Looking for a last-minute holiday gift for that garden friend?
Consider a myriad of garden products that almost anyone would
appreciate.
Looking for a last-minute holiday gift for that garden friend? Consider a myriad of garden products that almost anyone would appreciate.
You don’t have to spend a small fortune to show gratitude toward that garden friend, either. Consider an offer to also plant that special specimen you buy them! Who wouldn’t appreciate that bare-root rose, balled-in-burlap Japanese maple or already-flowering annuals planted in a hanging basket or other container? All you need to do is include a card that says you’ll also do the planting for them.
Speaking of the aforementioned specimens, roses, fruit trees and some shade trees are available in bare-root form right during the holidays. Bare-root means specimens are sold without soil and a container. This translates to savings for you, plus they’re easier to plant because you don’t have to dig quite as large a planting hole.
Dwarf citrus – whether we’re talking about oranges, lemons, limes, kumquats or others – also make great holiday gifts when planted in large containers. Plant these dwarf citrus in containers at least 20 inches in diameter. Many often have tiny citrus hanging from the plants this time of year.
If you’re looking for a small flowering gift when visiting this holiday season, consider the most popular potted plant of all: the poinsettia. These days, poinsettias not only come in fiery red, but also pink, white, speckled and other colors. They are always appreciated.
Other holiday garden gifts to consider include garden gloves. What gardener wouldn’t enjoy sinking their hands into a new pair of garden gloves? We’re not talking those cheap cloth types that rose thorns will go right through. We’re talking about fine quality leather, suede or goat skin. Sure they may cost more than cloth gloves, but they’ll last for many garden seasons. Better yet, these more expensive garden gloves are often products that home gardeners sometimes refuse to splurge on. Now you can do the splurging for them.
Our friends at Fiskars, the orange-handled scissors company, has a whole array of fine pruning tools to offer. These include pruners, loppers and hedge trimmers. Hand pruners come in both traditional anvil types and more sophisticated bypass types. One of my all-time favorites is Fiskars’ “Pruning Stik” tree pruner. It has an aluminum/fiberglass telescoping handle that comes out 12 feet, with a rotating cutting head. It’s ideal to reach those hard-to-reach places in trees. One word of warning: These are high quality fine tools and, therefore, are not cheap! More information may be obtained at its Web site: www.fiskars.com.
As for watering tools, one of the best Dramm water wands around is from the Dramm Corp. This company offers lightweight water wands in various lengths and colors. There are even ones geared for kids. If you’re a hand waterer like me, you’ll need a water wand.
While you’re at it, buy one for that gardening friend, too. Check out all their fine products at: www.dramm.com or look for them at nurseries everywhere.
Keith Muraoka lives and works in Gilroy. He has written his award-winning column since 1984. E-mail him at [email protected], or write him at P.O. Box 22365, Gilroy, Calif. 95021.
