FREE CONTAINER GARDENING TOOLS
Make your next growing
decision a little clearer.
Measure light, choose a crop, estimate supplies and operating costs, then record the next step. Each tool answers a specific question and explains its limits.
OBSERVE · DIRECT SUN
Add separate sunny periods
Record start and end times for one growing position on one day. The sunlight worksheet combines overlapping entries, leaves shaded gaps out, and shows a daily timeline.
Download the original intervals and counted total. This measures elapsed sun time, not intensity or future harvests.
Open the sunlight worksheet →BUDGET · GROW LIGHTS
Estimate the energy charge
Enter electrical input watts, hours, operating days and your actual cents-per-kWh rate. Use one rate or two daily price periods and inspect the arithmetic.
Download a record of the inputs and result. The estimate excludes equipment purchases and fees not entered; it does not measure useful plant light.
Estimate grow-light running cost →01 · CHOOSE
Find a crop to investigate
Enter the direct sunlight you have observed, the container’s capacity and your growing conditions. The crop finder narrows a short list and links to detailed care guides.
Use it before buying plants. A match is a starting point: check mature size, usable depth and the variety’s spacing before committing.
Open the crop finder →02 · MEASURE
Plan your potting mix
Measure inside dimensions and select a tapered pot, cylinder or rectangular planter. Combine different pot sizes into one shopping list, then subtract a measured amount of suitable mix you already have.
Compare two bag sizes and optional prices using whole bags, purchase cost and leftover mix. Download the list before leaving; reloading clears it.
Calculate mix and bags →03 · FOLLOW THROUGH
Keep a garden task list
Add specific tasks such as checking a pot’s moisture, comparing new growth, or remeasuring a shady spot. Mark tasks complete and export your list.
Your tasks stay in this browser on this device. Export a copy before clearing browser data or changing devices.
Make a private garden plan →A useful order for a first project
- Observe direct light before choosing a crop. Include obstructions that move shade across the pot.
- Compare a crop’s needs with the container you can manage. Read the linked growing guide rather than relying on a calculator match alone.
- Measure the empty pot and estimate mix. Leave watering headroom and check that excess water has a usable exit.
- Put observation tasks in your plan. Record what happened before changing watering, feeding or pest treatment.
What these tools can and cannot tell you
They organize your measurements and decisions. They do not forecast harvests, diagnose disease, replace local planting calendars, or certify that a balcony can carry a filled container. Worked examples show the method; your actual dimensions and conditions determine your result.
No account or email is required. The sunlight, energy and potting-mix calculators and crop finder process inputs in the browser without saving them. Only the planner and saved checklists use local browser storage. See privacy and your choices for the site’s separate page-view measurement.
For a complete starting sequence, use the first-container guide. For an unexpected result, send the tool name, inputs and result so the calculation can be checked; do not include sensitive information.