Truly the only gift that any NTX gardener needs, our 2026 Planner is guaranteed to transform the way that you garden so that you can grown more than you ever thought possible.
With features like planting records, reference charts, sample garden layouts, and planting succession timelines, the planner is the "one and done" gift for any garden lover or aspiring garden lover!
I cannot live without this. I carry it with me at all times in the garden. I use it for planting seedlings, weeding, cutting open bags of compost or potting soil, measuring spacing between plants, and harvesting.
My favorite feature is the bright orange handle because I'm constantly misplacing it, and the color makes it easier to locate!
I am very hard on my gardening gloves, and I find that most gloves wear out in one season. I tested these gloves for the first time this year, and they've earned a permanent place in my garden tote.
The padding protects my hands from blisters, and I like the velcro strap that keeps dirt out.
Hands-down the best lights for growing seedlings indoors. AND, if there was any doubt that they weren't, that doubt was fully squashed this year. I've been able to grow both tomatoes and cucumbers to full maturity under these lights.
As I've always taught, "grow lights" are completely unnecessary for growing seedlings indoors at home.
When eating what I've grown, I get to wondering, "What are the health benefits of this vegetable?" Then I grab this book and learn all about the vegetable's nutritional quality, history, and optimal preparation techniques. I refer to this book weekly.
When you grow your own vegetables, dinner depends on whatever was just picked from the garden. That’s why it’s essential to have reliable resources that let you search recipes by ingredient. And even better, organize your favorites the same way.
I rely on NYT Cooking and America’s Test Kitchen, both of which I trust completely because every recipe they publish is carefully and repeatedly tested.
My favorite garden boots were discontinued, and when they finally started falling apart this year, I had to find a replacement. In our heavy clay soil, deep treads are a disaster because mud packs in and won’t let go, so I needed something with a smoother sole. These MUCK boots turned out to be perfect. The slim sole resists buildup, and the neoprene makes them far more flexible and comfortable than standard muck boots.
Because I spend so much time outdoors, protecting my face from the sun is really important. My go-to source for garden hats is Peter Grimm. They have a wide selection of different styles. Two of my favorites are Sebastian (seen here) and Huron.
Rain or shine, I wear SPF on my face every day. Recently, I discovered Haru Haru Wonder SPF 50+, and I'm obsessed. It is lightweight, moisturizing, non-greasy, and doesn't leave any white cast behind.
Best of all, it costs less than $15 but feels like a luxury sunscreen that would cost three times as much.
I'm giving it to friends and family this year!
The Dallas Garden School
Callie is the foremost gardening expert and educator in North Texas and a gardening columnist for D Magazine. Based in Dallas, Texas.