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In case you haven’t noticed, the holidays are rapidly approaching and the gift shopping season is officially underway. Each year, the pros at Gardenologist compile holiday gift guides to help you out.
Today’s list is gardening gifts for the beginner gardener, and it’s full of gifts to educate, inspire and assist.
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1. Can you dig it?
Why do I need a gardening knife? Ah, cricket, let us show you.
I use mine mostly for weeding. But it’s been put to use in the past for cutting sod, slicing nursery pots (dayum those root-bound plants!), even for dividing plants, such as my beloved cannas.
My gardening knife is indispensable and, the “tomboy” that I am, it is firmly attached to a sheath, at my hip, all season long.
Interestingly, it’s not top-of-the-list for many gardeners. Buy it for your budding green thumber, though, and he or she will be forever grateful.
We have chosen the best “hori-hori” gardening knife based on our favorite features (handle and size are critical) as a gardening gift.
By the way, although some call it a “weeding knife,’ you and I know better. Buy it online at Bloomist.com.
2. Raise some young’uns
Our earliest failures in gardening were those dealing with starting seeds. Start them too early or too late, you fail. Start them with or without heat, you fail. Wrong growing mix? Yup, you fail.
Success is never assured, but with a seed-starting kit your newbie gardening friend is more likely to meet with it. And, that will set the stage for confidence in all future gardening endeavors.
This grow kit comes with eight types of herb seeds, eight pots to plant them in, plant markers, “… peat, nutrition packs, and a detailed grow guide,” according to the folks at Homegrown Garden.
We love this kit mainly because herbs are so very easy to grow, but suggest bundling it with a heat mat and a grow-light system. They aren’t absolutely necessary, but would be a nice addition to the grow kit.
Tuck them all into a gift basket for a gift any beginner gardener will love.
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3. Nobody told me gardening is a contact sport
As a nooby to gardening I faced a life-threatening disease caused by a prick from a rosebush. The technical name is Sporotrichosis and the common name is “rose gardener’s disease.”
From experience, I can tell you that it’s scary and painful. I can also tell you that it’s unexpected.
If your rookie gardener is one of your kids, you will naturally want to ensure he or she doesn’t contract this disease.
I almost lost a hand.
The best way to do this is with a sturdy, puncture-proof garden glove (my hands were bare).
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4. Save the rookie gardener’s knees
Ok, enough of the scary stuff, let’s talk comfort. If you have ever had to kneel or sit to pull weeds, plant or install irrigation you know how utterly uncomfortable it is.
But not if you receive a kneeler from someone who loves you. Sure, you can buy a wimpy little foam thing that you hope will make the kneels feel better (it won’t). I’ve been gifted a number of these and all of them ended up in the landfill.
Check out the Ohuhu Garden Kneeler. It changed my life. Although this doesn’t describe all the features, it, in a nutshell, offers an elevated kneeling pad and a garden chair. Check out the pouches on the side. Meant for tools, they’ll also hold your recipient’s phone. See the description at Amazon. It’s amazing.
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5. No, they’re not sexy, but they will become indispensable
Fall, winter and spring gardening means that we’re often facing mucky conditions. It’s tempting to garden in your fave sweats and tennies, but it’s not smart. If your favorite rookie gardener is serious about this endeavor, you should be too.
Footwear is at the top of the list when it comes to the serious gardener’s attire list and it should be on the nooby’s list as well.
Check out these sexy muck boots that will protect your gardener’s tootsies during the rainy months.
What to buy: Hunter’s Original Tall Women’s Rain Boot, Amazon
Hunter Men’s Original Tall Rain Boot, Amazon
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6. The smart garden
Salmonella in commercial produce is becoming more common. Because of this, the members of Horticopious have agreed to stop buying commercial greens in the winter and are now actively growing our own.
Giving the gift of a smart garden not only helps your newby gardener grow his or her own salads but, because it’s so easy, they will gain gardening confidence as well.
The best smart garden, hands down (at least in our opinion) is the Smart Garden 9, from Click & Grow. Yes, it’s pricey, but if there is a prepper or new gardener on your list, they will love this.
