Gardeners on your gift list? Here are some ideas
Have gardeners on your gift list? Lucky you! It’s so easy to find great gifts for gardeners — there’s no end to books, tools, gifts, and gadgets created just for them.
This year, the editors of HomeGardenand- Homestead.com have checked out websites and flipped through catalogs to find some thoughtful gifts for everyone on your shopping list. All can be purchased online.
An easy way to water plants
The Hydro Bloom is a new way to keep potted plants happily watered. Just fill the UV-resistant water reservoir, and the water will gently seep into the potting soil. The attractive water globe holds 6.7 ounces, which will keep the plant hydrated for up to a week. ($9.99 from biogreen-products.com)
Stand up to weeding
The CobraHead® Long Handle Weeder takes the back-breaking labor out of weeding a flower bed or a vegetable garden. That’s because the long handle makes it possible to weed while standing up straight, perfect for older gardeners and those with limited kneeling and bending ability. Three different handle lengths are available. ($64.95. Add $3 for the extra-long handle. From www.cobrahead. com. Made in the U.S.)
The heart and soul of gardening
GreenPrints magazine is a special gift for anyone who delights in planting seeds and caring for plants. Unlike other magazines that deal with the “how-to” aspects of gardening, GreenPrints is the only publication that shares the joy, humor and inspiration of gardening with wonderful stories and beautiful illustrations. For the past 30 years, GreenPrints is where gardeners have gone to share stories of the human side of America’s favorite outdoor hobby. This delightful quarterly magazine has twice received the Best Small Garden Magazine award from GardenComm, an international organization of garden communicators. ($24.95 for a one-year subscription, plus an extra issue free. From www. greenprints.com.)
Grow fresh mushrooms in the shade
Home-grown mushrooms are delicious, nutritious, and easy to plant. A Shiitake log starter kit includes everything you need to start your own mini mushroom farm—except the logs. After planting and establishing, the logs will bear tasty and healthful mushrooms every spring and fall for many years.
The mushroom kit includes 250 pieces of mushroom plug spawn, a drill bit with stop collar, sealing wax, instructions, and recipes. The kit stores perfectly in the refrigerator for months until planting time so they make great holiday gifts. You will need five fresh hardwood log pieces cut during the winter, a few household tools, and the kit. (The Small Shiitake Plug Spawn Starter Kit sells for $36.00 from www.fieldforest. net. Other species of mushroom kits are also available.)
Flower Arranging Made Easy
This may be the best book ever about flower arranging, providing a foundation for novices, and serving as a refresher course for experienced flower designers. This new book includes more than 150 floral designs ranging from basic and traditional to advanced and contemporary, all created by professional designers. Included are step-by-step instructions and photos for 36 all-occasion arrangements, wedding bouquets, flowers to wear, sympathy arrangements, holiday designs, and even novelty arrangements and fruit baskets. Also, a wealth of in-depth information on the principles and elements of floral design, and floral design mechanics. (Hardcover. $39.95 at shop.wildflower.media.)
A “Peppermint Candy” gift plant
Looking for something beyond the traditional Poinsettia or Amaryllis? Crown of Thorns “Peppermint Candy” (Euphorbia milii) brings beautiful white and green leaf variegation and bright red, everblooming flowers to any sunny windowsill. (Note: it does have thorns.) Perfect for smaller spaces, and blooms throughout the year. (A plant in a 4-inch pot sells for $24.95 from logees. com.)
You can check out all of these great gifts at www.HomeGardenandHomestead.com
I’d also like to make a plug for my interactive nature book for children and families: Big Life Lessons from Nature’s Little Secrets. ($8.95) Available at Amazon.
Pam Baxter is an avid organic vegetable gardener who lives in Kimberton. Direct e-mail to pamelacbaxter@ gmail.com, or send mail to P.O. Box 80, Kimberton, PA 19442. Share your gardening stories on Facebook at “Chester County Roots.”