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.
Free Garden Planning & Gardening Tools
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.
- If you’re new here, the Start Here page shows you how everything fits together.
- If you’re planning your garden layout, the Square Foot Garden Planner helps you design raised beds in minutes.
These free gardening tools help you plan vegetable gardens, design raised beds, identify wildlife, and find useful local resources. Whether you’re managing an allotment, designing a square foot garden, or planning what to plant this season, the Tool Shed brings everything together in one place.
Garden Planning Tools
These tools help you design your garden layout, plan what to grow, and organise your planting schedule throughout the year. Whether you’re managing an allotment, raised beds, or a small backyard vegetable garden, these planners make it easier to grow efficiently.
Square Foot Garden Planner
Design productive raised bed layouts using the square foot gardening method. Experiment with crop spacing, test different layouts, and export your finished plan before planting.
Biodynamic Planting Calendar
Plan your gardening tasks using traditional lunar gardening principles, helping you choose the best days to sow root, leaf, fruit, and flower crops.
UK Vegetable Planting Calendar
See exactly what vegetables to sow, plant, or harvest each month in the UK. This interactive calendar helps you plan seasonal gardening tasks based on typical 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.