Where to Buy Gardening Equipment and Supplies in Spain

Many gardeners coming to Spain soon run into trouble in finding out where to buy all their gardening supplies. Indeed the most frequent question put to us is ‘Where can I buy this, that or the other?’.

The problem was even greater twenty years ago when we first came to Spain as there were very few garden centres and most only sold plants and did not have a shop.

Today most have some sort of shop but rarely do they stock the full range of tools, fertilizers, sprays, vegetable seeds and plantlets, rubber boots for muddy days etc. that newcomers need to develop and maintain a new garden or revamp an existing one. And mail order and on-line internet gardening shopping is not as developed in Spain as in the UK and no allotment associations exist either.

So where else can on go. The answer is to locate your local agricultural co-operative, animal food warehouse (normally signposted Pienso), irrigation specialist suppliers of garden/ small holding machinery such as rotovators, shredders, lawn mowers etc..

What the best ones in each category sell is amazing. They are like Aladdin’s caves.

The following are examples of ones which we have visited in recent weeks.

Agricultural Co-operatives

Agricultural co-operatives selling- a good range of strong tools , organic fertilizers, summer and winter footwear including rubber boots for the few muddy days, a wide range of vegetable seeds and plantlets ( in January and February they often stock seed potatoes), large rolls of plastic sheeting sold by the metre, the clear plastic and metal hoops for long cloches, feedstuffs for domestic animals, in the producing areas large containers of virgin olive oil and local wines - the latter often supplied from the barrels-, young fruit trees of the varieties grown commercially in the area etc Also if you are looking for someone to prune your fruit trees or harvest the olives they may well know of someone.

Some also sell a range of artisan food products. And of course some have a local mill to which you can take large crops of olives that can produce your own virgin olive oil. In some cases you may need to join the cooperative for this service. Many are the major supplier of fertilizers, insecticides and fungicides in the area including the latest recommended products including ecological/organic options - but not in all cases! One big change in most cooperatives in recent years is that there is no longer the heavy smell and dust of chemical since new EEC laws came into force requiring that hazardous products are kept in air conditioned store rooms away from the public and employees.

Pienso warehouses

Pienso warehouses ( animal feed warehouses) - again selling a good range of seeds and vegetable plantlets, animal feedstuffs but this time for poultry, rabbits, horses, dogs etc. Since local markets stopped selling domestic livestock some are the best source of chickens, ducks, quail, rabbits and even young donkeys, feeding dishes and hoppers, dog leads, pet cages and baskets, inexpensive large plastic barrels for use as water butts, and a good source of information as to where you can obtain things that they don’t stock. Oh, and they supply bales of straw for putting around the strawberry bed and bales of hay or alfalfa for feeding animals.

Small machinery stockists

Small machinery stockists - often these have the best range of tools around especially if in a fruit or vegetable growing area and most importantly they are willing to give advice on what machinery is best for your size of garden and soils. Many repair machinery and some also rent out machinery like hedge cutters, heavy duty strimmers etc. Some also stock insecticide sprays including a growing ranges of ecological organic options.

Irrigation specialists

Irrigation specialists - check who is the main local agricultural supplier of piping , valves, spray heads, pumps etc., required to install agricultural scale irrigation systems. Many also sell a good range of products for garden scale systems and are willing to give advice. And of course just the place to discuss a system for your larger property. They may also install or be able to put you in touch with an installer.

We hope the above helps. All are good places to practice your Spanish!