Oh, by gosh by golly, it's time for gifts for your favorite gardener. Yes, it's time to figure out what special holiday gift you can give the gardener in your family. If you're stuck for ideas, I've got a few I would like this year, hint, hint.
Gardeners use and abuse their hands. So you can never go wrong with a gift of garden gloves. But don't just choose any glove. For gardeners who like heavy duty projects like moving wood, soil mulch and stones, look for leather gloves. These will last longer. For the more delicate work of weeding and pruning, try gloves that fit tight against your fingers often made from products such as lycra and nylon. For rose growers, try long sleeved gloves that protect their arms. And don't forget to put a little skin balm in the stocking, too, to soothe the bare handed gardener.
Hand tools are a bit trickier. Gardeners often have specific preferences for their special tool, so you may have to do a little behind the scenes research before purchasing. I like three-pronged cultivator, cape cod weeder, a good pair of sturdy pruners such as the Felco brand. My wife Wendy loves her cobra head weeder. Of, and toss a tool sharpener in their stocking, too.
Accessories, such as a gardener's tool belt, a pruner holster, and a good hat are also nice ideas. For products to use in the garden, try reusable Velcro plant ties for tying up roses, grapes and tomatoes, floating row covers to protect plants in spring and fall, and a gift certificate for compost. We all love compost and only a gardener can appreciate a load of fresh, black earth dumped in their yard. So get shopping.
And now for this week's tip, the cooler indoor air temperatures combined with shorter days makes for little growth on houseplants. It's easy to over water this time of year. Cut back on your watering and fertilizing, letting plants dry out between waterings.
Next week on the Vermont Garden Journal, I'll be talking about forcing bulbs indoors. Until then, I'll be seeing you in the garden.
Friday, December 13, 2013 at 5:57 p.m. and Sunday, December 15, 2013 at 8:35 a.m.
