When vegetable gardeners speak, the gardening industry listens. The 2012 season offers products that make gardening easier, dozens of organic and heirloom options, and a surprising number of new and unusual varieties to plant.

Gardening Gets Easier

With so many new gardeners trying their hand at backyard growing, companies are meeting the demand with products that simplify vegetable gardening. Look for “easy-grow” Ferry-Morse seed strips and disks; Simply Salad multi-species, multi-pellets from Ball Horticultural; and pre-packaged seed kits from Humble Seed.

Self-watering trough planters will take the guesswork out of plant care. The water reservoirs on the Lechuza molded plastic planters hold about three gallons of water and send up a signal when it’s time to add more.

Organic Gardening Grows

Vegetable gardeners have more organic options than ever before. Companies are capitalizing on the grow local and organic movements by featuring the green and white “USDA Organic” logo on their seed packets. More organic products will also be on the shelves for organic gardeners. Established brands, like St. Gabriel Organics, will face competition from industry giants with new organic product lines like Miracle-Gro’s Organic Choice plant foods, Daniels Plant Food from Ball Horticultural and Ortho’s Elementals garden solutions.

Heirloom Gardening Takes Off

At one time it was unusual to see seeds and plants described as “heirloom” or “open-pollinated” in catalogs, but now “heirloom” is used as a marketing catchword. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, once the go-to source for heirloom seeds, has competition from just about every other seed company in the business. Look for “wonderful heirloom” “family heirloom” “popular heirloom” and even “organic heirloom” descriptors. Another common marketing term: “non-GMO.” It’s interesting to see that catalogs have made it a point to clearly label “hybrid” varieties.

Bold Colors, Tastes and Claims

Gardeners bored with growing the same vegetables and herbs in their gardens each year will be pleasantly surprised to plant blue or ‘Tye-Dye’ tomatoes, yellow ‘Faerie’ watermelons, ‘Orange Blaze’ peppers, and ‘Wasabi’ arugula. Burpee has a new vegetable collection called “Boost” that includes varieties that are said to have higher levels of antioxidants and higher nutrition than other home garden vegetables.

What vegetable gardening trends are you anticipating for 2012?

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Corona® Multi-Purpose Metal Mini Garden Shovel

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Longer Service Life: The blade of this round small shovel is made of carbon steel, which can effectively improve the hardness by high temperature quenching, and the surface has anti-rust coating to avoid rusting. In the process of use when encountering hard objects will not bend and deformation. Sturdy Structure: The small garden shovel with D-handle, ergonomically designed grip can increase the grip of the hand when using, the handle is made of strong fiberglass, will not bend and break under heavy pressure. Quick Digging: Well-made digging shovel has a sharp blade, and the round shovel head is designed to easily penetrate the soil and cut quickly while digging to enhance your work efficiency.

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A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

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MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point - no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY.

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Ho-Mi Digger - Korean Triangle Blade

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Versatile Tool: The Easy Digger Korean Triangle Blade Ho Mi Ho-mi is a versatile gardening tool designed for leveling and digging in home and garden settings. Efficient Design: Its unique triangular blade shape allows for easy soil penetration and efficient leveling of garden beds or landscaping areas. Durable Construction: Crafted with sturdy materials, this tool ensures long-lasting performance and reliability. Ergonomic Handle: The comfortable handle provides a secure grip, reducing hand fatigue during extended use. Compact Size: Its compact design makes it easy to maneuver in tight spaces and store when not in use.

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