If you have gardeners on your shopping list, whatever you do, don’t give them cheap tools. Give them something they’ll remember.
Most serious gardeners would much rather receive one high-quality garden tool than a bunch of cheap ones that won’t last a year. And please don’t give an adult a set of child-size tools.
A group of Master Gardeners were polled for their opinions on holiday gifts. The high-end choice gifts were labelers, four-wheel carts and truckloads of garden amendments.
They also wanted Santa to deliver nice hand pruners, lopper pruners, ratchet pruners, garden gloves or garden hoses.
One of most requested tools was a Hori-Hori multi-use gardening spade. It looks like a broad, serrated knife with a wooden handle. It has about a 7-inch blade marked with millimeters, so gardeners can measure planting depth, and a pointed tip to rip open fertilizer bags.
Another multi-use shovel is the Crovel. It has been described as a multiuse tool on steroids because it includes not one, not two but 13 different tools in one. It features a crow bar, a saw, a bottle opener, an axe, a hammer and, of course, a shovel. Also, it's lightweight, so it can be easily thrown into a truck or a backpack for on-the-go gardening.
A third and more specialized digging implement is a soil probe, used for digging up soil samples to be sent in for testing. If you know a gardener who dutifully sends in their soil for testing every spring, a soil probe could make the process easier and more precise.
A sprinkler with a timer would be a great gift, too. And a container of Roundup will always be appreciated and put to good use.
Other big hits on the gardeners' wish lists were hand shears, 30-inch pruners, cultivating forks, pruning saws and pole saws. Also popular: durable work gloves and heavy-duty carts to haul soil, bags of fertilizer and weeding scraps. A pair of gardening gloves with hooks on them so you can fasten them on your belt is a thoughtful gift, since gardeners are often laying their gloves down and losing track of them. Similarly, a sheath or an apron with pockets helps keep gardening tools close at hand.
Among active gardeners, the most requested gift was plants. Everyone wants pass-a-long plants and rooted cuttings. A plant that can be later planted outside in the garden can serve as a reminder of the gift-giver for years
Low-light house plants are also great. Gardeners typically like indoor plants, too.
Clothes can be welcome gifts, like a hat for sun protection or pants with reinforced knees.
Give a membership to a botanical garden, or gift certificate from a seed supply company. Or consider giving interactive CDs, garden design software or reference books.
Don’t forget cordless gardening tools, such as a cordless pruner. They’re great for small jobs and have lower emissions, making them better for the environment, too.
Gifts that make gardening easier include plant stands, a gas-powered trimmer with attachments to handle tilling and other jobs, a blower with a leaf vacuum/shredder feature, lightweight collapsible hoses (ie. TV's Pocket Hose), a good 16-foot pole saw for avoiding the ladder while pruning and, lastly, a really good shovel. A good shovel can lower the impact of work on your body while you garden. And a sun hat will protect face and ears from sun damage.
Other top items on gardeners' want lists include garden gloves and boots. Quality boots and gloves can make gardening a lot easier. A fishing vest is another useful gift. It has pockets for scissors, twine, wire, hand pruner and seeds.
If you are worried about buying the right size hat, gloves, boots or vest for your gardener, but want something more fun than a rake, there are always decorative pots, compost bins, new garden scissors or yard art.
If funds are low, give a bag of manure, compost or potting soil. While it's impossible to gift wrap compost, reference books for gardeners are a great tool and can be enjoyed any time of year.
