The Backyard Farmer Tool Shed
Welcome to The Backyard Farmer Tool Shed — the home of my free, browser‑based gardening tools.
This isn’t about physical tools or product reviews. Instead, the Tool Shed is where you’ll find interactive planners, calculators, calendars, and finders designed to help you make better decisions before you buy, build, or plant anything.
Whether you’re planning an allotment, checking what to sow today, or tracking down free pallets and firewood, these tools are built to save time, reduce guesswork, and support practical, self‑sufficient gardening.
There are no downloads, no paywalls, and no sign‑ups required — just straightforward digital tools made by a working gardener. Bookmark this page and come back whenever you need it. The shed is always growing.
Looking for physical tools and equipment instead? Head over to the Gardening Tools & Equipment hub to explore hand tools, power tools, and gear reviews.
If you’re new here, the Start Here page shows you how everything fits together, from growing guides to tools and calculators.
🌱 Planning & Growing
Tools to help you plan what to grow, when to grow it, and how to make the most of your space.
Allotment planner
Plan your vegetable garden layout
Design your allotment or veg plot with an easy drag‑and‑drop planner. Resize beds, place crops by season, and use built‑in companion planting guidance to get more from your space. Export a printable PDF to take to the plot.
Biodynamic calendar
Plan planting days using lunar cycles
Use lunar phases and regional frost dates to choose the best days for sowing fruit, root, leaf, and flower crops. A simple way to stay in rhythm with the seasons and plant with confidence.
UK planting calendar
See what to sow today
Check which vegetables and herbs you can sow indoors, outdoors, or transplant on any day of the year. Always seasonally accurate and tailored for UK growing conditions.
🐝 Identification & Knowledge Tools
Quick-reference tools to help you understand what’s happening in your garden and the wildlife around it.
Bee identification tool
Identify bees using simple visual cues
Answer a few quick questions about colour, size, tail type, and markings to narrow down the bee you’ve spotted. Includes instant matches and links to detailed UK species profiles.
🔍 Sourcing & DIY Helpers
Practical tools for finding materials, supplies, and local resources for gardening and DIY projects.
Firewood finder
Find free and cheap firewood near you
Search local sources of firewood using your postcode. Includes guidance on legal collection, safe timber types, and how to season logs properly.
⚡ Energy & Off‑Grid Calculators
Simple calculators and planning tools for off‑grid, low‑energy, and self‑sufficient setups.
Off‑grid solar sizing tool (UK)
Calculate the right solar system size
Work out how much solar panel capacity and battery storage you actually need based on your appliances, usage habits, and UK conditions — without overspending.
Free pallet finder
Locate free pallets for DIY projects
Find businesses giving away pallets for raised beds, compost bins, log stores, and other garden builds. Practical, quick, and completely free.
Garden centre finder
Find garden centres near you
Use an interactive map to locate nearby garden centres across the UK. Ideal for sourcing plants, compost, tools, and supplies without guesswork.
FAQs
Short answers to common questions about how these tools work. If you don’t see what you need here, just use the tools — they’re designed to be self‑explanatory.
Our Allotment Planner is designed with UK growers in mind. It’s easy to use, mobile-friendly, and includes companion planting tips so you get more from your space.
No sign-up required. Everything runs straight in your browser. You can save or print layouts without entering an email — although you can subscribe if you’d like extra seasonal content.
Yes. Every tool is tested on desktop and mobile, so you can plan or check sowing dates while you’re in the garden.
Absolutely. They’re created to make gardening and self-sufficiency more accessible for everyone. No paywalls, no hidden catches.
The tools are browser-based but act just like an app. Bookmark them to your home screen for quick, offline-style access whenever you need it.
At the beginning you only need the basics: a layout planner, sowing calendar, compost spot, and a few hand tools. Our digital tools help you organise all of this from day one.