Hey fellow gardeners! I'm a mechanical engineering student working on a project aimed at designing a new gardening tool. Since I don't have much gardening experience, I'm reaching out to you all for ideas. What specific problems do you run into while gardening? Are there any tools you wish existed but don't? Or maybe you have something in mind that you currently use but think could be improved? Even small annoyances or simple ideas can really help me out. Thanks a ton!
8 Answers
I'd love a pot filler for my watering can! Just something I could put it under, press a button, and it would fill up without overflowing while I handle other things. It would be awesome if it could connect to a hose too. Also, I wish there was a handheld gadget that could blow aphids off my plants—compact enough to fit in a tool belt and manually operated, not battery-powered.
I dream of a mini leaf sucker, battery-powered and with a long, thin nozzle. It should be lightweight with easy-to-unclip collection bags. I deal with leaves from a row of trees daily, so something quick and easy to use would be a lifesaver!
Why not mulch with a lightweight mower first? Then you can just rake up the leftovers as needed!
How about a WiFi-connected hosepipe? That would be something new, right?
I’d love to see a Hayter 56 pro mower where the bottom around the blades is a sealed unit. That way, twigs and mud wouldn't get stuck and ruin the mower! If you can make that happen, you're a real hero!
How about a raised netting system for veggie beds that actually looks neat and doesn't take forever to set up? Something that's user-friendly would be great!
It would be great to have a gauge that shows the water level in my water butt from the outside! Every time I lift the lid, I mess with the gutter connection a bit more.
Looks like someone already made that! Check out this site: [Water Butt Gauge](https://www.waterbuttgauge.co.uk/index.htm). Pretty cool!
I wish for a biomechanical suit with back support—something like Ripley's suit from Alien! It might sound over the top, but gardening can be tough on the back.
I had two main issues just today: First, neighbor's cats keep leaving surprises in my garden! I could really use a scoop that somehow integrates with bags to make pickup easier. Second, a solar pump system for my water butt would be ideal. It would be so handy to attach a hose and easily water my plants.
Totally agree! A tool that prevents overflowing would be a game changer. I'd definitely multitask while filling, instead of watching the can all the time!