Cost

How much does gardening cost?

$41 buys all 4 essentials.

4 priced items · checked 10 Sept 2026 · retailer prices, we earn a commission

Everything essential, cheapest sensible pick

$41

4 items, nothing rented

Against 247 hobbies

Below median

Cheaper than 53% of them. Median hobby: $84.

What each thing costs

Every essential item, cheapest sensible option first. Mid-range and top picks alongside.

Hand Pruners essential

mid $68top $63

$13

Watering Can essential

mid $26top $70

$12

Hand Trowel essential

mid $9top $30

$8

Garden Gloves essential

mid $20top $37

$8

All 4 essentials

$41

What you need

$41

Everything you need to start gardening. None of it is a big commitment.

Hand Trowel

Hand Trowel

$8

For digging holes, dividing plants, planting bulbs. Stainless steel is the upgrade priority.

Bond Manufacturing Garden Hand Trowel

mid $9top $30

Hand Pruners

$13

The single most-used gardening tool. Spend money here — Felco lasts a lifetime.

Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears

mid $68top $63

Garden Gloves

$8

Real gloves prevent thorn punctures, soil dryness, and blisters. Cotton is cheap and useless; nitrile or leather is the standard.

Wells Lamont Nitrile-Coated Work Gloves

mid $20top $37

Watering Can

$12

Galvanized steel lasts decades; plastic is fine for indoor use. Removable rose attachment for seedlings.

Bloem Aqua Rite Watering Can 2 Gallon

mid $26top $70

Later, if you stay

Not needed to start. These are the upgrades that matter once the habit has stuck.

Garden Hose

$35

Cheap hoses kink and split. Rubber lasts 5x longer than vinyl. Length should match your garden, not the cheapest option.

Gilmour 864751-1001 75ft Heavy Duty Flexogen Garden Hose

top $48

Startup cost · all 247 hobbieslog scale
$1
$84
$1245
$80

Gardening costs more to start than 47% of the 247 hobbies we price. The median is $84.

Cost questions

How much does Gardening cost to start?

About $41 for the 4 essential items, taking the cheapest sensible option for each.

What does each thing cost for Gardening?

Hand Pruners: from $13. Watering Can: from $12. Hand Trowel: from $8. Garden Gloves: from $8.

Is Gardening an expensive hobby?

Gardening costs about $80 to start, dearer than 47% of the 247 hobbies we price. The median hobby costs $84, so this sits around the middle.

What should I buy first for Gardening?

hand trowel, hand pruners, garden gloves, watering can — $41 together. They are the cheap half of the kit and the half you keep whatever you decide about the rest.

Hobbies that cost about the same

The 6 nearest to gardening by startup cost, out of 247.

Millinery$2 less$78Home Cheese Making$1 less$79Mycology$1 less$79
Gardeningyou are here$80
Mineral & Gem Collecting$1 more$81Painting$2 more$82Jewelry Making$3 more$83
Start gardeningGardening beginner guide