, this heavy-duty duo is a steal. Offering a massive 36 cubic feet of capacity per bed, the 2-foot (60cm) walls are ideal for deep-root vegetables like carrots. Made from rust-resistant galvanized steel, these beds hold their shape beautifully against heavy soil pressure. They provide a clean silver aesthetic that instantly brightens up any backyard layout.

Combi Greenhouse

Miory Miory Raised Galvanized Bed With Greenhouse Cover

This brilliant two-in-one setup from Miory is one of the steepest discounts we've spotted for Prime Day, nearly half its usual price. Featuring a sturdy 18-cubic-foot galvanized steel base, it is equipped with a custom-fit greenhouse tent cover to lock in humidity and warmth. It’s ideal for starting seeds early or protecting tender tomato plants from unseasonal cold snaps. Roll-up zippered windows make it easy to tend your crops while managing airflow on warmer afternoons.

Compact Corners

(Image credit: KenWiedemann / Getty Images)

If you’re like me, space is not something you have loads of – which is why I love these smaller-sized raised beds, as they still hold their own for all kinds of growing projects. If you are working with a cozy patio, a sun-drenched balcony, or a spare corner of a paved courtyard, compact raised beds are your ultimate ticket to raising your growing game. These space-saving designs prove that limited square footage shouldn't limit your ambitions. You can grow high-yielding salad greens, tumbling patio tomatoes and vibrant ornamentals outside your back door: no digging required.

Perfect for Patios

Lewis & Wayne Lewis & Wayne Handmade Wicker Planter Boxes

This mini raised bed planter gets plenty of style points if you are looking to add extra plants to a patio. The long box style, which can house 2.5 cubic feet of soil, is easy to assemble and comes with a fabric liner to prevent weeds interfering with plant growth. I love the rattan design (available in gray, black or brown), giving a modern twist to a rustic favorite, suitable for all kinds of traditional and contemporary themes.

Durable Space Saver

SnugNiture Snugniture 2 Pcs Oval Metal Raised Garden Bed

For a compact metal option that won’t rust or bow, this SnugNiture bed is a total steal. Holding a solid 8 cubic feet of soil, it’s deep enough to grow root veggies like radishes, or a dense carpet of culinary herbs like basil and rosemary. The sleek oval shape prevents sharp corners on tight patios, while the eco-friendly galvanized steel will handle scorching summers and freezing winters for years to come.

Back Saving

AMERLIFE Amerlife Elevated Raised Garden Bed With Legs

Standing at an ergonomic height, this gorgeous planter is a lifesaver for your back and knees. It offers 6 cubic feet of planting capacity, making it a dream home for trailing strawberries or a colorful display of petunias and marigolds. It features built-in drainage holes to prevent root rot, and an insulated fabric liner. This natural fir bed is a great way to bring structural beauty to a balcony or deck: zero bending required.

Tiers and Trellises

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When horizontal ground space is at a premium, the only way to go is up. Vertical gardening is one of the smartest ways to maximize your space, turning bare walls, tight patios, or blank fences into lush towers of verdant joy. Choosing a raised bed that features built-in tiers or integrated trellises allows you to cultivate deep-rooted vining plants alongside shallow-root herbs. These multi-dimensional setups create a striking structural focal point, while giving climbing crops like sugar snap peas, pole beans, and flowering jasmine the sturdy support they need to reach for the sky.

Wheels for Mobility

Homdox Homdox 5-Tier Vertical Garden Bed With Wheels

This clever 5-tier vertical planter packs 3.2 cubic feet of planting space into a minimal footprint. It is the perfect home for a prolific kitchen herb garden or an overspill of strawberries and trailing nasturtiums. Each individual section features an internal drainage grid to prevent waterlogging, and the sturdy rolling frame means you can chase the afternoon sun with ease. And I absolutely love the mobile locking wheels.

Self-Watering

Keter Keter Urban Bloomer 12.7 Gallon Raised Garden Bed

This highly-rated Keter planter is an urban gardener's delight, holding 1.7 cubic feet of soil at a back-friendly height. It has a smart built-in water gauge and self-watering reservoir that keeps moisture levels consistent, making it well-suited to thirsty crops like cherry tomatoes, peppers, or leafy greens. The bottom shelf is great for your watering can and hand tools (or more plants!), while the graphite finish looks clean and contemporary.

Great for Climbers

SUNYRISY Sunyrisy Galvanized Raised Garden Bed With Arch Trellis

If you dream of harvesting heavy crops like cucumbers, squash, or sweet peas, this 10.5-cubic-foot heavy-duty metal bed is ideal. The heavy-duty galvanized base holds plenty of nutrient-rich soil, while the integrated arch trellis gives vigorous vines a rock-solid skeleton to climb. A bargain at this deal price, yet it looks high-end and creates a gorgeous living archway with enormous architectural interest.

These raised garden deal ideas are for a limited time – so don’t miss out. Whether you’re after a compact unit or a big-capacity beast, these super-bargains are sure to take your gardening adventures to the next level. Don’t forget to keep your eye out for any Clip Coupon boxes as part of these deals. A lot of garden brands stack an extra 10-20% off coupon on top of official Prime Day discounts, so you might bag an even bigger bargain.

Need more ideas for getting the most from your plants, indoors and out, and looking for the best seasonal expert advice delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the free Gardening Know How Newsletter!

We’ve all got a version of our garden in our head that we sometimes dream about while pinning photos to Pinterest. The tools are hung neatly, the cushions are dry, and you’re not tripping over anything on your way to the back door of your shed. However, reality sets in when you actually look outside. A tangle of rakes stares at you from the corner, potting soil bags slump sadly against the fence, and your cushions got all wet and are now getting moldy. Good garden storage is the difference between these two realities.

Garden storage protects your investment in furniture, tools, and equipment from weather, keeps your outdoor space serene and organized, and, most importantly, you can actually find a trowel when you need it.

Amazon Prime Day 2026 gardening deals have brought some of the year's best prices on outdoor storage across every category. Here's what's worth buying.

Patio Storage Boxes & Deck Boxes

A deck box is the workhorse of garden storage; it’s part seat, weatherproof chest, and seriously earns its spot on your patio. The best ones double as extra seating while swallowing up cushions, pool toys, throw blankets, and all the other clutter that accumulates outdoors. Look for UV-resistant resin, a lockable lid, and ideally a reinforced top for sitting.

Maiuscoli Lockable Waterproof Outdoor Storage Box

This 30-gallon deck box is built from durable composite resin with a wood-like finish and is resistant to water, sun, and general wear and tear. The sturdy lid doubles as a bench for sitting, or you can use it as a side table or footrest. It has built-in side handles for easy repositioning, and the lockable lid keeps stored items secure. The best part? Assembly doesn’t require any tools and takes just a few minutes.

East Oak Outdoor Storage Box

Compact yet surprisingly practical, this modern grey storage box is ideal for keeping garden essentials neatly tucked away without taking up too much space. It's made from SGS-certified resin that's designed to withstand sun, rain, and snow without fading or cracking, while its sturdy lid doubles as a seat with a 330 lb weight capacity. With an impressive 4.6-star average from nearly 10,000 Amazon reviewers, it's a well-rated choice for patios, balconies, and smaller outdoor spaces.

Keter Marvel Plus Resin Outdoor Storage Box

This one is larger than the other two, so it's perfect if you’re looking for a lot of storage. It can easily house cushions, pool floats, and garden tools in one lockable place. It comes in a variety of colors and looks far more premium than plastic has any right to.

Outdoor Storage Cabinets

This is the perfect balance if you’re looking for more storage than a deck box has but aren’t ready to fully commit to a shed. Tall, narrow, and lockable, these are perfect for standing long-handled tools upright, stacking cushions, or storing fertilizer bags, all without taking up much floor space. The best models combine multi-wall weatherproof resin with a neutral finish that looks great alongside garden furniture.

Suncast Outdoor Storage Cabinet

Made in the USA from a heavy-duty multi-wall resin that is rain-, snow-, and UV-resistant and will never warp or rust. Three shelf-ready notches mean you can customize the inside, and padlock-ready handles give you extra security. The tall, narrow look means you have a ton of storage, but it takes up minimal space.

Aoxun Outdoor Storage Shed

This vertical resin cabinet from Aoxun punches well above its price point. At 56 inches wide, it’s broader than the typical market standard, and offers greater stability with more usable space. It’s fully waterproof, UV-resistant, and built to stay looking new after years of outdoor exposure.

Yitahome Vertical Outdoor Storage Shed

A seriously spacious tall cabinet that earns its place in any garden. Built from strong double-wall resin panels, it resists rain, UV rays, bending, and puncturing, with 59 cu ft of storage. It’s perfect for garden tools, bikes, and pool accessories with even a little room to spare. It’s flat on top so you can place plants or decor up above, and it has lockable doors to keep your things secure. Note: shelves are sold separately.

Mini Sheds & Horizontal Storage Sheds

Horizontal sheds occupy a smart middle ground where they aren’t quite a full garden shed, but also not a deck box. These keep a low profile, so you can tuck them along a fence line or up against a house. They’re ideal for hiding trash bins, storing lawn mowers, or housing bulky outdoor tools that don’t fit anywhere else. The modern weatherproof resin versions don’t require any maintenance and look much nicer than you would expect.

Suncast Horizontal Resin Storage Shed

This has a 3-door design that locks and can handle heavy loads due to the reinforced floor. Wide double doors and a hinged lid mean you can access it from multiple angles. You can fit small or medium bins, a full set of garden tools, or even a generator. Visually, it keeps a low profile so won’t dominate your garden.

Yitahome Outdoor Resin Storage Shed

Another organized, low-profile option if you need to tuck it away along a fence line or your house. It holds up to 27 cu ft across, which means you can store your lawnmower, a bike, or a pair of trash cans. It has dual-wall resin panels that are wind-resistant and can handle impact or bending. The assembly only takes about 20 minutes, and you can add an additional shelf if you need it.

Keter Store-It-Out Midi Outdoor Resin Storage Shed

This is a compact, 30 cu ft horizontal resin shed with an easy-lift lid and a beige finish that will naturally blend into your garden. It’s a solid option if it’s your first time buying storage, and is a great solution to safely store your garden accessories.

Garden Tool Storage & Wall Organisers

What happens so often is that even if you have a shed or a garage, tools often have a habit of piling up in corners or leaning against walls. A wall organizer can change this entirely, and the best ones make tools actually accessible rather than something you need to search for.

This category has excellent Prime Day discounts on heavy-duty steel systems this year.

Sedy 48-Inch Heavy Duty Garage Wall Organizer

One of the standout bargains of Prime Day 2026. This heavy-duty alloy steel rack is double powder-coated to resist rust, holds up to 300 lbs, and includes three panels and eight adjustable rubber-coated hooks. It can hold everything from brooms and rakes to hoses and leaf blowers. Reviewers say it "saves so much space" and call installation quick and straightforward.

Tidyme 48-Inch Garage Tool Organizer Wall Mount

This is the number one bestseller in the garage storage system hardware category on Amazon. It has 3 carbon-steel racks with adjustable snap-in hooks that can hold 300lbs all together. Installation is super simple with pre-drilled holes and dry-mounting screws.

Everhanger Garden Tool Organizer Stand

This is a practical solution if your shed floor is a permanent obstacle course of rakes and brooms. This is a freestanding rack that is mounted on 4 heavy-duty wheels (2 of which lock in place) so you can easily roll it around the garden or garage and secure it when needed. Multiple storage sections keep tools organized and categorized, so you can also use it for cleaning equipment, sports gear, or a car wash kit.

It’s easy to ignore garden drought prep in June. The borders look lush, the watering can is keeping up, and a scorching August feels a long way off. But that gap is exactly the opportunity. Plants given a few weeks to settle and root deeply before the heat lands handle it far better than ones thrown into survival mode mid-July. Prep now is slow and almost invisible, but it's extremely effective.

And it’s a completely different game from taking care of plants in a heatwave once it’s already here – by then you’re just bailing water on a sinking boat. The jobs that matter build resilience into the soil and the roots – the parts you can’t see – so plants can ride out a dry spell without you hovering over them with a hose. None of it is hard. Most of it is cheap.

June Watering Essentials

Enomol Stainless Steel Deep Root Watering Tool

Say goodbye to shallow watering with this deep root tool that delivers moisture deep down into the soil. It's perfect for trees, shrubs, and fruits.

Suneed 4-Pack Flat Soaker Hoses

The flat design of this soaker hose makes it an ideal tool for watering plants, delivering a slow and even release of water along the entire length of the hose.

Restmo Watering Wand With 10 Spray Patterns

Tailor your watering style to every plant with this best-selling watering wand with an impressive 10 spray patterns – offering everything from a deep soak to a gentle shower.

1. Mulch Beds Thickly

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A couple of inches of mulch is about the closest thing gardening has to an insurance policy. Spread over bare soil, it shades the surface and slows evaporation quite effectively, and it stops the ground from baking into a hard crust that sheds water rather than soaking it in.

Organic mulches like bark or shredded leaves do double duty, breaking down over time to feed the soil as they go. Aim for 2 to 3 inches (5–8 cm) – thinner won’t hold much moisture; thicker can actually keep rain from reaching the roots.

A bag or two of Back to the Roots Organic Premium Mulch covers a surprising amount of bed, though a chipper or a leaf pile can get you there for free. Just keep it pulled back from stems and trunks, where piled mulch invites rot.

2. Water Deep, Not Often

(Image credit: Olga Yastremska / Getty Images)

Daily light sprinklings feel responsible – but they quietly sabotage your plants. Shallow water only ever wets the top inch of soil, so roots stay up near the surface chasing it – right where the sun bakes them hardest the moment you stop. A long, slow soak once or twice a week does the opposite, drawing roots down deep where the soil stays cool and damp far longer.

The aim is to wet the soil 6 to 8 inches (15–20 cm) down, then let the top dry before the next round. These simple soaker hoses from Amazon, snaked through the bed, deliver exactly that without the runoff.

In terms of when to water your garden, early morning is better than evening as the plant drinks before the heat, and the leaves dry off before nightfall.

3. Build Up the Soil

(Image credit: Getty Images)

This is the job that works out of sight, and it’s the one with the longest payoff. Soil rich in organic matter behaves like a sponge, soaking up water when it’s around and holding onto it through the dry stretches instead of letting it drain straight past the roots. Working a couple of inches of compost into beds now – or just laying it on top and letting the worms drag it down – steadily builds that water-holding capacity.

Containers benefit even more, since potting mix dries out fast; mixing in compost or a handful of water-retaining granules, like these Miracle-Grow Water Storage Crystals, buys real time between waterings.

The best bit is that improving soil is not just a quick fix. A border improved this June will cope better every summer after, too.

4. Know Which Plants Suffer First

(Image credit: Alamy)

Not every plant is equally at risk, so it pays to know where the heat will bite first:

• Anything planted this spring tops the list – new shrubs and trees haven’t had time to push roots down deep, so they dry out and stall faster than established ones.
• Containers come next, drying from every side and holding only the water their pot can fit.
• Then the genuine water-hogs: hydrangeas can flop by noon, leafy vegetables sulk, and big soft-leaved plants can give up early.
• Established, deep-rooted perennials, on the other hand, can usually fend for themselves.

Sorting plants into rough tiers now means that when water gets tight in August, you already know exactly where to point the hose first.

5. Take the Pressure Off Now

(Image credit: Yackers1 / Getty Images)

A plant heading into a heatwave already stressed is starting the race ten yards back. Weeds are the obvious thing to clear – each one is drinking water and crowding out root space your plants need, and they multiply fast in warm weather. Pull them while the soil’s still soft. A long-handled weeding tool – like Grampa's Weeder, on Amazon – makes the job easy without straining your back.

A little light pruning helps too: snipping off spent flowers and weak, crowded growth keeps the plant from pouring energy into parts it can’t support once water gets scarce. Don’t get carried away, though – hard pruning in summer forces tender new shoots that scorch in a day.

While you’re in there, scan for early pests or disease, since a colony of aphids or a patch of mildew is a drain the plant really can’t carry into the worst of it.

6. Have Some Shade Ready

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Some afternoons the sun just wins out, and even a well-prepped plant can use a break from it. Shade cloth is the simplest answer – a length of this Treevex shade cloth from Amazon rigged over a vegetable bed or a row of pots takes the worst of the midday glare off without cutting the light entirely, and most is rated by how much sun it blocks, so you can match it to what you’re covering.

For containers you don’t even need cloth – just shuffle them. Sliding pots into the shade of a wall or a bigger plant through the hottest hours spares them the brunt at zero cost.

The really sensitive things, newly planted or already showing scorch, are the ones worth fussing over when an actual heatwave is on the forecast.

7. Start Building a Garden That Needs Less

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The longest-term move is to quit fighting your conditions and start working with them. Grouping plants by how much they drink – thirsty ones together, tough ones together – lets you water efficiently instead of soaking a drought-lover just to reach the fern beside it. It’s a small change, but it provides real water savings all season.

Every time you replace something or fill a gap, leaning toward plants that shrug off dry spells slowly tilts the whole garden toward looking after itself. Mediterranean herbs and ornamental grasses are easy picks, and deep-rooted natives ask for next to nothing once established.

You don’t have to rip everything out and start fresh. A garden that needs less water gets built one sensible swap at a time.

Summer is the time of year many of us look forward to – gorgeous skies, long days, and endless opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. But there's one thing nobody looks forward to: being swarmed by insects.

Unfortunately, this year is shaping up to be a particularly bad one for bugs, especially flying pests like mosquitoes, flies, and wasps. The good news? With a quality insect zapper like the GOOTOP Bug Zapper from Amazon, you can spend less time worrying about pests and more time making the most of the warm weather.

There's plenty to love about the GOOTOP Bug Zapper, making it one of the most standout Amazon Prime Day garden buys. And when Amazon's best-selling bug zapper is available at half price, it's hard to ignore. Here are just a few reasons why it's in my cart.

half price

Gootop Bug Zapper

What is the GOOTOP Bug Zapper?

The GOOTOP Bug Zapper is designed for both indoor and outdoor use. It plugs into a standard three-prong outlet and uses a blue-violet light to attract flying insects. When insects come into contact with the electrified grid, they're killed instantly before falling into a removable collection tray for easy disposal.

You can place the zapper in a range of locations, including an entryway to catch insects before they make their way into your home. It's also well suited to patios, decks, and near front or back doors where bugs tend to gather.

Each zapper is designed to cover up to half an acre outdoors, helping protect a large area from flying insects.

(Image credit: Future/Amazon)Why Do I love It?

I really like the design of the GOOTOP Bug Zapper. Many models on the market can look quite unsightly, but this one has a discreet design that looks more like an outdoor lantern than a bug zapper, making it easy to blend in by a front door or on a patio.

I also like that it includes a removable tray, making it easy to dispose of dead insects. This is especially useful if you've mounted the zapper on a wall, as you won't have to take the whole unit down every time it needs emptying.

As someone who openly admits to being afraid of bugs, I find the half-acre coverage incredibly reassuring. And if you have a larger outdoor space, there's nothing to stop you from buying a second one to extend the coverage.

Customer Reviews

With a 4.5-star rating from more than 26,000 Amazon customer reviews, the GOOTOP Bug Zapper has earned plenty of praise from shoppers.

Reviewers describe it as "surprisingly effective", especially given its sub-$30 sale price. Many also appreciate that it starts working as soon as it's plugged in, eliminating the need to spray chemical insecticides or pesticides around the home.

Customers note that you'll likely hear a small zap when an insect is caught. Rather than finding it annoying, many say the sound reassures them that the zapper is doing its job, with some even saying it's convinced them to buy additional units.

The blue-violet light has also proved popular, with several reviewers saying it creates a pleasant ambience for evenings spent outdoors.

Shop More Insect Prevention Supplies

Stylish Design

Augutex Led Bug Zappers

If you'd prefer a different design to the GOOTOP Bug Zapper, this one is a great choice. It almost looks like a little radio or purse with its little strap!

Expert Swatter

Nymrix Electric Fly Swatter Racket

A handheld bug zapper swatter like this can come in incredibly handy. My family home has one and we all reach for it during the warmer weather.

Plug-in Trap

Tienbe Flying Insect Trap

This little plug in bug zapper is discreet and super affordable. Suitable for every part of the home.

Zap Em High!

Rotating Head Electric Fly Swatter

This bug zapper is genius and perfect for helping you reach insects that are high up on the ceiling and out of the radius of other bug zappers in your home.

Solar Powered

Solar Bug Zapper Outdoor

This cordless bug zapper is perfect for bringing around the house with you if you're going from room to room, or even on a trip like camping, picnic or to the beach.

Keep Bugs Out

Magnetic Window Screen

You won't have to worry about bugs getting into your home when you open the windows in the evening to let the cooler air in with these magnetic window nets.

There comes a point in every houseplant lover's journey when the collection starts to look less like a carefully curated indoor jungle and more like you've accidentally opened a small garden centre in your living room. I should know – for the jury's consideration, please see Exhibit A: my bathroom windowsill.

If you know, you know. Shelves groan under the weight of pots, your houseplants have a definite Day of The Triffids vibe to them, propagations take over every available surface, and your once-stylish windowsill has disappeared beneath a sea of mismatched terracotta and nursery containers.

It's a very real problem, essentially, for anyone who has lived it. And that's why I was immediately taken with these stackable mini greenhouses when I stumbled across them during another late-night doomscroll session.

Stackable Mini Greenhouses? Sign Me Up!

Rather than simply housing plants, these stackable mini greenhouses from HB Life turns them into a display in their own right – creating a clean, contemporary look that feels more boutique hotel than chaotic plant parent.

Made from clear acrylic, the transparent walls mean light can still reach your plants, while the magnetic door provides easy access for watering, pruning, or simply admiring your latest leafy acquisition.

HBlife Clear Stackable Greenhouse

This stackable greenhouse allows you to turn your plants into a chic minimalist display.

Measuring 14.1 x 8.6 x 10.6 inches, these stackable mini greenhouses are compact enough to sit on a desk, shelf, sideboard, or windowsill, making them ideal for small spaces. And, even better, ambitious plant parents can create a striking vertical display without sacrificing precious floor space.

The greenhouse is designed for seed starting and propagation, making it a particularly attractive option for anyone nurturing cuttings. It is also perfectly suited to small houseplants, too; think tropical plants such as begonias, ferns, baby alocasias, and philodendron cuttings, all of which could all benefit from the more sheltered environment.

"Only just put them together, but currently rating 5 stars! I needed a way to give my plants sunlight without my kittens knocking them over or eating them," reads one five-star review on Amazon.

Another adds that it did wonders for their humidity-loving houseplants, noting: "I like that it's plastic so I don't have to worry about accidently breaking it."

Shop Houseplant Essentials:

Fortune-Friendly Watering

PlanKKers Iridescent Self Watering Rainbow Globe Planter Inserts

... that or make life easier for yourself and set up a pretty indoor watering system.

Mindful Tool Kit

KIIZYS Indoor Garden Tools

These lightweight tools are perfect for indoor gardening tasks.

Balancing Spray

Lianshi Lianshi Plant Mister

Keep your plants happy with a thorough misting (it helps if the mister is as pretty as this one!)

Still, let's be honest; practicality is really only half the appeal here, as what really elevates this greenhouse is its aesthetic potential. For renters, apartment dwellers, or anyone trying to bring a little more order to an ever-expanding plant collection (guilty as charged!), it could be an elegant solution to a surprisingly common problem: how to keep your houseplants looking chic rather than cluttered.

And with the greenhouse currently discounted for Prime Day, there's never been a better excuse to give your favourite plants the designer-worthy display they deserve.

As someone who owns quite a few bird feeders, I’ve grappled with indecision about buying another. My yard isn’t the biggest, but it’s one of the pleasures of my life to see birds darting past the window with tasty morsels clamped in their beaks. Trouble is, I already have a standard tube, a freestanding tray, a hanging globe, and one that says “Featherspoons” (if you’ve ever visited the UK, you’ll understand). And it’s hard to justify multiple feeders when you’re already struggling with planting space.

But I can’t deny I’m on the lookout for bird care goodies again this week, and Amazon Prime Day deals are everywhere we look. And even though I could possibly already open a shop devoted to bird feeders, I’m so very tempted by one particular purchase, and that’s the smart bird feeder. Truth is, smart feeder prices sometimes put me off. But this week, a certain “birdy cam” special is basically half price, which means a certain Amazon cart has been jiggling in anticipation. It’s a bird brand I trust, and it’s a genuine treat for beginners, because you can now grab the Birdfy Rookie Smart Feeder on Amazon for $84.59.

Trying to square an outlay of $150 is one thing, but scoring one that is currently 50% off is a bona fide birdy bargain. It’s got so much to recommend it, especially if you’re like me and have a genuine fascination with our backyard’s feathered guests. Could this finally be the week I make room for some very cool bird-friendly tech? Read on, to find out why this might be the best bird feeder camera you never knew you needed, and why now’s the time to get one while the getting is very good.

Birdfy Birdfy Bird Feeder With Camera for Rookie (Solar Powered Bundle)

Designed with beginners in mind, the compact Birdfy Rookie is so simple to set up and maintain. Its smart AI camera identifies over 6,000 species visiting your yard and streams the action directly to your phone. Capturing clips in a social-friendly vertical 9:16 portrait format means no awkward cropping, while the high-frame-rate 60FPS mode lets you replay in uber-smooth slow motion.

Why I Need This Bargain Feeder

(Image credit: Liz Leyden / Getty Images)

I’ve been fascinated by the antics of garden birds at feeding stations ever since the pandemic. While the world slowed down and everyone became more aware of nature happening just outside their window, I impulsively hung a feeder outside my balcony window. Although I was living in a tiny apartment, I created a teeny-weeny bespoke bird sanctuary along that minuscule railing, and became fixated on the comings and goings of finches, sparrows, and even shy robins. But while I indulged in a very specific bird passion, it was clear that I could only catch brief moments.

Now, I have a backyard of my very own, but I have the same issue when attracting birds. Even with my many feeders dangling from trees and fences, I’m often teased by the very briefest glimpses of birdlife at the feeders, while listening to hedges vibrating with song and trees teaming with fluttering feathers. Trying to steal more glimpses of the private life of birds can often feel elusive. While I love those little glimpses, I wish I could enjoy more of those candid moments of bird activity when their guard is down and they think nobody is looking. This is why the lure of the smart bird feeder is so strong – and why the Birdfy Bird Feeder with Camera for Rookie set promises to be such a revelation (and at this price, such a steal) for my backyard birdwatching…

Why It’s Such a Bargain

(Image credit: Chrys35 / Getty Images)

Let’s just say it: for a long time, I’ve assumed that jumping into high-tech bird spotting meant grappling with tricky and complex setups. Happily, the Rookie is reassuringly straightforward to use. Because it comes from a trusted brand, backed by a community of over 650,000 birders, you know you are in safe hands and using something that feels like a labor of birdie love. It offers a streamlined walkthrough process that takes just minutes. You just download the intuitive app, scan a quick QR code on the camera frame, and sync it to your home WiFi.

What makes it such an unmissable bargain this week with Amazon Prime Day is how seamlessly it stuffs high-end specs into a budget-friendly (and bird-friendly) package. Normally, a continuous-charge, solar roof panel bundle like this would push towards the $170 mark. So snagging a clean 50% discount is so compelling. You’re scoring quality, zero-maintenance hardware for entry-level wonga.

Instead of standard landscape clips that require clumsy zooming, the Rookie captures footage in a modern 9:16 vertical portrait mode for smartphone viewing. Best of all, it shares the same crystal-clear 1080p camera sensor found in Birdfy's more expensive luxury lines. When you get birds flocking to your feeder, you can play back the action in a smooth 60FPS slow-motion mode. This is such a treat for candid birdy moments, letting you observe intricate textures and fleeting wildlife behaviors that would otherwise be hard to capture (and easy to miss).

What Shoppers Love

(Image credit: MelodyanneM / Getty Images)

A glance through the Amazon reviews, and the overarching consensus from avid backyard bird lovers is clear. The Birdfy Bird Feeder with Camera for Rookie delivers an addictive, joyful user experience. Reviewers are vocal about how approachable the hardware is. From unboxing to syncing over WiFi, shoppers praise the ease of use and highly responsive app, confirming that even tech-phobes can have it running in minutes. One delighted five-star reviewer noted it is "so quick and easy to set up" and called it "a great feeder for both new and experienced birders."

Beyond the hassle-free installation, camera performance is a major win. Buyers love the crisp 1080p Full HD clarity, but it is the smooth 60FPS high-frame-rate playback that steals the show. Satisfied buyers repeatedly praise the visual output, with one shopper sharing that the "picture quality is great… you get clear, close-up views of the birds" without disturbing their natural patterns.

(Image credit: Claude Laprise / Getty Images)

Reviewers also note how much fun it is to use the slow-motion feature to review early morning visitors. As one reviewer enthusiastically pointed out, "The 60FPS slow-motion clips look great: you can really see the little details when birds land and eat." This visual intimacy encourages a clear layer of respect among users for that extra detail, transforming the antics of local bird species into nature documentaries.

Crucially, the Rookie solves a long-term frustration that usually haunts smart feeder owners: battery anxiety. Shoppers who opted for this continuous-charge solar roof bundle report a genuinely hands-off experience, with battery levels locked at 100% week after week. Users who transitioned from older tech highlight the convenience of the new battery housing, with one buyer noting "it is very easy to remove the camera to recharge" if needed, though the solar hookup makes it entirely hands-off.

On a personal level, I also really like the subtle design and the earthy tones. This feeder effortlessly slips into a host of yard shapes and sizes (even small ones like mine). Several reviewers celebrate how easy it is to snap open the lid, top up the 1.3-liter seed chamber, and get straight back to feasting their eyes on the charming real-time avian movie.

Why Birds Love It

(Image credit: Teresa Melcer / Getty Images)

A critical part of a good bird camera feeder is how readily it is accepted by visiting birds. All that fancy tech is for naught if the birds don’t like it and keep away. One of the core aspects of this type of unit is to take care of birds through summer (and beyond), not scare them away. On that score, this feeder also rates highly. Happily, the Rookie is an inviting, practical bird feeding station. The architecture features a thoughtful layout, with a wide wrap-around perch that offers easy-grip points for a variety of species, from lightweight, fluttering goldfinches to heavier blue jays.

Delighted buyers note that local birds adapted to the unit almost instantly, with many reporting their first feathered visitors landing to eat within just 30 minutes of securing the feeder. Because the housing uses an easy-access, flip-top roof, the 1.3-liter seed chamber is easy to clean out. This avoids the deep, tight moisture pockets that plague standard tube feeders, protecting birds from mold and stale bacteria build-up. It feels safe, stable, and natural to them, ensuring they return day after day.

To fill your feeder, you can buy Kaytee Ultimate Nut and Fruit Wild Bird Food from Amazon. It is 35% off for Amazon Prime Day and is a great all-round summer mix for your new Rookie feeder. You can also get 43% off the C&S Suet Variety Value Pack (Peanut and Berry Bundle) from Amazon as part of Prime Day deals to attract clinging species like woodpeckers and nuthatches in supporting feeders.

Is It Right for Your Yard?

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One thing to bear in mind with the Birdfy Rookie is its camera housing. More expensive bird feeder cameras offer a manual or motorized lens swivel, but the Rookie’s 1080p camera lens is locked firmly into a single wide-angle position, focused on the perch. While a few reviewers say they initially wished for a bit of horizontal adjustability to track birds approaching from the wings, the sheer panoramic scale of the integrated lens clearly compensates for it, ensuring you rarely miss a visitor. It is also worth noting that while the lightweight construction makes the unit easy to mount, it lacks the heavy, ornate presence of a larger wooden station.

However, when you weigh these minor physical trade-offs against the sheer volume of high-end features, the Rookie is a real delight for beginners. It’s easy to lift, unlatch and clean the feeder. Furthermore, while the device requires a 2.4GHz WiFi connection to stream, the signal stability inside the app is highly resilient. It provides seamless instant alerts the second a little beak crosses the frame. This is such a rewarding, entry-level leap into the world of bird feeder tech, and the Prime Day deal is a genuine gift that will bring endless joy and appreciation to your bird care. It’s highly likely you'll become a tiny bit addicted with your backyard birdies.

Other Smart Bird Feeders

While the Birdfy Rookie offers an unbeatable entry point for beginners this Prime Day, there are some fascinating variations designed to cater to specific backyard goals. Depending on your budget, yard layout, and the birds you hope to attract, your choice ranges from species-specific models to wildlife encyclopedias. So depending on your needs, these standout Prime Day bargains are also worthy of consideration.

Dual-Purpose Hub

NETVUE Netvue by Birdfy Pro Smart Bird Feeder With Hummingbird Add-on

If you want to welcome more than just standard songbirds to your lens, this brilliant multi-species upgrade is currently $104.96 (down from $199.99 RRP). With nectar ports alongside the traditional seed tray, you can capture both finches and hummers on the same high-def camera sensor, making it a versatile all-in-one wildlife station.

Premium Tech

Bird Buddy Birdbuddy Pro Solar Smart Bird Feeder With Camera

The ultimate luxury splurge for data-loving backyard birders, now $168 (down from £299 RRP). With stunning 2K HD video, its integrated solar roof ensures continuous battery life. The highly immersive app automatically tracks your backyard visitors and rewards you with unique species badges every time a new bird stops by. This bird feeder camera is a real treat for bird nerds.

Rustic Charm

TT Nature TT Nature Upgraded Bird Feeder With Camera

For gardeners who dislike the modern look of many bird camera feeders, this highly affordable alternative is currently just $75.97 (down from $109.99 RRP). It features a sweet rustic faux-wood design for a natural cottage-style aesthetic. But it doesn't compromise on useful tech and also has great features like real-time phone notifications and crystal-clear 1080p clips.

Need more ideas for getting the most from your plants, indoors and out, and looking for the best seasonal expert advice delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the free Gardening Know How Newsletter!

June is a critical time for apple trees, as they shift from spring blossoms to fruit development. The trees are putting a lot of energy into growing fruits, but also into healthy foliage and strong roots. A few simple care tasks improve overall tree health and fruit size and quality while also minimizing the risk of typical problems.

Growing apple trees successfully depends on understanding growth timelines, ideal growing conditions, and potential problems. In June, most apple trees are in the early fruit development stage. Pollination has led to the production of small apples that will grow in size over the course of the summer.

During this crucial growth period, you might encounter a few issues, like pests, fungal infections, or overburdened branches. A fruit tree spray from Amazon can help manage pests and diseases. You might also see some fruit drop, which is normal. Apple trees drop some fruits early to prevent branches from getting too heavy. Some loss now is normal.

By following these essential June chores for apple trees, you can maximize your harvest and enjoy healthy trees for years to come.

1. Hand Thin the Fruits

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June fruit drop is normal, but you can also aid this natural process by hand thinning some of the apples. By selectively removing some of the developing fruits now, you’ll get bigger, better-quality apples later in the season.

Apple trees produce more fruit than they can actually bring to healthy maturity. If some do not drop, or if you don’t remove them, the crowded apples won’t develop to full size and might have less flavor. Also, the overburdened branches can break under the weight of too much fruit.

To hand thin your apple tree, start by removing any fruits that look damaged, misshapen, or infested with insects. Then, thin out fruit with the goal of leaving one apple every six to eight inches (15 to 20 cm) along a branch.

2. Water During Heat and Drought

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The weather in June can be unpredictable in many places. If you experience dry, hot periods, you’ll need to water your apple tree to keep it healthy and happy. Inconsistent moisture is a typical reason apple trees don’t produce well in a given season.

Ensure your apple trees get about an inch (2.5 cm) of water per week. If it isn’t raining, water deeply at the root zone about once a week. Water more frequently during very hot, dry weather and for younger trees.

3. Look for Signs of Pests or Disease

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Apple tree pests and diseases can quickly ruin an apple harvest, so it’s best to look for signs early and often. The sooner you catch and manage these issues, the more likely you are to still get a good number of quality apples later.

Codling moths are the proverbial worm in the apple. Look for holes in the fruit. Apple maggots leave little dimples on the surface of fruits where they lay eggs. Spider mites leave behind silk webbing and cause leaves to look scorched. Aphids leave sticky honeydew behind, attracting ants and causing leaves to curl. Woolly aphids also leave behind a cottony material.

Common diseases on apple trees include apple scab and powdery mildew. Scab causes dark green spots on leaves and fruit. Mildew looks like a white or gray powder on leaves and new shoots. You can manage or prevent diseases like these by trimming your trees for airflow and avoiding watering from above. Remove infected growth or use a recommended fungicide, like Captain Jack's Fruit Tree Spray from Amazon, as needed.

4. Light Summer Pruning

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Your apple tree needs to direct its energy into fruit development right now, not new growth. June is a good time to do some light pruning to trim back aggressive new shoots that drain energy. This trimming will also open up the canopy to improve airflow and sunlight penetration.

Use sharp, clean shears to trim off water sprouts and suckers. Water sprouts are the new shoots that grow out of main branches on the tree. Suckers are similar shoots that grow from the base of the tree.

5. Fertilize if Needed

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Healthy, older trees probably don’t need feeding right now. On the other hand, younger trees can benefit from some June feeding. Trees of any age showing signs of nutrient deficiency, like pale leaves or minimal growth, can also use a light feeding now.

If you feel like your tree could use some extra nutrients, use a balanced product. Avoid products higher in nitrogen, which will encourage leaf growth at the expense of fruit. If you’re not sure your tree needs feeding, do a soil test or check in with your local extension office for guidance.

6. Support Heavy Branches

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Even with fruit thinning, some branches can become very heavy as the apples develop. They can crack or even break all the way through. If you see branches that look too weak to hold up their load of fruit, you can use a sturdy stick or post under it to prop it up. You can also use soft ties to anchor it to the trunk or a sturdier branch. Keep monitoring these questionable branches throughout the season.

June is one of the most important months in the apple-growing season. By thinning fruit, watering and feeding as needed, and staying on top of issues like pests and diseases, you can enjoy bigger, better apples and healthier trees both this season and many more.

Houseplants are not all the same. Some decorate a side table or sit quietly near the kitchen window. Others have star quality and light up a room. Fiddle leaf figs (Ficus lyrata) fall squarely in the “star” category with their huge, shiny, violin-shaped leaves and proud, upright carriage. I happen to share my San Francisco apartment with three of them and consider them part of my family.

But every houseplant needs some care, no matter how strong and magnificent they look. And in June, as spring turns to summer, it’s time to focus on fiddle leaf fig care. Generally, these houseplants need bright indirect light, humidity and consistent watering. But in June, it’s time to go a little further.

Here are five tasks to put on your fiddle leaf fig list for the month.

1. Check Sun Exposure

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When I first adopted a fiddle leaf fig plant, I associated it closely with a fig tree. I have planted a few fig trees in my garden in France, so I know their growth requirements very well. Fig trees I like sun, direct sun. My plants get sun 8 hours a day. As a word smith, I latched onto the word “fig tree” in my fiddle leaf’s common name and just went with it, placing my houseplant by a southern facing window.

But fiddle leaf fig plants are not closely related to fig trees and their light needs are different. Those gorgeous fiddle-shaped leaves need indirect light, not direct sunlight. Mine came in with large, lush, leathery leaves but these quickly turned crispy in full sun.

Even if you didn’t make the same mistake that I did, June is the moment to check your plant’s sun exposure. As spring matures into summer, the sun’s path across the sky changes and its intensity increases. One June day when you are spending the day at home, monitor the sunlight on your fiddle leaf every few hours. A tad of morning sun isn’t so bad, but if the rays of afternoon sunlight touch the leaves of your houseplant, move it to another location.

2. Figure Out if the Temperature is Spiking

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Fiddle leaf figs are picky about a variety of things, but they are fairly tolerant when it comes to temperatures. They will thrive in average household temperatures (as low as 60 degrees F and as high as 85 degrees) as long as there are no temperature swings. Too big a temperature swing can cause drooping leaves.

As the sun exposure shifts in June, the temperature of the room in which your fiddle leaf is located may change too. You can combine this task with the previous one. Every time you check on sun exposure, check the thermometer too. A simple combination thermometer/hygrometer from Amazon will help immensely when caring for your houseplants.

A swing upward may result from too much direct sunlight entering the room, and a swing downward may result from extra air conditioner time. If that’s the case, it’s time to move the houseplant to a room without temperature swings.

3. Dust Those Beautiful Leaves

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Dusting fiddle leaf fig leaves should not be restricted to June, but June is a good month to restart this every-other-week task if you have neglected it. Dust on the leaves impedes the process of photosynthesis. And it also lessens the beauty of the iconic foliage.

How to dust? Use a damp cloth and gently wipe both sides of every leaf. Microfiber cloth works well. Be sure to hold the leaf with one hand while you wipe it with the other. It’ll break your heart if you accidentally crack off the leaf.

4. Review Your Watering Habits

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Fiddle leaf fig houseplants need regular irrigation, but they are somewhat picky about how much. They prefer moist soil but object to excess water. They’ll let you know by dropping their leaves and, if the condition continues, developing root rot. They will signal too little water, the leaves wilt and the color dulls. Generally, you want to water when the top two inches of soil are dry. You don’t have to use a tape measure. Just poke a finger into the soil up to the second knuckle. Or purchase a small moisture meter from Amazon.

If you keep your houseplant in a clay pot, you’ll have to worry about high salt levels in the soil. Salt can accumulate in the soil from the clay pot, or from watering with treated water. June is the perfect time to flush out the salt buildup. Run tap water into the soil until it pours out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the container. If the tap water is fluorinated, use filtered water instead.

5. Repot Your Fiddle Leaf Fig

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June is the perfect time to check whether it’s time to repot your fiddle leaf fig houseplant. You don’t want it to be short of soil with summer rolling in. How can you tell if it’s time?

The plant’s leaves are a good thermometer of distress. If the leaves are yellowing or falling off, it may be a sign that it has outgrown its pot. Another indication is that the plant's roots are growing up and out of the pot or down and out of the drain holes. Finally, if there are no new leaves or growth, or the soil pales, it’s time to repot. Get a container just size bigger than the old one and put a base layer of fresh potting soil into the bottom.

The key to repotting your houseplant is to water it well a few days earlier. When it’s repotting day, turn the container on its side and wiggle out the plug of soil and roots. Trim off any dead or damaged roots. Sit the fiddle leaf fig in the new pot and add a 1:1 mix of old soil with new potting soil to fill the pot.

A chewed leaf is usually a clue, and not just an eyesore. The shape of the damage and where it shows up usually point straight to whoever’s responsible, and naming the culprit is most of the battle.

You put in the work all spring, and then one morning the leaves look like someone went at them with a hole punch. It is common to happen, and it’s rarely a mystery for long. Most of the bugs that eat plants leave a calling card—a particular style of damage that gives them away. Once you learn the signs, the rest is mostly follow-through.

This isn’t about reaching for the strongest spray on the shelf, either. Half of identifying garden pests is just looking closely—at the holes, sure, but also the leaf undersides where things hide, and the little black specks they leave behind. Match the damage to the bug, and the fix usually turns out simpler and gentler than you’d expect.

Match the Damage: 7 Common Culprits

None of this needs a lab. Most damage falls into a handful of patterns, and once you’ve seen each one a couple of times, you’ll start spotting the culprit at a glance. Here’s how the usual suspects sign their work.

1. Slugs and Snails

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If the holes turn up overnight and there’s a silvery trail glinting nearby, you’re looking at slugs or snails. They go for soft, low growth—seedlings especially—and they’re at their worst after rain. Heading out after dark with a flashlight to pick them off works, though it’s not everyone’s idea of a good evening.

A few slug hacks gardeners swear by include beer traps, copper tape, and trap boards. Beer traps sunk level with the soil pull them in, and copper tape around a pot gives them a jolt they won’t cross. For a real infestation, an organic slug bait from Amazon (currently 20% off for Prime Day) uses iron phosphate is safe around pets and wildlife, unlike the older pellets. Mostly, though, clearing the damp boards and pot rims they shelter under does more than any trap.

2. Caterpillars

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Look for the droppings. Large, irregular bites out of the leaves, plus a scatter of dark frass pellets on the foliage below, almost always means caterpillars. They like to hide on the undersides by day, so flip a few leaves over. A tomato hornworm can strip a plant in a day or two if you miss it.

Hand-picking honestly works if you keep at it; drop them in soapy water and move on. When there are too many to chase, a spray of Bacillus thuringiensis from Amazon (Bt) hits caterpillars only and leaves the bees and everything else alone, which most sprays can’t manage to do. Netting over the crop stops the moths laying eggs to begin with.

3. Japanese Beetles

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You’ll usually catch Japanese beetles in the act. Fat, metallic green-and-copper beetles clustered on a rose in the afternoon sun, the leaf behind them eaten down to a lacy net of veins. They’re among the showiest bugs on garden plants, and among the most maddening. Knock them into a tub of soapy water early in the morning while they’re still sluggish; it thins a group fast.

Skip the pheromone traps, whatever the box promises—they pull in more beetles than they catch. Neem oil from Amazon makes the leaves less appealing, and since the grubs spend winter in the lawn, treating that breaks next year’s cycle. Plan on staying after this one all season.

4. Flea Beetles

(Image credit: Tomasz Klejdysz / Getty Images)

It looks like someone fired birdshot at the foliage. Dozens of tiny round holes peppering the leaf. That’s flea beetles, and they live up to the name, springing away the second you lean in. Seedlings take it hardest; young brassicas and eggplant can stall out completely under a heavy attack.

The surest answer is keeping them off from the start. A floating row cover from Amazon dropped over the bed at planting lets in light and rain while shutting the beetles out. Sticky traps catch the adults, and once a plant is big and growing strong, the damage isn’t near as noticeable.

5. Earwigs

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No slime, but soft leaves and flower petals chewed into ragged holes, and nothing in sight during daylight? Suspect earwigs. Dahlias and marigolds are favorites, along with any tender seedling. They feed at night and tuck into tight, dark crevices by day, which is exactly how you beat them.

Set out a loosely rolled damp newspaper, or an upturned pot packed with straw, and empty the hideouts come morning. One catch worth remembering: earwigs also eat aphids and other small bugs eating plant leaves, so a few around the garden actually earn their keep. Step in only when they’re wrecking blooms you really care about.

6. Sawfly Larvae

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Sawfly larvae get mistaken for caterpillars all the time, which sends people reaching for the wrong product. They graze the surface off a leaf and leave a thin, translucent windowpane – green veins showing through where the tissue’s been scraped away. Rose slugs are the common version.

Because they aren’t true caterpillars, Bacillus thuringiensis does nothing here, so you have to go at them directly. They gather on leaf undersides, often in tidy rows, so a hard blast of water knocks plenty off, and insecticidal soap or neem mops up the stragglers if you hit where they feed. Get on it early. Five minutes of squishing now spares you a skeletonized bush in July.

7. Vine Weevils

(Image credit: Kazakov Maksim / Shutterstock)

The notched leaf edges are the obvious part of vine weevil damage. The neat little scallops bitten out of the margins almost look decorative, but the real trouble is out of sight. Cream-colored grubs chew through the roots underground, and the first you know of it is often a potted plant that wilts and topples over for no clear reason.

Container heucheras and primulas are prime targets, strawberries too. The adults can’t fly and wander at night, so hand-picking or a sticky barrier handles them. The grubs are the harder problem. An application of beneficial nematodes in late summer, while the soil’s still warm, is the one thing that reliably reaches them down there.

When I moved into my house, I knew I’d have to invest in raised beds if I ever wanted to grow edible plants. My soil was full of weeds, broken glass, trash, and a whole host of other unappetizing and unsafe items. Plus, there is a black walnut tree growing right next door in my neighbor’s yard. So I started looking for the best budget raised beds.

My search brought me to Amazon, of course, where I found a fantastic deal on these FOOWIN Galvanized Raised Garden Beds. I was on the hunt for a high-quality, yet low-cost dupe of the beloved Vego Garden raised beds, which our Senior Editor Liz added to her own front yard a few years ago. And I found just what I was looking for in this 2-pack of metal raised beds from Amazon.

I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about these affordable raised beds before buying, from the pros and cons to installation tips. But don’t take too long to make your decision because these beds are on sale right now for Amazon Prime Day!

Price & Availability

This 2-Piece FOOWIN Galvanized Raised Garden Bed Kit is available on Amazon for $127.79 for Prime Day, which is a 33% discount off the regular price. You can also get this raised garden bed kit on sale from Walmart now for $128. It is only available online.

One of the biggest benefits of this raised garden bed is the price. Each bed costs less than $65, which is an incredible price for a metal raised bed of this size.

(Image credit: Laura Walters / Future)Setup

The setup wasn’t that difficult, but it did take quite a bit of time to complete. I did the first bed on my own and it took about 2-2.5 hours to put together.

The instructions were very limited. They didn’t include any images other than for a list of the parts and had very brief, unclear written descriptions for the setup process. But these beds are fairly simple to put together just using your own logic.

However, I still made a couple mistakes that I had to fix on the first bed. I wasted quite a bit of time undoing one of the ends of the first bed after I screwed it on because I thought I did it wrong. It turned out I did it right and ended up redoing it again.

It also took extra time putting together the first bed because I did it by myself. I was able to put the bed together just fine, but I enlisted the help of my sister and dad to assist with the second bed. That ended up going faster because I had another person helping to screw all the pieces together while I worked on other parts of the bed. It also helped to have someone hold the sides up while I screwed them together.

Thankfully all of the parts, including screws and nuts, were included in the packaging. There were even extra screws and nuts, which came in handy when a couple screws were damaged and I couldn’t use them. However, you do need to provide your own tools, which include a ratchet and wrench.

Laura Walters / FutureLaura Walters / FutureLaura Walters / FutureDesign

These raised beds are 8 feet (2.4 m) long, 4 feet (1.2 m) wide, and 2 (0.6 m) feet deep. They are really quite large, which is exactly what I was looking for when I chose these beds. I wanted to fill as much of my yard as possible with these beds. I even put the one bed over top of an old tree stump. I’m hoping that turning these planters into hügelkultur beds filled with logs, sticks, compost, and plants will suppress the suckers that keep sprouting out of the tree stump.

I will easily be able to grow vining plants like pumpkins, butternut squash, and cucumbers in these beds as well as tons of tomatoes, herbs, and even some flowers for cutting. I plan on adding a trellis to the one raised bed as well to create a privacy screen on the patio that doubles as usable vertical growing space.

These metal raised garden beds are made of steel with a zinc alloy coating and non-toxic paint finish. They come in six different colors: silver, brown, yellow, navy, dark green, and black. I opted for the black powder-coated finish. The beds also come with plastic covers for the corners to prevent any accidental cuts or scrapes while you’re working in your garden, which is a nice touch.

These raised beds have an open bottom, so I recommend laying down cardboard at the base before filling with your growing medium to prevent weeds from coming up from the ground. They also have three turnbuckles in the center of the beds to help stabilize the sides and prevent them from bowing out when you fill the beds with soil.

(Image credit: Laura Walters / Future)User Reviews

The FOOWIN Galvanized Raised Garden Beds have over 700 reviews on Amazon with an average rating of 4.3 stars. Reviewers frequently mention the good quality and sturdiness of these beds, which I noticed as well when I put these beds together. Other reviewers on Amazon also had difficulty assembling these raised garden beds, which I did a bit at first as well.

Our Verdict

All in all, I’m impressed by these metal raised garden beds. I have not filled them or planted in them yet, so the real test of durability and usefulness is still yet to come. But I have high hopes. Because the beds are so large, I intend on filling the bottom half to two-thirds with old logs, dead brush, and finally compost and soil before planting.

I think the height of these beds will make them great for planting and tending to my garden. I won’t have to crouch all the way down to the ground like I have in the past with my in-ground beds.

These raised beds also look great around the perimeter of my patio at the back of my house. Even with nothing planted in them yet, they add privacy and make the space feel more intentional. Once they’re filled with tall green plants and vine-covered trellises, they will be absolutely beautiful.

Also Consider

Vego Garden Raised Garden Bed Kit

I wanted affordable metal raised beds that looked and functioned like these extremely popular Vego Garden beds. If you’re willing to splurge, try these beds instead.

Land Guard Galvanized Raised Garden Bed Kit

These metal raised beds are the same size and an almost identical design to the beds I bought, but they are even cheaper. However, they don’t come in a dark black finish.

DIIYIV Galvanized Raised Garden Beds With Legs

If you want a similar look to my beds, but even more accessibility then these are a great option. They are smaller, but you won’t have to bend over at all to use them.