Joe White: Christmas gifts for gardeners
Although it’s only a few more days until Christmas, I’ll bet there are still a few more gifts that need to be bought. Maybe failure to purchase a gift for that particular person is because you have no idea what they would like or perhaps you just ran out of ideas. Whatever the case, I thought a few examples of suitable gifts for Christmas would be appreciated and possibly might stimulate your thinking about some other gift you could buy for that person. So, here are some gift ideas for you to consider:
Gift certificate for a plant: If it’s a plant for the landscape, recommend a plant that would survive and do well in our region of the country. If it’s for indoor use, suggest a plant that can tolerate low levels of light and if it’s for a person that’s unaccustomed to caring for live plants, give a quality artificial one.
Garden stool: Working on your hands and knees becomes more difficult as you age. Actually, however, a person of any age would appreciate this gift.
Work gloves: They’re made for both women and men and are especially appreciated when working with plants that have thorns. Leather is best!
Cap, hat or bonnet: It’s not a good idea to work in the sun for long periods without protecting your head
Garden hand tools: Garden trowels, hoes, bulb setters. rakes and shovels are pretty much basic tools every gardener needs. Choose non-rusting trowels made of aluminum if available
Garden power tools and equipment: Hedge clippers, tillers, leaf blowers, lawn mowers and brush chippers are more expensive, but any or these would be nice to add to a gardener’s tool inventory.
Pruning equipment: Hand pruners are excellent for light work on small twigs and branches, but lopping shears are needed when branches are an inch or more in diameter and pruning saws are required for the “big stuff”
Cooler and thermos bottle for drinks: Even during the cooler days of winter very much physical work can lead to dehydration of our bodies which can be dangerous to our health.
Garden log for keeping records: More of us should keep a record of our gardening activities such as planting dates, pesticide usage, irrigation information and varieties of vegetables that prove to be superior.
Decorative pots and hanging baskets: Hard to go wrong here. Most people are thrilled with these items if they are truly attractive.
Buckets: Buckets with tight-fitting lids are excellent for storing granular fertilizers and pesticides that absorb moisture in the open air. If this doesn’t ruin these products then it makes them hard to use.
Labels, waterproof marking pencils: Information that is lost due to moisture destroying a pen or pencil’s mark on a jar, board, plastic container, etc. may be important in the planning of a vegetable garden or flower bed.
The above is only a few gift ideas that might be suitable for your neighbor, friend or relative. I’m sure you have many others and probably even better ones. And do have a wonderful and blessed Christmas holiday season.
Joe White is a retired horticulturalist with the LSU Ag Center.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Joe White: Christmas gifts for gardeners
