“A Christmas Tree” — Christina Rossetti 1830-1894
The stars are shining brightly,
The bells are ringing clear;
A thousand lights are twinkling
Upon the Christmas tree.
O happy little children,
O blessed Christmastide!
To you the Christ Child bringeth
His peace and joy beside.
Are you ready?! Yes, the holiday season is in full swing and with it comes the usual hustle and bustle (madness?) that pervades every waking moment. The rush to complete the obligatory holiday shopping is intensifying and for some that becomes about as joyful as a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. Well, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but it can sure eat into your time, trying to find just the right thing.
Well, here’s a bit of help, at least for those of you who have gardeners on your gift list. Last week, I sent a note to 15 of my Master Gardener friends, from across the state, and asked them what they would like to find under their tree. I got a lot of great answers and have put some of them together for your review here. I hope this will help you, just a bit, in completing your shopping list.
I strongly suggest that you shop around, because the costs and quality vary widely. John Ruskin wasn’t far wrong when he said ‘There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man’s lawful prey.’” And in a similar vein, “The worst possible gift is a fruitcake. There is only one fruitcake in the whole world that people continually give to someone else.” – Johnny Carson
At the top of the recommendation list was the Hori Hori knife. If you haven’t been exposed to this tool yet, you are in for a treat! These multipurpose tools are the best thing since peanut butter. I got one 10 years ago at the suggestion of Clyde Lester, the highly esteemed, quint essential gardener and retired Cooperative Extension agent. Since then, I have purchased many more as gifts for gardening friends and they have always been received with great appreciation. These 15-inch-long tools, typically made of stainless steel, serve as a digging trowel, a knife, a saw and a measuring tool. If you could have only one gardening tool, this would be a top choice. Don’t scrimp on quality here. A good stainless steel Hori Hori knife will last a lifetime.
In second place on the list was a good handheld pair of bypass pruning shears. There are two types of pruning shears, bypass and anvil types. Bypass pruners offer cleaner, more precise cuts and are generally better for live or green plant material, while anvil pruners provide more cutting power for thick or dead wood but tend to crush stems and are less suitable for delicate tasks. There are numerous shears to pick from, but one of the best (and quite expensive) is the Swiss made Falco #2 bypass pruner. If you receive this as a gift, you know that you are truly loved. There are several American made brands which do an excellent job at substantially smaller prices.
An inexpensive, but very handy item for your gardener’s stocking is a package of plant labels. These come in several shapes and sizes, but every gardener needs these. (No one seems to be able to remember when or what they planted stuff, or at least I can’t.) Get them a UV resistant marker to use with the labels. Regular marker pens fade out rapidly in the sun.
The next item is one that many senior gardeners will certainly appreciate. As we get a bit older, it becomes increasingly difficult to kneel on the ground and then get up again. Doing this multiple times can become a real chore for some so, a garden kneeler is a great gift. These have a kneeling pad, typically 3-4 inches above the ground and handrails on the sides to allow you to push/pull up with your arms when standing. Some come with accessories like places to hold hand tools and can be flipped upside down to allow sitting rather than kneeling.
An item which showed up on several lists was a nice planter or pot. The choices here are wide open. From cheap to incredibly expensive, from plastic or resin to terra cotta to stone or concrete. A nice pot is always well received. A really nice ceramic pot is always well received by those who have house plants. One friend advised that she would appreciate a piece of garden art or perhaps a bird feeder or fancy bird house. There is a real wave of enthusiasm building for Blue Bird houses and the local population is growing.
Something that you may not have considered is a seed starting kit. These can range from simple inexpensive plastic trays with a clear plastic dome, to more costly offerings that include an adjustable heating mat and possibly LED grow lights. Any serious gardener would no doubt appreciate a gift like this. With the cost of plants at their current prices, a lot more gardeners are choosing to start their plants from seed or cuttings. There are numerous kits to choose from and a broad range of prices.
One gardening friend from north Georgia suggested that she would love to receive a battery powered limb pruner as her hand strength was no longer up to cutting branches bigger than her fingers. A good unit including the battery and charger will run $50-$100 but is well worth the investment for an older gardener or those with smaller hands. She also mentioned that she really enjoyed succulents. These make great gifts for nearly everyone as they are about as easy to keep as anything this side of a pet rock. Most nurseries and big box stores have these and they are inexpensive as well.
A gift of a seasonal plant is always appreciated. Amaryllis, Paper Whites, Poinsettia, Christmas cactus, Norfolk Island Pine or forced Daffodils. And don’t forget Rosemary and other herbs that can be grown in a bright south facing window.
Lastly, if all else fails, a gift card will allow your gardener to get something that they want.
I hope this little list has been helpful. May the blessings of this season be with you, now and all through the coming year.
“God bless us, every one!” -Tiny Tim
